The crisp sound of slap resounded in the room.
A burning sensation spread through her cheek as her head jerked to the side. Tears gathered in her eyes— her strong will refusing to let them fall.
However, more than the searing pain, Lillian's attention was captured by the large influx of information entering her brain— vivid and chaotic. They settled in her memory, tangled up, and she furrowed her brows, trying to make sense out of them.
"Mom, please, please don't hurt Lillian. I am sure she didn't mean to cheat," came a pleading voice through the sobs. "There must be a reason, yeah, that's right. Let's give her a chance to explain herself."
Lillian raised her head. Her dark eyes stared at the faces in front of her coldly and defiantly. But hidden in that gaze was the heartache which penetrated deep, hoping they would notice.
"You slapped me?" Lillian asked quietly— her voice heavy with disbelief.
Standing in front of her was a well-dressed and elegant middle-aged woman. The fury in her eyes was sharp and merciless, as if she was not looking at her own daughter, but something filthy and contemptible.
"Lillian, don't blame mom. She is doing it for your own good. I am sure she wants you to repent and not cheat in the exam again," said a girl gently. Her tone was laced with pity.
She reached out her hand to touch Lillian's shoulder in order to comfort her, but before she could, Lillian smacked her hand away harshly.
The girl winced, stumbling backwards weakly. A man reached out to hold her shoulders, stabilizing her, as the girl touched her hurt hand. She lowered her gaze.
This ignited anger in the man. His voice rose, sharp and condemning, "What are you doing, taking your anger out on Eva!? It was you who shamelessly cheated! If you had any ounce of shame in you, you would have gouged those ugly eyes of yours out."
Lillian glanced at the man.
Alex Chen— her older brother.
Sure, his words stung.
However, they felt familiar— strangely familiar. It was as though she had gone through this entire scene before.
Those memories in her head bubbled, emerging and letting her know how the script will play out next.
Lillian's gaze then shifted to the woman.
"So, you believe I cheated?" Lillian asked.
The doubts— no, certainty— the woman showed towards her shattered her heart.
She was someone who Lillian called mother for years, trusted and loved her like her one yet she didn't even ask her for an explanation, pining the blame on her head.
"There are proof. And Eva wouldn't lie. Learn to own up to your mistakes."
Lillian found it funny.
She wished to laugh and cry at the same time.
Eva couldn't lie, right?
But she can?
The little courage Lillian had in her did not let her ask that— afraid of damaging the shell of pride she covered herself in.
Instead, she acted.
Lillian kicked the glass table before her, overturning it. Everything on it fell, resulting in a chaotic mess, and the fragile glassware crashed down. The loud sound spread throughout the room, letting others flinch and move away from their positions.
"What are you going crazy for again?" snapped her other brother— Jason Chen.
Jason was the oldest among the siblings. From childhood, he held her in the palm of his hand spoiling her the most. He promised to be her prince charming and protect her.
And now, he turned out to be like the rest.
"Crazy?" Lillian mumbled. "Yeah, I am crazy."
Crazy enough to think this family valued her. Loved her. Trusted Her.
"You are right. I have grown crazy. All of you have driven me crazy. You are right! ALL OF YOU ARE RIGHT! I DID CHEAT ON THE EXAM! ARE YOU HAPPY TO HEAR ME ACKNOWLEDGE THAT? I am lowly and dirty just like that!" Lillian shouted, letting out all the pent up emotions within her.
Another fierce slap cracked against her cheek. Blood gathered at the corner of her lips.
Lillian's piercing, defensive gaze remained on her mother. She took a step forward.
"Right. Slap me again! That's the only thing I am worthy of, right? Come on. Why don't you slap me again?"
Lillian played out the scene right from her memory. And seeing how everything turned out to be the same made her feel inexplicable.
What sort of sick joke was this?
"Lillian, listen, you are misunderstanding everyone. We are doing this because we care for you, everyone does." Eva's small voice came from the side.
Lillian changed her target to Eva. She grabbed on to her chin. The few extra inches in height made her tower over Eva, painting her as a domineering bully and Eva into a shrinking, pitiful victim.
"Listen here, you goody-two-shoes, I don't need your so-called concern. You better keep it to yourself, alright? Or I will just make a mess out of you," threatened Lillian.
As Eva shuddered under her hold, Alex came to her rescue by pushing Lillian back. He didn't hold back his strength. The impact caused Lillian to fall down, and a sharp piece of glass shard entered her skin, drawing out blood.
"You have acted out of line too much these days, Lillian. You will be locked away in the basement until you learn to apologize," Henry Chen— the man she called father for years— coldly stated.
Lillian's eyes stared at the family of five in front of her.
Right, they were the blood-related actual family. Sophisticated and cultured.
And in their eyes, she was probably a piece of trash— something that is not even worth them trampling upon.
A sharp glint crossed through her eyes.
However, there was something they were right about.
She was indeed crazy— a crazy dog that will bite anyone who crosses her path.