Iread-G

On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

I was the family’s jinx—every time I got hurt, my family thrived. I split my head open, and Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. I almost drowned, and my sister won a national championship. I was trapped in a fire, and my brother became the youngest professor in the university’s history. Then, at seven years old, I overheard the truth. The fortune teller had told them that the more miserable I was, the luckier our family would become. All the misfortune I’d suffered over the years had been caused by them. Later, I climbed onto the rooftop and jumped. So if my pain brought them luck… would my death make them even luckier? On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"

On the day I was born, Mom had suffered a massive hemorrhage and nearly died. Everyone said I was the family's jinx. When I fell down the stairs and split my head open, Dad signed a multimillion-dollar contract. When I fell into the pool and nearly drowned, my sister, Danika Rowan, won the national figure skating championship. When I was trapped in a burning storage room, my brother, Adrian Rowan, was named the youngest professor in the university's history. Then, when I was seven, I accidentally overheard a conversation in the study. "During next week's field trip, make Mae fall down the hillside. I have an important bid." Adrian hesitated. "We're already doing so well. Do we still need to hurt her?" Mom's voice turned sharp and piercing. "The fortune teller said the more miserable she is, the better we'll do. "I nearly died giving birth to her. This is what she owes me!" Dad sighed. "Just one last time. I need this project to secure my position as the richest man. "After this, I'll treat Mae like a little princess." So all my misfortune had been carefully arranged by them. If that was the case, would my death make them even luckier? Later, I climbed up to the rooftop and jumped. Mom and Dad, I didn't want to be a little princess. I just wanted you to love me a little more. --- I ran back to my bedroom, my heart nearly pounding out of my throat. So when I got hurt, Mom and Dad would smile at me, and Adrian and Danika would comfort me. It wasn't because I was well-behaved. It was because I had helped them again. My eyes stung a little, but I didn't cry. If I cried, my eyes would swell, and Mom would ask why. I couldn't let her find out that I knew their secret. "Maisie Rowan, come down for dinner. The whole family is waiting for you!" Mom's displeased voice rang out. I hurried downstairs and saw Dad frowning as he spoke on the phone. "What exactly is going on with that project? It's been delayed for three months!" I didn't understand what Dad was talking about, but I knew he was in trouble. If, like before, I accidentally got hurt, would Dad's problem be solved? I quietly reached toward the glass at the edge of the table and gave it a gentle push. The glass shattered on the floor, and shards pierced my palm. Drops of blood ran down my hand. Mom jumped in shock and snapped, "Are you trying to drive me crazy? You little rascal! Can't you have a meal without being so annoying?" But Dad's frown suddenly eased, and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Mr. Colson finally agreed? I'll be right at the office!" He hung up, looked at my panicked face, and actually reached out to pat my head. "It's okay. Be more careful next time." His hand was so big, so warm. I couldn't even remember the last time Dad had touched my head. I held out my bleeding hand and whispered, "Dad, you should punish me. I was wrong." But he smiled. "I'm in a good mood today. I won't scold you." Adrian and Danika exchanged knowing glances and continued chatting with Mom. No one asked if my hand hurt or if it needed to be bandaged. I looked at the glass shards embedded in my palm, but inside, it felt like a small flower had bloomed. I wasn't useless after all. That afternoon in art class, the teacher, Fiona Finkel, asked us to draw our families. I drew myself very, very small, standing in the corner so that I wouldn't get in their way. My desk mate, Lillian Hawley, suddenly burst into tears. "My paintbrush is missing! My Mom bought it overseas!" Fiona searched around and found it in my backpack. I shook my head desperately. "I didn't take it. I'm not a bad kid." But a boy from the back shouted, "You took Bryan's eraser last time!" "Yeah, and you stole my cookies too!" I had picked up Bryan's eraser and returned it to him. The cookies... I had found them in the trash because Mom had punished me that morning, and I hadn't eaten. I was too hungry. Fiona looked at me with disappointment and called my family. Danika came to pick me up. She was wearing her training outfit, beautiful like a swan. The moment she walked into the office, she said to Fiona, "I'm sorry. My sister has had sticky fingers since she was little. We'll deal with it." Fiona sighed. "Ms. Rowan, this isn't the first time." "We'll discipline her properly," Danika said coldly, looking at me. "Apologize." I opened my mouth. "Dani, I'm not a thief." Lillian's mother suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face. "A little thief! