Part 3A Family Portrait for the Family I Left

Eva hadn't actually run away at all. She was just lying in the bathtub with a shallow wound on her wrist.

Beside her was a suicide note that read, "Mora said I'm stupid and weak and that I don't deserve to be Mom and Dad's daughter. She told me that I'm a parasite on this family and should just die."

Dad scooped Eva into his arms and rushed out, his knees so weak that they almost gave out several times.

Mom's face instantly drained of color. She applied pressure against Eva's wound, sobbing loudly as she desperately flagged down a car to take them to the hospital.

In their frantic hurry, they had rushed past me, knocking me down the stairs without even realizing it.

The pain was so intense that I could barely stand. Still, the overwhelming panic kept me moving, and I limped all the way to the hospital.

As soon as Mom spotted me, she lunged over and landed a slew of furious slaps across my face. She hit me so hard that I could barely catch my breath.

"If it weren't for Eva's illness, you would've never been born! How dare you say such things to my daughter!"

Mom's screams pierced through my ears, which were already ringing nonstop.

Dad grabbed me by the neck and hauled me into the examination room, where an icy needle stabbed into my arm.

His expression was terrifyingly dark as he said, "We gave birth to you only to save Eva. We've fed and clothed you all these years, yet this is how you repay my daughter?"

The loss of so much blood made my head spin, leaving me unable to speak. I opened my mouth, but in the end, I still couldn’t tell them that I hadn't hurt Eva—that I was their daughter too.

After the blood transfusion, Mom and Dad left again without even looking back. I developed a high fever due to the stress, and the unbearable thirst returned once more.

The nurse on duty noticed me. With just one glance at me, she panicked and shouted, "Whose child is this? She's burning up so badly that she could become delirious. Why aren't her parents here yet?"

I strained to point toward the neighboring ward. When the nurse helped me up, I crashed heavily to the floor.

Upon hearing the commotion, Mom and Dad finally came over.

The nurse immediately berated them. "How can you call yourselves parents? Your child has a high fever and a broken leg, but you didn't even bother to check on her!"

It was only then that they noticed my dislocated calf and my blood-soaked pants.

A brief look of distress flashed across Mom's face as she took my burning body from the nurse's arms.

It was the first time I had ever leaned against her. Just as I greedily breathed in the scent of her coat, Eva's crying suddenly echoed from the ward next door.

"Dad, Mom, you should just stop caring about me. Every time you pay attention to me, Mora deliberately hurts herself. She's a healthy child, unlike me. I'm just a sick burden dragging everyone down. Just let me fend for myself!"

Hearing this, Dad flung me to the ground. He looked at me with anguish and fury.

"Mora, how can you be this calculating? Eva is so kind. Why aren't you the one who's sick?"

The last trace of guilt in Mom's eyes disappeared, replaced by disappointment and contempt.

"When I gave birth to you, you caused me to suffer a massive hemorrhage during labor. You nearly took my life.

"During the in-vitro test, your bone marrow was clearly shown to be a perfect match. But after the transplant, it couldn't produce red blood cells for Eva, leaving her dependent on you for the rest of her life.

"And now, you're even trying to kill my daughter and take her place. Mora, the family has no need for your bone marrow anymore. Leave!"

I felt my blood run cold. For a moment, I almost forgot how to breathe too.

I fell to my knees and desperately grabbed Mom's hand, using it to hit myself.

"Mom, please don't abandon me. I was wrong. I shouldn't have fought Eva for your affection. It's my fault. I deserve to die. I'm the reason she can't be cured. I'm a sinner. Please don't drive me away!"

I don't remember how long I knelt that day. All I knew was that I had cried until I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I learned that my broken leg was left with a permanent limp. It was because I had walked too far without getting treated in time.