Chapter 1

891words2026-02-26 05:58

Dad's bipolar disorder flared up, causing a car crash that took my mom's life.
It also cost me a leg and my voice.
From that day on, I became the one and only person my dad would protect with his own life.

Afraid of hurting me again, he'd often chain himself up in the house, keeping his distance.
When someone called me a crippled mute, he beat the man so badly he ended up in the ICU.
I couldn't bear watching Dad struggle to control his illness for my sake, so I lied and told him I was moving abroad to live.
After he served his time, he threw himself into building a business, desperate to give me a good life.
In less than five years, he became the most powerful figure in Portsmouth's circles.
The day the medical team finally fixed my leg, he told me he'd found someone new.

A stepmother for me. I heard she was gentle, kind, nurturing, and a doctor.
Just like my mom had been.
I accepted it calmly, and returned to the old house on their engagement day to give them my blessing.
But before I could even see Dad, my would-be stepmother slapped me so hard I hit the ground.

Her stiletto heel came down on my palm.
"You little gold-digger! Trying to seduce my husband into being your sugar daddy?!"
I couldn't get a word in to defend myself before she shattered my limbs and cut out my tongue.
She skinned me, slathered plaster and paint on me, turning me into a doll.
Then she packaged me as a gift and presented me to my father.
"Honey, this trash was insulting and harassing our precious daughter!"
"I've already made her into a doll!"
"Do you think Chloe will like this gift?"
...
Nothing was left in my body but endless pain, and I couldn't make a sound.
Most of my bones were shattered.
To get a nice shape, steel rods were driven through my limbs and torso.
The broken skin was stapled shut, my mouth, my face, my eyes, all sealed with glue.
I was coated in white plaster, painted into a cute little doll!
While I still had a flicker of life left, I was packaged as a gift and brought to my father's wedding.
My heart screamed, "Daddy, it's me, Chloe. It's Chloe."
But my ruined body didn't give me a single chance.
This morning, I'd finally come back to the old house, holding the doll Mom left me.
I was ready to bless Dad's second marriage, and to surprise him too.
But at the entrance, I saw my future stepmother.
She was tall and slender, radiantly beautiful, and she even looked a bit like my mom.
I stepped forward to introduce myself.
I never expected her to suddenly fly into a rage and slap me across the face.
"So you're the little slut trying to seduce my man!"
My head rang.
Before I could explain, several people grabbed my hair and dragged me into the courtyard.
The gate slammed shut.
All I felt was the heavy thud as I hit the ground.
Before I could even try to get up, a stiletto heel stomped down, pinning my hand to the dirt.
Ah!
Excruciating pain made cold sweat and tears burst from me.
I shook my head desperately, trying to raise my other hand in a pleading gesture!
But soon, that hand was stomped on too.
"Still won't admit it, will you!"
"Got the guts to do it but not own up to it!"
"Take a look at this, you bitch!"
Only then did I see the screenshot on her phone—my chat history with Dad.
Dad always called me 'Baby!
'or 'Sweetheart!'
But what was wrong with that? Was a stepmother really jealous of her own stepdaughter?
"You cheap slut, so young and already throwing yourself at men, how dare you chase a married man!"
One of her lackeys shrieked in anger beside her.
"It's bitches like you, calling random men 'Daddy,' that ruin society!"
"Amber, we're just doing the world a favor!"
"Homewreckers like this deserve to die!"
Then it hit me.
It wasn't jealousy.
They thought I was some 'sugar baby' mistress calling her 'Daddy.'
But the moment I looked up, her shoe cracked across my mouth!
Blood and teeth hit the ground instantly.
"What's the matter? Did it but can't say it?"
"You think it's okay to steal someone's husband?"
I was reeling from the blows, but I knew this was a misunderstanding!
Dad clearly said he'd found a wonderful stepmom to take care of me.
She must just love Dad so much that she got the wrong idea!
I had to explain, but I couldn't speak, only making meaningless, guttural sounds.
Gritting my teeth against the pain, I tried to write in the dirt with a bleeding finger.
The ground was rough.
With both my hands pierced through, every letter I wrote was agony.
"I… am…"
Someone kicked me!
"See, Amber! She's writing a blood confession, admitting she's the mistress!"
"Quick, take a picture! She said it herself!"
Amber stomped viciously on the fingers I was writing with.
"You think admitting it makes it okay?"
"No way it's that easy!"
A piercing pain shot through me. My finger broke. The agony was too much to think.