Chapter 2

Whatever softness had been in their faces was gone. When she said it, they only looked colder than before.

"What now? Come up with some new trick to fight us with?"

"Don't think faking amnesia gets you out of the boot camp!"

"You set the house on fire on purpose this time. Now the neighbors are pointing at your father and me, whispering. For that, you're staying an extra month, whatever it takes!"

Marianne froze mid-struggle. Something clicked into place a beat too late, and her eyes went wide.

"…But I'm your own daughter!"

"And besides, I—how many years has my sister been dead now?"

"I can't stomach the food she liked. What gives you the right to force me?"

I closed my eyes and sighed.

I'd thrown that same demand at them more times than I could count in eighteen years.

It only ever ended one way.

A sharp crack.

The slap landed clean across Marianne's face, and for a second it stunned her completely.

Dad glared at her, stone-cold.

"So now you're rebelling, is that it?"

"You're nothing but your sister's replacement. Where do you get the nerve to talk back to your mother and me?"

"Get down on your knees and apologize!"

I crouched beside Marianne, watching the shock on her face, and said quietly,

"Now you understand why, don't you?"

"To them, you're the daughter. I'm only your stand-in."

I told her everything they'd done to me over eighteen years, one word at a time.

No name of my own.

No likes or dislikes I was allowed to have.

Even the way I spoke and moved had to match how Marianne had been when she was alive.

Marianne loved kittens. I was allergic to cat fur, but they made me keep one anyway.

Marianne got top marks when she was alive, so on every test I had to score exactly what she'd scored.

One different number, even once, and I'd "broken character."

Then it was back to the boot camp, back to the "shock therapy," round after round.

As if I were nothing but a vessel that happened to be named Marianne.

"Take my advice. Instead of fighting them, just admit who you are. That's the only way they won't throw you into that training camp."

By the last few words my whole body was shaking, and I couldn't stop it.

Even dead, I was still terrified of that so-called training camp.

In there, I never felt like a person.

More like some beast whose sins could never be forgiven.

Marianne's eyes trembled, and she looked at me with an ache I could feel.

【I never knew they'd treat you this cruelly because of me!】

【Don't worry. I'll make them apologize to you, I swear!】

She looked like she'd made up her mind. Her fists clenched as she stared at them.

"What did I do wrong that I have to apologize?"

"Let me tell you, I'm not going to that damn training camp either!"

"I'm an adult. This is a threat to my safety. Try me—I'll call the police!"

I watched how naive she was and shook my head, half crying, half laughing.

"Say that, and they still won't let you off."

The words had barely left me.

They stared at her through gritted teeth and bit out three "goods."

Then Dad took out the phone remote and pressed the button on it.

In an instant Marianne's whole body started to convulse.

The collar at her wrist kept pouring current into her.

Only when her screams began to weaken did Mom press pause.

Cold all through, I looked at Marianne slumped weak on the floor and sighed.

"Just apologize, sis. There's no chance they'll ever admit they're wrong."

Marianne clenched her jaw hard, and in the end she gave in.

"…I'm sorry. I was wrong."

Satisfied, they smiled.

Mom crouched down and held Marianne close, tender now, patting her shuddering back.

"Good girl, Marianne."

"As long as you live on nicely in your sister's place, Mommy and Daddy will love you forever."

Marianne's lips twitched, and she passed out, drained.

A moment later her figure appeared beside me, and she said through gritted teeth:

"They really have lost their minds!"

"You just wait. Your sister is going to get you away from them, no matter what!"