My brother, Bob Row, was waiting for me at the gates of the Row mansion. He looked at me the same way he always had: like I was something he’d stepped in.

“Sarah,” he said, not bothering with a greeting.

“You wanted to frame Jane, but she was worried you wouldn’t have a decent phone.”

He tossed a box at me. It was a slightly used, last-generation model. Jane’s hand-me-down.

“After all these years,” I said, my voice flat, “you still think I’m only worth Jane’s hand-me-downs.”

“This phone was just released! You can’t find it anywhere!” he snapped, his defensive tone proving it was old.

“Here you are, nitpicking as always. Suit yourself.”

He was angry. Good. He pulled something from his pocket. My heart seized. It was a red lucky charm, the one I had hiked for hours up a mountain to get for him at a temple, four years ago, just before everything went wrong.

“Jane gave me this four years ago,” he said, his voice softening as he looked at it.

“She’s kind, thoughtful… unlike you.”

I just stared at him. The charm I had bled for, passed off as her gift. Of course. It confirmed everything. The Rows never deserved my sincerity.

“When we get home,” he ordered, “don’t pick on Jane. Don’t stir up trouble. If you behave, we’ll treat you well.”

“Bob, what took you so long?” Jane’s sugary voice drifted from the doorway. She ran out and linked her arm through his.

“Let’s go.”

Then she saw me. Her face, the last one I saw before the prison gates slammed shut, twisted into a mask of mock surprise.

“Sarah Cole. You’re… out of prison.”

“Bob, weren’t you getting Jane from the salon?” their sister, Judy, asked, walking out behind her.

“Since Sarah was released today, I brought her back,” Bob said.

Jane pouted. “Seems like you’d rather I remain in prison.”

“Of course not,” Judy said, rolling her eyes.

“Tonight’s banquet is a big deal. VIPs are attending. Go get ready and dress appropriately.” She then handed Jane a beautifully wrapped gift. “Judy, I had this custom-made for you. I hope you like it.”

I watched them exchange expensive presents, laughing. Judy then shoved a small, cheap-looking box at me.

“This is for you.”

“Thank you, Judy,” I said, not opening it.

“This is your first gift to me. I’ll… love it.”

They walked inside, their laughter echoing. I was left on the steps, the convict, the outsider.

“Miss Cole… you’re back.”

I turned. Zoe, the only maid who had ever been kind to me, was standing there, her eyes filled with tears.

“Miss Cole, you’re injured!” she whispered, rushing to me and seeing the faint scars on my arms.

“Zoe,” I said, my voice cracking for the first time.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

“You’re the biological daughter, but you’ve had it worse than a servant,” she cried softly. “What will you do now?”

“I’ll live a better life from now on, Zoe.”

“It’s best to go along with them,” she warned, looking over her shoulder.

“Try not to make Miss Jane unhappy. While you were away… Miss Jane won the favor of the wealthy Cole family in Jackson. The family who owns Jackson University. Mr. and Mrs. Row value her even more.”

My blood went cold. “The… the wealthy Cole family in Jackson?”

“Yes,” Zoe said, her voice full of awe.

“For the past three years, the Cole family has sent Miss Jane birthday gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Row say it’s because she’s a top student. All of this… it was supposed to be yours. If only…”

If only you hadn’t been switched at birth.

I just nodded.

“Yes. All of this should have been mine.”

Zoe, they’re my family. The ones who raised me. The ones who think I’ve been studying abroad for four years. The ones who have been sending me lavish birthday gifts, not knowing their rival family was stealing them and giving them to their fake daughter.

“Mr. Row is asking for you at the banquet hall,” Zoe said, wringing her hands.

“It’s… it’s Miss Jane’s birthday party. Since you share a birthday, they’ve probably prepared a surprise for you, too.”

A surprise. I doubted it.

I walked into the grand ballroom. It was glittering. Hundreds of guests were mingling. And then they saw me. In my simple clothes, the ones I’d been released from prison in.

“Who is she?” a woman whispered.

“A lost servant?”

“Sarah!” Mr. Row, my biological father, barked.

“Why are you still dressed like this? Are you trying to embarrass us on purpose?”