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" My ears rang, and my face burned with pain. Why did no one believe me? On the drive home, Danika took a phone call. "Coach, the main skater is injured? I've been selected as a substitute for the World Championships?" Her voice turned bright with excitement, and she actually turned to smile at me. "Thanks to you, Mae." My heart felt both sour and sweet. Danika rarely smiled at me. If only it could be like this every day. Even if it hurt a little, it didn't matter. As long as they were happy. I whispered to myself, "Tomorrow, I'll try harder." I would try hard to get hurt when my family needed it. That way, they wouldn't abandon me. Chapter 2 To celebrate Danika's selection for the World Championships, the family hosted a party. "Mae!" I suddenly heard Danika call my name and looked up in surprise. She was waving at me from across the pool. "Grab me a towel, will you? The blue one on the lounge chair!" Excitement surged through me, and I jumped to my feet. Danika had asked me for help. I called back loudly and ran over barefoot. But the ground beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I slipped straight into the pool. The icy water swallowed me instantly. I opened my mouth to cry for help, but water rushed in instead. I couldn't swim. I could only flail desperately, but my body kept sinking. Dad was standing by the pool, chatting with someone. He glanced into the water, then turned his head away. The water was so cold. My heart felt just as cold. Suddenly, a figure jumped in and pulled me to the surface. It was the nanny, Louise. I collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, my lips turning purple as I coughed up water again and again. Mom walked over and looked down at me. "Maisie, are you being naughty again? "You couldn't just walk properly. You had to run on a wet surface. Now you've ruined the whole party. Are you satisfied?" I opened my mouth, my teeth chattering. "Dani told me to..." Danika had come over at some point. "I told you to get a towel. I didn't tell you to put on a diving show. If you can't swim, stay away from the pool. "I think you just wanted attention and fell on purpose." As Adrian passed by, he said flatly, "What can you do besides cause trouble?" Louise wrapped me in a large bath towel and carried me inside. I developed a fever. My whole body burned, and my head throbbed like it was splitting apart. In my dazed state, I wondered if I would have drowned if no one had saved me. If I really died, would they think of me, even just once in a while? As I kept thinking, I fell asleep. I didn't know how much time had passed before I woke up choking. Thick sm0ke seeped in through the crack of the door, and the room was filled with a sharp, suffocating smell. Coughing, I struggled to my feet. The hallway was full of sm0ke. I held onto the wall and made my way downstairs, hearing Dad's voice coming from the yard. "Is everyone out?" Mom let out a relieved breath. "Don't worry. The whole family is here." Suddenly, Louise asked nervously, "Where's Mae?" The yard fell silent for a moment. No one answered. By the time the firefighters found me in a corner on the second floor, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness from the sm0ke. After carrying me outside, Mom snapped irritably, "You idiot. When there's a fire, don't you know to run? Why were you hiding in a corner?" Dad shoved my shoulder. "You really never let anyone stop worrying about you." When the doctor examined me, he asked them, "Does this child have asthma? She inhaled a lot of sm0ke. If she has a history of asthma, this is very dangerous." Mom froze. Dad opened his mouth but said nothing. The doctor frowned, surprised. "You don't know?" Mom's voice was small. "I don't think so." The doctor's tone turned stern. "You're her parents, and you don't even know whether she has asthma?" Mom and Dad looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. They didn't know whether I had asthma. They didn't know what I was a1lergic to. They didn't know I was afraid of the dark. They also didn't know how hard I tried to make them like me. As I was lifted into the ambulance, I saw Adrian staring at his phone screen. A bright smile spread across his face. It wasn't until the next day that I found out Adrian had received an email from the journal "Science". He had become the youngest American scholar ever to publish a paper in it. The nurse took my temperature and asked gently, "Sweetie, are you still feeling unwell? "Where's your family? Why isn't anyone here with you?" I pressed my lips together. "They're very busy." Sorry, I lied. When Danika had been hospitalized with a fracture, Mom had practically moved into the hospital. Dad had even canceled overseas meetings. They just didn't care about me. The nurse patted my head and said nothing more. When the fire happened, I was very scared. But Adrian's paper had been accepted by the most prestigious journal. So my pain had all been worth it. Chapter 3 The day I was discharged from the hospital and came home was my seventh birthday. I deliberately took out the dress I had treasured from the very back of the closet. It had once belonged to a friend of Mom's daughter, and there was still a little stain on the cuff that wouldn't wash out. But that was okay. It was the nicest dress I had. As I went downstairs, my heart was beating a little too fast. Would they remember what day it was? Mom's gaze landed on me, and her brow immediately furrowed. "What is that ridiculous thing you're wearing? It's hideous. Go change right now. "I'm a well-known designer. If you want to embarrass yourself, don't drag me down with you." I said softly, "It's my birthday today..." Danika gave a scornful laugh. "I train so hard every day, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. Do you think I have time to remember your birthday?" Dad looked up from behind his newspaper. "What, you want a present?" "You're so vain. You've had good food and nice clothes since you were little, and you're still not satisfied." But when it was Adrian's birthday, they took him to the Maldives on vacation. For Danika's birthday, Mom and Dad gave her an estate. I lowered my head and drank my oatmeal in silence. The oatmeal tasted salty today. It turned out my tears had fallen into it. After they had all left, the phone rang. Louise handed it to me. "Your brother wants you." I held the receiver, and there was a note of hope in my voice that even I didn't realize was there. "Adrian, are you calling to wish me a happy birthday?" There was a pause on the other end for two seconds. Then Adrian's cool voice came through. "Tell your sister the custom skates I ordered for her from overseas have arrived. Remind her to try them on." To Adrian, I didn't even deserve a perfunctory greeting. All morning at school, I felt dazed. Lillian, the girl beside me, was bragging about where she was going for her birthday that weekend. "My