My Birthday, My Downfall novel Chapter 48

When Dad heard this, he felt it made sense and smiled indulgently.

“Alright, alright, I’ll send the money over immediately.”

By this point, my heart had already turned to ashes. I no longer wanted to hear any more.

I returned to my room and stayed up all night, the words my parents said in the bathroom echoing in my mind.

Perhaps they had already forgotten how I got the scars on my face.

When I was five, they locked me inside the house while they went to the amusement park with Mia.

They forgot to turn off the gas stove, and when the water boiled dry, it exploded, sending sparks to the curtains, which caused a fire.

That day, I woke up from the smoke, crouching on the balcony, crying for help. If the neighbors hadn’t broken the door to rescue me, I might have died in the fire.

But as I rushed to the balcony, my face was burned by the flames, leaving scars. Many classmates mocked me, calling me ugly.

What broke my heart was that when my parents came back, they thought I had played with fire and beat me mercilessly when I was already scared out of my mind.

It wasn’t until the police investigated the scene and confirmed the cause of the fire that they stopped.

Fifteen years have passed, and they have never apologized to me.

By now, I no longer cared.

The next morning, I received a call from my boyfriend, James.

“Are you downstairs at my place?”

I quickly got out of bed, put on my clothes, and went downstairs.

Seeing James, my frozen heart finally felt some warmth.

“Why are you here during the holidays?”

James was also happy to see me. I brought him inside, just in time to catch my parents preparing to leave.

But as soon as they saw James, both of them froze in place.

Mom looked him up and down, astonished.

“Is this... your classmate?”

I nodded and confessed truthfully.

“James, my boyfriend.”

James remained calm and respectful, greeting them with, “Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year.”

As I was about to get water for James, I saw Mom mysteriously pull Dad into the kitchen. While they weren’t paying attention, I quietly approached.

“Husband, that boy is really handsome and so well-spoken. What do you think about introducing him to Mia?”

Dad frowned upon hearing this.

During the meal, Dad suggested going fishing with James. I said I would go with them, but Mom interrupted.

“Why should you join two grown men on a fishing trip?”

“Sweetheart, stay at home and help me. It’s the New Year, and all the relatives will be coming over.”

I reluctantly agreed.

That night, I received an urgent phone call from James.

“Charlotte! Hurry and save me! Crown KTV 303!”

I rushed to Crown KTV 303 in a panic. As soon as I opened the door, I saw James being held down and forced to drink.

I pulled James behind me, and Mia sneered at me.

“So it’s you, the poor girl. What are you doing here? Do you even belong in a place like this?”

I didn’t bother responding to her. Holding James’s hand, I prepared to leave.

But one thing Mia said made me freeze in place.

“Did you know whose idea it was to get James drunk and make him sleep with me? It was Mom and Dad’s.”

Her word “sister” left everyone frozen.

I was dressed in shabby clothes while Mia wore expensive brand-name items. From our outfits to our aura, we seemed completely mismatched, so no one could have ever imagined we were related.