“You know this is Jane’s 22nd birthday party,” my biological mother added, her face tight with anger.

“Yet you came wearing those… prison clothes. What’s with that face? Stop looking so pitiful.”

“You insisted I come,” I said. “I thought it was about me. But it’s for Jane’s birthday.”

“Does Jane’s birthday not matter?” my mother snapped.

“Are you jealous?”

“I’m a busy man,” Mr. Row cut in.

“I never remember something so minor. What about you two?”

“You keep going on about us being a family,” I said, my voice rising.

“Would a family forget that Jane and I share the same birthday?”

A gasp went through the nearby guests.

“What?” my mother said, flustered. “Sarah, you should have told us! You make it seem as if we’re mistreating you.”

“Am I sure I didn’t?” I asked. I remembered a dinner, years ago.

“Mom, it’s also my birthday today,” I had said, watching her serve Jane a custom-made plate of noodles.

“All right, Zoe, make Sarah some noodles,” she had replied, not even looking at me.

“Sarah, we only forgot once,” my mother hissed, her face turning red. “Must you show up like this and spoil the party?”

“These are the clothes the housekeeper gave me when I first joined this family,” I said, my voice loud and clear.

“This family has never bought me a single piece of clothing. How should I dress up?”

“That’s impossible!” Bob yelled.

“Everyone gets new clothes every month!”

“The person you’re referring to,” I said, “is your beloved sister, Jane Row. Not me.”

Judy stepped in. “Bob, it’s… it’s true. I have mom’s approval. Sarah doesn’t socialize. Jane and I do. So I’ve been sharing Sarah’s clothes allowance with Jane.”

“But you get $100,000 a month in allowance!” my mother shrieked.

“You haven’t bought any outfits? Who knows where that money goes!”

“What?” Judy and Bob looked shocked.

“Mom, isn’t everyone given $1 million every month?”

“$100,000 is enough for her,” my mother said.

“She spends it all every month… who knows where.”

The crowd was murmuring. I just laughed. A dry, humorless sound.

“Really? It only matters if I took your money,” I said.

“I haven’t received a single penny.”

“That’s impossible!” Mr. Row yelled.

“It’s credited to your bank account every month!”

“Check it,” I said. “Go on. Check Sarako’s account transactions.”

Mr. Row frantically typed on his phone. His face went pale.

“There’s… there’s no bank account linked to Sarako. Who is Sarako?”

I just smiled.

“I’ve been back in this family for four years. I don’t even have my own bank account.”

The humiliation in the room was palpable.

“Sarah, I’m sorry,” my mother stammered. “It was my oversight. I’ll open an account for you tomorrow… and deposit $100,000.”

“$100,000?” Bob said. “Mom, you give Jane a million.”

“If that’s what being a real daughter gets you,” I said, “I’d rather not be one.”

“How ungrateful!” Mr. Row roared.

“You were in prison, but we didn’t hold it against you! Now you’re making a scene over money!?”

“Here!” Bob shoved a check at me.

“Stop this behavior. Important guests are coming.”

Just then, Jane made her grand entrance in a designer gown. She “tripped” right as she passed me, lurching forward.

“Sarah, why did you bump into me on purpose?!” she shrieked.

“Sarah, stop bullying Jane!” my mother screamed.

“Sarah Cole, you knew it was Jane’s special day, yet you still pushed her!” Mr. Row yelled.

“How can you be so cruel? Ungrateful brat! Apologize!”

“You want me to apologize?” I said, looking at Jane’s perfect fake-cry.

“Fine. I’m sorry.”

SLAP!

Mr. Row’s hand cracked across my face.

“Happy? Prison driven you crazy? Brat, I’m going to teach you a lesson.”

“Stop!” my mother said.

“Get on your knees and apologize to Jane. The party is about to begin. If you keep this up, when Mr. Cole arrives, he’ll think we have no manners!”

“Mom, I don’t mind,” Jane sobbed.

“But my dress… I bought it just to meet Mr. Cole. Sarah ruined it!”

“Mr. Cole?” I asked, tasting blood.

