Chapter 1

My mom tells everyone she meets that she's a devoted daughter's mom.

But she has terrible taste. She always dressed me in cheap, mass-produced princess dresses, while she bought my younger brother designer sportswear.

I told myself it was my mother's way of showing love, so I quietly put up with it.

Until my younger brother sneered in my face:

"Lucinda, Mom's been so good to you, you couldn't repay her if you died a hundred deaths!"

"From now on, if you dare say a single no to anything she asks, you're an ungrateful traitor!"

Mom made a show of smoothing it over — "A daughter is meant to be pampered" — but the look she gave my brother was full of approval.

A chill went through me at once.

Over the years, I've handed over at least two or three hundred thousand in household money, I've never missed a gift on a single holiday, and I still get morally blackmailed on top of it!

So at the housewarming dinner for the new house, when my mother started loudly bragging in front of all the relatives about the princess room she'd prepared for me, I turned it down coldly.

"Mom, I hardly ever come back. A room this nice should go to Josh instead."

Deep displeasure flashed in my mother's eyes, but with a room full of relatives she couldn't let it out. She could only force herself to collect herself and put on a gentle smile.

"Lucy, this is the princess room Mom prepared just for you. How could you give it to your brother?"

"If there's anything you don't like about it, tell Mom, and Mom will fix it."

Her tone grew more and more pitiful. "Just don't throw away all the love I put into it."

Before I could answer, my brother's grating voice blasted in my ear: "Lucinda, don't spit on a gift. What's there to be unhappy about in a room this nice? Or how about the two of us trade?"

My brother shoved open the door to the second bedroom.

Everyone turned to look, and saw that his room didn't even have curtains — just a basic bed and dresser.

The furniture wasn't stylish either. Next to my flashy princess room, it looked old and plain.

Only I knew it was a custom bed and dresser made from imported North American walnut — expensive, healthy, and eco-friendly.

My room, on the other hand, reeked of formaldehyde from outside the door, and all the furniture was cheap, unmarked MDF. Live in it long enough and you'd probably come down with leukemia.

The relatives, who had no idea, looked on with a pang of pity.

My brother's face twisted uglier still. "Lucinda, Mom coddles you, but I won't!"

"Live in it if you want, and if you don't, get lost!"

Uncle Gerald, who always doted on his nephew, said to my mother with disapproval, "I keep telling you not to spoil the girl so much. What's wrong with living in a room this nice? My daughter slept on the balcony her whole life, and she turned out perfectly fine!"

But what Uncle Gerald left out was that after Vivian started working, she never came home again.

Mom's brow furrowed — clearly she was remembering how resolutely Vivian had cut them off — and she softened her tone a bit more:

"Lucy, it's fine for you to be a little fussy at home, but don't act so childish in front of the relatives. Stop making a scene now."

Aunt Diane joined in, coaxing me for my mother. "Lucy, your mother is so good to you. She even kept a room for you. Even after you get married someday, you'll have a place to stay when you come back. You should be grateful and not so ungrateful!"

I shook my head firmly and said, "I don't like this room. My brother wants to trade, and I agree."

Mom's mouth fell open, clearly panicked, but my brother was thrilled. "Trade it is, then. No taking it back!"

Josh's girlfriend, Laurel, quickly rushed over. "Yay! I love Lucy's room!"

My brother looked at Laurel, his face full of adoration. "Only my little princess deserves this princess room."

Mom bit down hard on her lip and kept shooting my brother meaningful looks. When he ignored her, she tugged at his sleeve.

Pushed past his patience, my brother slammed his fist on the table. "Mom, can you stop playing favorites? Lucinda and I are both your kids — don't I deserve nice things too?!"

Aunt Diane quickly urged my mother, "If both kids are willing to trade, just leave it alone."

Now Mom was truly frantic. "You can't trade, it won't work!"

My brother shot back, "Why not?"

I coughed lightly and said, "Because Mom can't stand the thought of you living in the bathroom."