Part 2Accepted by Juilliard: My Father Threw Me into a Septic Tank

Seeing me hesitate, unwilling to hand over the acceptance letter, Dad’s tone softened. "Nora, if you go to school so far away, Mom and I will miss you too much!" he said, trying to sound genuinely concerned. "I was thoughtless before, pushing you to pursue music. I overlooked the fact that even if you're good, you might not become a star."

"Everyone online says only the children of the rich and powerful become celebrities. We ordinary folks shouldn't dream of such things!"

"You should be more practical. Just find a community college nearby, learn a trade. You won't have trouble finding a job after graduation!"

I nearly scoffed. While our family wasn’t incredibly wealthy, we certainly had enough money to send me to school abroad. Dad was an executive at a publicly traded company, earning hundreds of thousands a year. Mom ran a bustling café, with hundreds of customers daily. Besides, Dad had repeatedly told me that I should just pursue my dreams and not worry about anything else. Why was he now so earnestly pushing me to attend a community college? His sudden change was utterly wrong.

I clutched the acceptance letter tightly, glaring at Dad with simmering resentment. "Fine. You can have it."

The gloom on Dad's face instantly transformed into excitement, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Just as he let his guard down, I grabbed the vase beside me and smashed it over his head. Blood flowed freely as Dad screamed in agony. I turned and ran.

I ran towards Ashley’s apartment, planning to ask her for help. In my previous life, after I died, my soul lingered, unwilling to leave the mortal realm due to the overwhelming resentment in my heart. My spirit watched as Mom and Dad went about their daily lives, their faces calm, devoid of any sadness. Only Ashley cried for me every night, holding my photo, and even put up missing person posters all over the city.

Just as I was about to reach the entrance to Ashley’s building, a slender hand grabbed me. "You ungrateful wretch! How dare you hit your father!"

It was Mom. Her eyes blazed with hatred, her breathing ragged. "Come with me to the hospital, now, to see your dad!"

I forcefully pulled my hand away. "No! I can't go with you!"

"Because you'll try to kill me!"

Mom slapped me across the face. "We are your parents, who gave birth to you and raised you! How could we possibly try to kill you?"

"You made your father's head bleed, and you show no remorse. Instead, you slander us!"

"Even a wild animal isn't as malicious as you are!"

If she wanted a scene, I'd give her a spectacle. I plopped down on the ground, wailing uncontrollably. "Waaah, I'm so miserable!"

"I got into the best music conservatory in the world, but my parents don't want me to go there!"

"They even destroyed my acceptance letter, waaah!"

Instantly, passersby gathered, taking my side. "Are they crazy? Their child worked so hard to get into a top school, and they won't let her go!"

"My daughter got into community college, and I threw her a celebration party! This girl got into such a good school, and her mother looks utterly miserable!"

"Her mother's diamond ring is worth tens of thousands, yet she won't spend money to send her daughter to school. How cheap!"

Mom was a businesswoman, always meticulous about her public image. Seeing everyone criticize her, she didn't dare retort. But she shot me a chilling smile, then quickly sent a message to Ashley.

Soon, Ashley arrived. She embraced me, her face beaming. "My little Nora, you haven't come to see me in ages!"

I leaned in and whispered everything Mom and Dad had done to me. Ashley turned to Mom, her face alight with anger. "Nora getting into a prestigious university isn't a good thing? How could you and Dad—"

"But she got into Juilliard!"

Ashley's face instantly went ashen. She moved to snatch the acceptance letter from my hand. "Give it to me!"

My eyes wide with shock, I quickly hid the letter behind my back. Ashley slapped me hard across the face, her eyes bulging with rage. "Tear up that letter!"

"Otherwise, our sisterly bond is over!"