“Jane, are you saying Adam Cole, the wealthiest man in Jackson, is coming to celebrate your birthday?”

“That’s right,” Jane sneered.

“Our VIP guest.”

“Sarah!” Bob yelled.

“Get on your knees and apologize!”

“Otherwise what?” I said, my voice dangerously low.

“You’ll kick me out? Even if you don’t, I’m cutting ties with all of you.”

“What did you say?!” Mr. Row roared.

“You ungrateful brat!” my mother screamed.

“You want to cut ties? You just got out of prison! Where will you go?”

“Are you sure you want to cut ties?” Mr. Row said, his eyes narrowing.

“Fine. Return everything that belongs to the Row family. Take it all off.”

The guests gasped. He wanted me to strip.

“What an idiot,” someone whispered.

“She’s just throwing a tantrum.”

“Sarah, if you don’t want to leave, apologize now,” Bob pleaded.

I didn’t hesitate. I kicked off the cheap shoes. I unbuttoned the thin shirt they’d given me, standing there in the simple tank top and pants I’d worn underneath.

“She… she really did it,” my mother whispered, horrified.

“She really wants to leave.”

“Calm down, dear,” Mr. Row said, realizing he’d lost.

“Sarah, if you’re determined, you’ll be punished. 50 lashes, according to family rules. If you can stand and leave after, I won’t stop you.”

“50 lashes? That’s extreme!”

“Let’s begin,” I said. “I’m leaving this family no matter what.”

The guard brought the whip. The first lash cut through the air and struck my back. I didn’t make a sound.

Crack.

“Sarah, apologize now!” my mother shrieked.

Crack.

“You’re asking for it!” Mr. Row yelled.

“Apologize!”

I just stared ahead. 47. 48.

“The Cole family has arrived!” the butler shouted, his voice high with panic.

My heart stopped. They’re here.

“Hurry!” Mr. Row hissed, throwing the whip down.

“Someone take this wretch away! I’ll deal with her after!”

Jane ran over to me as the guards grabbed my arms.

“Sarah, do you see that?” she whispered, her eyes shining with victory.

“The Cole family really likes me. So what if you’re the real daughter? I humiliated you. Take her away!”

They were dragging me toward the kitchens when I heard his voice. The voice that haunted my dreams in that cold cell.

“Mr. Row, you’re too kind,” my father, Adam Cole, said.

“You’ve raised such an exceptional daughter.”

“Exactly,” my brother, Gary Cole, added. “Where’s Sarah? Is she hiding to surprise us?”

“Where’s the birthday girl?” my mother, Mary Cole, asked, her voice full of laughter.

Jane stepped forward, beaming.

“Mrs. Cole! Thank you for the thoughtful gifts you’ve given me each year. I’ve loved every one.”

My mother’s smile froze.

“I… I’ve never given you any gifts. Could you be mistaken?”

“You’re Gary,” Jane said, turning to my brother.

“Gary… save me, Gary!” I screamed, fighting against the guards.

“Gary?” Jane said, confused.

“I’m Jane Row. You can call me Jane.”

My brother looked at her, then past her. His eyes found me.

His face, all laughter and light, turned to stone.

“Sarah?” he whispered.

“Dad! Mom! Sarah! Sarah!” Gary roared, shoving people aside. He reached me as my knees buckled.

“Sarah, what happened?” my dad, Adam Cole, demanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl.

“Who did this to you?”

“My apologies,” Mr. Row said, stepping forward.

“My sister is quite unruly. She’s a convict, fresh out of prison. Lock this crazy woman up before she offends Mr. Adam!”

My dad’s eyes turned black.

“Don’t… touch… her.”

He strode forward and gently, so gently, touched the welt on my cheek.

“Sarah, what happened?” he whispered.

“What do they mean… prison?”

“Dad,” I sobbed, collapsing into his arms.

“I’ve repaid the Row family’s kindness. From now on… I only want to be your daughter. Mom… I want to go home.”

“Let’s go home,” my mom said, her voice breaking as she wrapped her coat around my bare shoulders. “We’ll deal with this later.”

“Wait!” Mr. Row shouted.

