My life was cursed from the start. Broken leg at three. Deaf in one ear by five. Eye lost by eight.

After my rich parents finally took me home, Chloe, the fake heiress, hissed a cruel threat.

Even if you're back, I'm still the only Hayes daughter! Try anything, and I'll break your other leg!

I stared, uncomprehending. Then, without a word, I detached both my prosthetic legs.

My parents faces drained of color as they saw my empty pants legs.

My brother Calebs expression darkened. He leaned in, his voice a low warning not to upset Chloe.

I just pointed to my ear with an innocent look and shouted. "WHAT?! Someone beat me deaf in this ear! I CANT HEAR YOU!"

He staggered back, looking like he'd seen a ghost.

At the gala, Chloe tried to frame me, faking a fall down the stairs. In the process, she tore my dress.

Just as Caleb led my parents over to confront me, they saw my body covered in scars.

The world froze. My father rushed to wrap me in his arms.

"What happened?! Tell me!"

Seeing their horror, Chloe scrambled to her feet, desperate to distance herself.

"I didnt do it! Dont you dare blame me!"

I nodded.

No, she didn't do it. The traffickers did.

I was the only child from my village to ever escape alive.

I'd made a promise to the little friends I left behind. I would make the monsters pay.





"It wasn't me."

Chloe's voice dissolved into a perfect, trembling sob, her eyes seeking refuge in Caleb's.

Caleb understood immediately. He moved to shield her, his voice hardening into a blade of conviction.

"Mom, Dad, listen to me. Aria's just playing the victim to frame Chloe!"

"You know Chloe. She could never do something so cruel. Never."

I wrapped myself in the clothes the butler, Mr. Davies, handed me, hiding the scars that covered my body.

Even though I couldn't stop trembling, I tried to smile at them.

"Mom, Dad, Caleb's right. My injuries really have nothing to do with Chloe."

"I did all of this to myself to play the victim and frame her."

During those years with the traffickers, I'd learned to be compliant to avoid another beating, to suffer a little less.

Accepting charges I didn't commit was always better than resisting and earning a fiercer beating.

But to my surprise, as soon as the words left my mouth, my parents' faces darkened.

Smash.

Dad slammed the glass he was holding onto the floor.

His hand trembled as he pointed accusingly from Chloe to Caleb. "Look! See what you did??Arias?not making any sense!"

Chloe and Caleb?stared, their faces paling.

Just then, a girl in an evening dress caught Chloe's look and stepped out.

"Who hurt her earlier is one thing," she declared, then thrust an accusing finger toward me. "But she just kicked Chloe down the stairs! In front of everyone."

Caleb jumped on it instantly. Her left foot! I saw it too!" he shouted, backing her up.

All eyes were on me again.

I peeked out from behind Mom, my face etched with confusion and helplessness.

Under everyone's gaze, I timidly bent down and slowly pulled up my left pant leg.

It was empty.

I looked up, my eyes fearful.

"Mom, Dad, even though... even though my left prosthetic leg is being serviced today..."

"But since Caleb and Tiffany saw me kick Chloe down the stairs, then... then it must have been me."

As I spoke, I tugged at Chloe's dress, trying to appease her. "I'm sorry, Chloe, it was my fault. I'll apologize to you right now."

With that, I used my one remaining prosthetic limb to support myself, hopped to the second floor, and without a second thought, leapt over the railing.

Silence descended for a moment.

Then, a piercing scream erupted from the crowd.

"Aria!!"

Mom and Dad frantically caught me.

Mr. Davies stumbled and crawled to find a doctor.

Caleb and Chloe stood frozen, dumbfounded.

The other guests' expressions were like they'd collectively seen a ghost.

"Doctor! Get a doctor, now!!!"

Excruciating pain shot through my limbs.

Amidst the shouts, the light in front of me faded, and I slowly closed my eyes.




That night, Mom and Dad reviewed the surveillance footage from every corner of the house.

Chloe's entire self-orchestrated scheme played out clearly on the screen, leaving nowhere to hide.

The evidence was undeniable.

Facing their questions, Chloe rubbed her red, tear-stained eyes, her voice full of grievance.

"I'm so sorry.I really didn't mean to frame her."

"I was just so scared. What if she shows up and you just replace me?"

Caleb was beside her in an instant. "You heard her! Chloe's just insecure!"

"She's lived here for over a decade. Someone suddenly comes back to take everything away from her... isn't it normal for her to be scared?"

"She didn't mean any harm, so stop being so aggressive!"

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, his brow furrowing tightly, his voice now filled with disgust.

"But Aria, I think there's something seriously wrong with her head, isn't there?"

"Who jumps from the second floor just because someone says something?"

Mom and Dad shot him a harsh glare, but they still took his words into consideration.

The next day, they pulled some strings and brought in a top psychologist.

To everyone's surprise, I was incredibly cooperative with the doctor's questions.

"Aria, can you tell me how you got these scars?"

I thought carefully for a moment, then answered softly. "I did them to myself."

A flicker of surprise crossed Dr. Miller's face. He pressed on, "And why would you hurt yourself?"

My answer was utterly natural. "Because that way, before someone gets angry, I've already punished myself. When they see I'm sorry, they might calm down and won't hit me anymore."