Dad's taking me to Disney, and Mom's baking my cake herself." A girl suddenly asked, "Mae, when's your birthday?" Lillian covered her mouth and laughed. "She probably doesn't celebrate birthdays. Her family can't even be bothered with her." The laughter around me swallowed me whole. I lowered my head even more, wishing I could disappear into the floor. After school, Louise came to pick me up. Once I got in the car, she secretly slipped a bag of candy into my hand. "Happy birthday, Mae." The candy was sweet. It was the only gift I got that day. That night, the house suddenly turned lively. I heard a lot of voices downstairs. There were Dad's business partners, Mom's friends from the fashion world, Adrian's professors and classmates, and Danika's coach and teammates. A huge three-tier cake sat on the dining table, frosted in pink. So they had wanted to surprise me! A warm rush filled my heart, and I ran downstairs, happy. But Mom looked at me with open disgust. "Who told you to come down here? "Tonight is your sister's celebration dinner for winning the championship. Don't come out and cause any trouble." Standing beside all of them, polished and radiant, I really did look like a clown. "I'm sorry." I said it softly and turned to go back upstairs. But my shoulder bumped into the decorative vase by the staircase. The huge celadon vase crashed to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. The music stopped, and so did the laughter. Everyone's eyes turned toward me. Mom's face went rigid with fury as she looked at me in bitter disappointment. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She answered it, and the anger vanished from her face at once, replaced by joy she could barely contain. Louise stepped forward, trying to help me up. "Mae, are you okay?" Dad barked, "Don't help her. Let her clean it up herself. If she made the mess, she can take responsibility for it." I crouched down and picked up the broken pieces from the floor. The porcelain shards were sharp, and they sliced open my fingertips until they bled. Louise quietly cleaned my cuts and put bandages on them. "Mae, you're a good girl." But if that was true, why did Mom and Dad still not like me? I curled up and said to myself, "Happy birthday, Maisie." Chapter 4 At last, the tears came rushing out. They were warm and salty. But I didn't make a sound. Because I knew that no matter how loudly I cried, no one would come to comfort me. When I woke up the next morning, it felt as if I were living inside a dream. Mom brushed my hair herself and clipped a strawberry barrette into it. "Be good today and listen to Ms. Finkel." I nodded hard, my eyes curving into smiling crescents. Mom's hand paused for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. When I went downstairs, Dad actually pressed a bag of snacks into my hands. "Have fun. Be careful." Adrian glanced at me. His l1ps moved, but in the end, he said nothing. It was the happiest morning of my life. So happy that I almost forgot today was the field trip. Fiona led us along a smooth hiking trail and took out her camera. "Everybody, let's rest here for 10 minutes and take some pictures to remember the day!" My classmates crowded over excitedly while I stood behind them. Then suddenly, someone slammed into me from behind. I lost my footing. All I had time for was one short cry. Then I tumbled down the slope like a little ball. My head struck a rock, and branches tore through my clothes and skin. I curled up on the ground, in so much pain I couldn't even make a sound. My left leg was twisted at a strange angle, and blood kept pouring out. The agony and the blood loss made my vision begin to blur. Dimly, I heard whispering somewhere in the woods. "This is too brutal. What kind of grudge does the client have against a little kid?" "Mind your own business. We got paid to do a job. They said the worse it looks, the better. As long as she stays alive." Stray dogs were gnawing at my calf, their teeth tearing at flesh. More and more blood poured out, staining the ground red. Was I going to die? Maybe that would be better. Then it wouldn't hurt anymore. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My head was wrapped in thick bandages, and my left leg was in a cast. Outside the door, I heard a nurse sigh. "That child in room 302 is so pitiful. Her surgery took six hours, and now she'll limp in her left leg." "I heard her dad's company stock shot way up today, and her brother made the news..." "The whole family's living in glory, and that child is lying in there all alone." Inside me, everything was barren. I couldn't even cry anymore. When I was discharged, no one from my family came to get me. It was the caregiver who kindly took a cab and brought me home. The house was empty. Even Louise had gone back to her hometown on leave. I sniffed and gathered my courage before dialing Mom's number. The phone rang for a long time before she answered. "Mom, if I disappeared, would you all be happier?" Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long moment, Mom snapped, "Maisie, who do you think you're threatening? "I'm telling you right now, if you want to die, then do it far away. Don't call and bother me when I'm busy." The very last bit of hope inside me went out completely. Using my crutch, I slowly made my way up to the rooftop. It was so high. The ground looked very small from up there. If I jumped, it would probably hurt a lot. But that was okay. If getting hurt brought them good luck, then if I disappeared, would that buy them happiness forever? Enough to keep them happy for a very, very long time. Maybe long enough that once in a while, they would remember me. The wind filled out my hospital gown, making the oversized fabric billow like little wings. To the night sky, I whispered, "Mom and Dad, Ian and Dani, I'm going to give you the biggest, best luck of all." "Goodbye. I love you..." A few minutes later, Dad's phone began ringing nonstop. The security guard from the villa was trembling as he spoke. "Mr. Rowan, your daughter jumped off the roof and k1lled herself!"