“Mr. Cole, I can explain! For the past four years, every birthday gift… they were meant for Sarah? I… I’ve made a mistake!”

My father didn’t even look back.

“Move aside,” he commanded.

As we walked out, the entire party was silent, their faces a mask of shock and dawning horror. The Rows had just publicly tortured and disowned the beloved, hidden daughter of the actual richest family in the country.

“Dad,” Bob Row said, his voice a hoarse whisper.

“We should… we should get Sarah back.”

“Are you dumb?” Mr. Row snarled.

“She disgraced our family! On her first day out, she offended the Coles! Mr. Cole probably held back because of the crowd. You’ll see. Sarah will be begging us to take her back in a few days.”

I heard Jane whisper, “Sarah Cole, how dare you ruin my party? You’ll pay for this.”

They still didn’t get it. They still thought they had the power.

They had no idea what they had just unleashed.

I woke up in my own bed. My real bed, in the Cole mansion.

“Sarah, you’re awake,” my mom said, dabbing my face with a cool cloth.

“I never knew… I never knew how tough it’s been. Those damn Rows. They threw you in prison. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“How… how did you know I was innocent?” I whispered.

“Silly girl,” my dad said, his voice thick.

“You’re my daughter. I know you. My sweetie wouldn’t even hurt a fly.”

“Mom, Dad, Gary… thanks for believing in me.”

“Sarah,” Gary said, his face hard.

“I’ll help you get back at the Rows.”

“Let’s just let bygones be bygones,” I said.

“I actually feel… relieved. After cutting ties.”

“That’s my girl,” Dad smiled.

“Now, get some rest. We’ve got four years to make up for. I prepared some stocks and mutual funds for you. You have a few billion as pocket money.”

“Billions?”

“And I started a few companies for you,” Gary grinned.

“One’s entertainment. Do you prefer pretty boys or bad boys? Take your pick.”

“Gary, stop!” Mom scolded.

“I… I appreciate it,” I laughed, “but I still want to return to Jackson University. To the Minecore Lab.”

“Minecore?” Dad said.

“That’s one of our key investments. If you go back there, I’ll feel at ease.”

“My interview is tomorrow,” I said.

“What interview?” Gary scoffed.

“I’ll pull some favors.”

“No,” I said, my voice firm.

“I want to do it on my own merits.”

Gary sighed. “All right. But Gary,” Dad said, his voice low, “even though Sarah’s letting it go, we are not. Find out what happened back then. I won’t let my daughter take the blame for nothing.”

“Don’t worry, Dad,” Gary said. “I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

The next day, my best friend Jess picked me up in my new, limited-edition sports car.

“Sarah, what did I do to deserve an awesome best friend like you?” she squealed.

“Is it the car that’s winning you over?” I laughed.

“Of course not! You’re the champion of…”

CRUNCH.

We were violently rear-ended. I looked in the mirror. A familiar BMW. Bob and Jane Row.

“Sarah,” Jane sneered, getting out.

“Don’t think you can throw your weight around just because the Coles back you. Once I pass my interview at Minecore today, I’ll be working near Liam Halt. I’ll still be above you.”

“Jane, are you interviewing for Minecore Lab or Mindless Lab?” I asked.

“Sarah!” Bob yelled.

“Are you bullying Jane again? Your eyes are just for decoration! She’s the one who hit us! Pay up.”

“Pay?” Jane laughed. “Sarah, you’re short on cash. Didn’t the Coles just pick you up? Haven’t you cozied up to them yet?”

“My dealings with the Coles are none of your business, Jane. You hit my car. It’s worth 10 million. Repairs will be at least 1 million. Pay up.”

“10 million?” Bob scoffed.

“This junk? You probably rented it to scam us.”

“Bob,” Jane “cried,” “it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been switched at birth, Sarah wouldn’t resent me.”

“Sarah, listen,” Bob said, “You’re not getting a dime.”

“All right.” I got out of the car, walked to his BMW, and punched the window. It shattered.

“What are you doing?!” he screamed.

“That window is worth $10,000!”

“Now you still owe me $990,000,” I said, kicking the headlight. It smashed.

“Now… $500,000.”

