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They posted online,stirring up rumors with local blogs.
The company fought back,proving Chloe’s curiosity caused the shock.
Dad slipped,admitting:during investigations, my dad slipped up: Lin Can had been electrocuted due to her own curiosity..
The manufacturer sued for defamation,demanding hundreds of thousands.
My mom knelt at their offices repeatedly to avoid paying.
Chloe’s accident became a joke.
But soon after Chloe returned home,Derek showed up with gifts,proposing.
This wasnt my plan.
I never intended to marry him again.
Panicked,I saw Chloe’s smug grin.
She’d orchestrated this.
She gloated,“Sarah’s speechless with joy.”
I frowned.“I’m not happy.Why must marriages involve dowries now? And why can’t I take it with me?Can’t you think of me?Why taint my love with money?Three million?Chloe owes 600,000yuan—have Derek loan it.Stop bullying him.He’s my boyfriend,my future husband.I will protecting him.”
Derek looked touched.
My parents looked stunned.
Chloe exploded.“Sarah,are you insane?After all we’ve done for you,you give nothing back?”
I sneered.“Raised me? By making a six-year-old collect trash for money—beating me if I fell short? By forbidding meat at dinner—scolding me for taking extra veggies? By denying me five-yuan milk tea—hitting me if I drank it?If raising a child’s so easy, I can do it too. From now on, I’ll hit anyone who eats meat.”
“If you keep demanding money from Derek,I’ll move in with him.”
They thought I’d lost it.
Derek left,touched.
They begged me to reconsider,disappointed.“Sarah,what’s wrong with you?”
I ignored them.“Surprising?I’ve never had nice things—hand-me-down phones,no fun trips.You took Chloe to Disneyland two years ago.Don’t think I forgot.”
Chloe dragged them to talk.
Next day,she brought me a new iPhone.
“I bought this.I know you’re resentful,but we’re poor.Mom and Dad worked nights when we were little.Take this.They love you.Asking Derek for money is for your future.After the$600,000,they’ll start a business to live better.”
She played the good sister.
For the phone,I nodded.“Fine,but I want to travel first—to the mountains. After that, I’ll marry Derek.You can negotiate the dowry.”
They agreed,thinking it reasonable.
Derek came along.
He thought I was smitten,under his thumb,his attitude shifting,laughable.
I gave three location options.
They picked the prettiest—and most dangerous—one,teeming with wolves and bears.
At the site,a local warned against entering.
I feigned doubt.“Sounds risky.Maybe we should leave?”
Chloe,who’d posted about camping,scoffed.“You wanted to come,now you’re chickening out?Don’t cry favoritism later!”
Derek chimed in,“Don’t break your word.”
I pouted,setting up food and a grill,playing the dutiful daughter.
Dad and Derek got drunk and boasted,mom danced to loud music,Chloe livestreamed from a lounge chair.
I sat by Derek,pouring his drinks like a sweet fiancée.
Drunk,he grabbed my arm.I took his cup,and he slapped me to the ground.
“Think you can control me?”
“You’re nothing!”
He kicked me,face alight with thrill.