“My car!” he shrieked.

“If you don’t pay up,” I said, walking toward Jane, “I’ll just have to make up for it another way.” I grabbed her by the hair.

“You’re an…”

“Even so,” I said, looking at her nose, “it doesn’t look like it’s worth $500,000. But… with a little interest…”

“Bob, help me!” she screamed.

“Sarah! Do you want to go back to prison? Let her go!”

“Fine! I’ll pay!” he yelled, frantically transferring the money.

“Let her go!”

I pushed her away.

“I never thought you’d become like this,” he said, disgusted. “You really disappointed me.”

“I’ll deal with you later,” his mother’s voice screeched. Mrs. Row was running toward us. “Jane, your interview is more important!”

They scrambled into their broken car and sped off.

At the Minecore Lab, the lobby was full of geniuses.

“That’s Jane Row,” someone whispered.

“Top grad. She scored 99 out of 100 on the written test.”

“What did you get?” another applicant asked me.

“100,” I said.

The room went silent.

“Perfect score? How?”

“Sarah,” Jane said loudly, “don’t tell me you scored your 100 in prison?”

“Prison?” the crowd erupted.

“An ex-convict is here for the interview?”

“Yes, I did time,” I said, my voice cutting through the noise. “Does the score I got in prison not count? Is serving time automatically a strike against an applicant here?”

“You… you…”

“Jane!” a new voice called. Judy Row, in a manager’s uniform.

“Thank you, Judy,” Jane smiled. “Oh, Judy, Sarah came to the interview, too. She’s been taunting me. I’m afraid she won’t let me pass.”

“Sarah?” Judy’s face hardened.

“What does she want? Sarah, how could you be so vicious? Just because Dad kicked you out, you’re here to ruin Jane’s interview?”

“Miss Judy, she got in through the official screening,” the HR rep said.

“No way! She’s an ex-convict! Minecore doesn’t need an ex-convict! Get out now!”

“Get out! Leave now!” the other applicants started chanting.

“According to Article 38 of the Prison Law,” I said calmly, “people who have served their sentence have the same rights as other citizens. Is Minecore planning to violate citizens’ rights?”

“Sarah,” Judy hissed, “would you want a murderer as your colleague?”

“A murderer! Get her out!”

“Anyone who has a problem with this interview process,” a cold, powerful voice said from the doorway, “is free to go. Get lost.”

Liam Holt. He was even more handsome than his pictures.

“Mr. Holt!” Judy and Jane said in unison.

“Mr. Holt, you came just in time,” Judy said.

“Please throw Sarah out. We won’t work with a murderer.”

“That’s right,” Jane added. “Sarah killed someone in a car accident. She cheated on the test. She bullied me. She…”

“Your sisters?” Liam asked, looking from Judy to Jane.

“Yes, Mr. Holt,” Judy beamed. “We’re real siblings.”

“Minecore’s number one rule is no nepotism,” Liam said, his voice flat.

“Judy, you broke the rules knowingly as a manager. You’re fired.”

“Mr. Holt! She didn’t get in through connections!”

“And you,” he said, turning to Jane.

“Why are you here during work hours?”

“Mr. Holt, if we’re talking about nepotism, Sarah is also a Row!” Judy shrieked.

“Sorry,” I said. “I’m no longer part of the Rows.”

“Why are you standing there?” Liam said to security.

“Throw these two out.”

“Mr. Holt! You can’t do this!” Judy screamed as she was dragged away.

Liam turned to me.

“Mr. Holt,” I said, “my mom loves doing this kind of thing. I’m sorry. I just got out of prison and have no plans to marry.”

“In the past three years,” he said, his face serious, “your mother held three matchmaking events for you. There are nine top-notch fiancé candidates. I’m one of them. And I’m her favorite. I waited three years, and now you’re telling me you don’t plan to marry?”

“What? Nine fiancés?”

“That’s right,” he smiled.

“But I’m confident I’ll be the only one. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you saved me ten years ago.”

“Mr. Holt,” I stammered, “I have an interview…”

“Why bother?” he said.

“I set up Minecore Lab just for you.”

This man was insane.

“Mr. Holt, I don’t believe in getting in through connections.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, his face instantly professional.

“I overstepped. This way. Let’s do the interview.”

The interview was a formality. I aced it. As I was leaving, Liam stopped me. “Sarah, there’s an international call,” he said, handing me his phone.

“Help me… help…” a weak voice whispered.

I froze. “What are you trying to do?” I said into the phone.

“You!” my father’s, Mr. Row’s, voice roared.

“You ruined Judy and Jane! You know that I ruined them. I know you hold a grudge, but your sisters did nothing! Why frame them? Why steal Mr. Holt from her?”

“Since when was Liam hers?”

“Sarah,” Jane’s voice cried, “you know I like Mr. Holt! And he likes me!”

“Liam likes you? Is he blind?”

“Sarah, you’re evil, ungrateful, and a disgrace!” Mr. Row yelled.

“If everyone knew how morally corrupt you are, the Holt Group would never hire you!”

“You’re threatening me.”

“You’re my daughter. Bow before the reporters I’ve gathered, and clear your sister’s name. If Mr. Holt forgives them, we will forgive you.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“You’ll keep bowing until he does.”

I hung up. They had called reporters. They were planning to publicly humiliate me.

“Sarah,” Liam said, his face dark.

“What is it?”

“It’s the Rows,” I said.

“They want to play. Fine. Let’s play.”

When I arrived, it was a media circus. Mr. Row, Mrs. Row, Bob, and a tearful Jane were surrounded by reporters.

“Miss Cole,” one reporter shouted, “have you held a grudge against Miss Jane since you returned to the Rows?”

“Yes! She’s telling the truth!” Jane cried.

“Sarah, why must you hate me so? I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Sarah, you’re just ungrateful,” Mrs. Row said.

“You blatantly favor Jane while ignoring me. You gave her everything. I got her old clothes. You framed me for a crime she committed. You threw me in prison for three years. You’re right. I’m ungrateful.”

“You ungrateful brat!” Mr. Row lunged at me.

“Dad, stop!” Bob yelled, holding him back.

“Mr. Holt!” Mr. Row yelled as Liam walked up.

“You’re just in time. Sarah has a questionable character. She’s a habitual liar! She’s not fit to work for you!”

“If I don’t believe her, do I believe you instead?” Liam said.

“Who are you?” a voice snapped. Liam’s parents. The Holts.

“Mom, Dad, why are you here?” Liam sighed.

“If we hadn’t come, you’d have married this ex-convict!” Mrs. Holt sneered.

“Liam, our family will never let an ex-convict in!”

“Mrs. Holt,” Jane said sweetly, “don’t say that about Sarah. She hugged Mr. Holt the moment they met. She’s very charming.”

“Shameless!” Mrs. Holt shrieked.

“How dare you seduce my son! Even if I die, I’ll never let you marry him!”

“Mom,” Liam said, “Sarah saved my life ten years ago.”

“Liam, is this how you let them bully my precious daughter?”

Everyone froze. My parents, Adam and Mary Cole, and my brother Gary, were walking through the crowd.

“Precious daughter?” Mrs. Holt scoffed.

“Mr. Cole, isn’t Gary your only child?”

“Sarah is my adopted daughter,” my dad said, putting his arm around me. “She’s also our family’s darling princess.”

The reporters exploded. The Rows looked like they’d seen a ghost.

“That can’t be!” Mr. Row stammered.

“Mrs. Cole,” Mrs. Row said, “you probably don’t know… Sarah’s a murderer. She went to prison!”

“Shut up, all of you!” my mom, Mary Cole, snapped.

“Sarah is a good person. She saved my son’s life.”

“She’s an ex-convict! How good can she be?” Mrs. Holt said.

“Sarah, you don’t have to suffer any injustices anymore,” Gary said, stepping forward.

“Who said my sister is a murderer? She’s not. The dossier on that car crash is right here. Sarah isn’t the murderer. And I’m very sure the murderer… is her.”

He pointed. At Jane.

“What?” Jane shrieked. “Bob, Sarah tried to frame me three years ago, too!”

“The case was closed!” Mr. Row shouted.

“The Coles are twisting the truth to whitewash a murderer!”

“I’m not the murderer,” I said, my voice cutting through the chaos.

“I have proof.”

“If you have proof, why didn’t you show it three years ago?” Bob demanded.

“When the Rows framed me, I had lost all hope,” I said.

“I thought three years in prison would repay the debt. But I never expected you to use this to attack the Coles. For what comes next… you brought it on yourselves. I have evidence that the one who caused the crash wasn’t me… but Jane Row.”

“A stupid phone?” Jane laughed.

“A recording? That’s illegal evidence!”

“Who said it was a recording?” I looked at Jane, her face pale.

“I’m not acting. I’m just giving someone a taste of their own medicine.” I pulled out my phone.

“Hello? Is this the police? I’m making a report. There is a murderer here.”

“Sarah, you’re the murderer!” Jane screamed.

“Let’s go!”

“Wait,” Gary said.

“Once the police arrive, we’ll find out who’s really making trouble.”

“Mr. Row,” Mrs. Holt hissed, “your daughter… could she be guilty?”

“Jane, calm down!” Mr. Row said.

“Back then, I clearly killed that guy. Sarah must be tricking me.”

I just smiled. “Sarah, she’s not confessing. Then don’t blame us for being ruthless. What do you want?”

A man was walking through the crowd, pushed by my brother Gary.

“You’re here,” I said.

Jane looked at him. Her face went bone-white.

“How… how could it be you? That’s impossible.”

“Sarah,” my dad whispered, “who is he?”

“An old acquaintance,” I said.

“He’s the victim of that car accident three years ago.”

“The dead came back to life?” a reporter yelled.

“No,” the man said, his voice shaking.

“It wasn’t me. Three years ago, the person you hit and killed… was my twin brother, David.”

“At that time,” he continued, pointing at Jane, “I was lying in the bushes. I saw you hit my brother. I saw Sarah get out to do CPR. And I saw you sneak out of the driver’s seat and run to the passenger seat. You killed my brother and framed Sarah for it!”

“When I arrived,” Bob whispered, “Sarah was outside… Jane was in the passenger seat…”

“It wasn’t me!” Jane shrieked.

“If you’re telling the truth,” Bob demanded, “why only reveal it now?”

“I’ll have to ask what my biological family did to me,” I said.

“After the accident,” the man, Jacob, said, “I went to the Rows to tell them the truth. They blocked me. They claimed I was mentally ill. They had me locked in an asylum for three years. I was only 15.”

“The asylum…” Gary whispered, looking at me.

“The email you sent… asking us to get someone out…”

“Yes,” I said. “I told him the time wasn’t right. I told him to wait.”

“Sarah…” Bob looked at me, his face crumbling.

“Why didn’t you tell me? If I had known… I’m the one… I’m the one who sent you to prison.”

“If I had told you,” I said, “would you have believed me? Or would you have believed Jane?”

“Sara… I’m sorry,” Mr. Row stammered.

“I was wrong. Please… don’t pursue this. For the family’s sake…”

“I’m no longer part of your family.”

“You ungrateful…”

“Let go of her!” Bob roared, shoving his father.

“You were falsely accused… but so what? We spent a lot to make things easy for you in prison. You lived like a spoiled lady!”

“Spoiled?” I laughed.

“Spoiled?” I pulled up my sleeve, showing the pale, jagged scar.

“First year. I starved for three days. I stole half a slice of toast. They stabbed my thigh with a wooden rod. I was bedridden for a month.”

I turned, pulling the collar of my shirt down, showing the puckered scar on my back.

“Second year. I resisted when they beat me. They used a porcelain shard to slice my flesh open. The doctor said it was 2mm from my tendons.”

I pointed to my waist.

“Third year. My sentence was reduced. They used a nail to pierce my waist. My kidney ruptured. I almost died.”

My family—my real family—was crying. Liam looked like he was going to kill someone.

“I have even more thrilling stories,” I said, my voice dropping.

“Under my clothes.”

“Sarah…” my mom, Mary, whispered.

“My precious daughter…”

“David Row,” my father, Adam, said, his voice shaking with rage.

“I’ll make sure you go bankrupt.”

“We didn’t know!” Mrs. Row shrieked.

“We made arrangements! We didn’t want this!”

“It was definitely what Jane was hoping for,” I said.

“Take me away,” Jane whispered to the police.

“Take me away now.”

“Wait,” I said. “Let go of my sister,” Bob pleaded.

“Was she there to see me,” I asked, “or to inspect the results of the money she spent?”

“Sarah, how could I have paid someone to hurt you?” Jane sobbed.

“Mr. Cole,” Gary’s assistant said, “I brought the people who bullied Miss Cole in prison.”

Three women were dragged forward. They saw me. They saw my family. They fell to their knees.

“Miss… Miss, help us! We were just following orders!”

“Stop slandering me!” Jane screamed.

“It was you!” one of the women shrieked.

“You paid us to deal with Sarah! You used your visits to check her wounds! You said she was just a nobody no one loved or cared about!”

“Take them away,” the police officer said.

“No… no… Mom… Dad… Bob… save me!” Jane screamed as they cuffed her.

“You’re scum,” Mr. Row spat at her.

“How could I? It’s all your fault!” Jane shrieked back.

“You switched us at birth! You should make it up to me! I was just a tool for you! A puppet!”

“How dare you!” Mr. Row raised his hand, but the police pulled her away.

“Silas,” Mrs. Holt said to her husband.

“Help me. Untie your goddaughter.”

“Goddaughter?” Mr. Holt laughed.

“You want to be our goddaughter? As if you’re worthy.”

The Holts, the Rows, the reporters… they all faded. The only ones left were my family. And Liam.

“Sarah,” my mom said, “you’ve suffered. Why don’t you get engaged with Liam and let him make it up to you?”

“I heard your apology,” I said to the Holts.

“But I won’t forgive you. As for the engagement, I’ll pass.”

“Then you won’t turn down work?” Liam asked, stepping forward.

I looked at him, the man who built a lab for me.

“Liam,” I smiled, “I’ll spend three months building a brand new tech company to rival Minecore. Watch out. I might just take your business.”

He laughed. “I’m counting on it.”

…

Weeks later, I heard Jane had kidnapped Bob. I arrived at the abandoned warehouse just as she was dousing him in gasoline.

“Jane, stop!” I yelled.

“Sarah!” Bob screamed. “She kidnapped me!”

“Well, well,” Jane laughed, holding a lighter.

“My ‘real’ sister. Here to save the day.”

“Bob,” she sneered, “I’ll give you one last chance. Take your money and leave the country with me, or stay here and die with her.”

“Jane,” Bob said, his eyes on me, “as long as you let Sarah go, I’ll agree to anything.”

“Anything? Even if I want Row Corp?”

“As long as you let Sarah go.”

“And you said you loved me!” she shrieked.

“It was a lie! Fine! Then you can die together!”

She threw the lighter. The room exploded in flames.

“The door’s blocked!” Bob yelled.

“Here! Up here!”

He pushed me toward a high window.

“Take my hand! The gap’s too small, I can’t get out. You go!”

“No, Bob!”

“Sarah… forgive me… Please… forgive me…”

“Bob!”

“Go to hell with me!” Jane screamed, tackling me from behind.

We fell. Bob… he dove. He pushed me out of the way, taking the full impact of a falling, burning beam, shielding me with his own body.

“No… Bob… BOB!”

I woke up in the hospital. My parents were there. “Bob?” I whispered.

“He’s… he’s in surgery, Sarah,” my dad said. “He saved you.”

He survived. Barely.

The Row family, what was left of it, was ruined. Mr. Row and Jane were sentenced to life in prison. All their assets were confiscated. Bob and his mother and sister were left with nothing.

My company, Dixie, won the international AI contest. We became the world’s top tech firm.

The last time I saw Bob, he was being discharged from the hospital. He looked old. He was holding a small, burnt object in his hand.

My lucky charm.

He looked up as I walked past, our eyes meeting for just a second.

“Let’s not see each other again,” I had told him once.

I kept walking. I didn’t look back. The debt was, finally, paid.