Chapter 4

I didn't throw a tantrum. I silently knelt down, picked up the scattered gears and broken pieces one by one, and carefully tucked them into my pocket.

Seeing me so quiet and unresponsive, Richard scowled even harder.

"What are you standing there playing dead for? Apologize to your brother right now!"

I stood up, looking Richard straight in the eye.

"I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?"

"You—" Richard raised his hand to strike me.

Eleanor quickly held him back, whispering urgently.

"We're hosting a congratulatory party tomorrow, and all our relatives will be here. If you bruise her face, how are we going to explain it? Send her back to the basement. Out of sight, out of mind."

I complied without a word, dragging my bleeding hand back downstairs.

The basement was freezing and damp. I leaned against the old fridge, holding the shattered pieces of the watch in my hands.

In the dead of night, the basement was so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat.

Suddenly, the old fridge beside me let out a deep, heavy rumble.

The metal frame began to vibrate violently, and a blinding blue light pierced through the rusty door cracks.

I quickly rushed over and whispered.

"Mom? Dad?"

The door cracked open slightly, and an icy fog rolled out, carrying a strange metallic scent.

Those pale hands reached out again, this time holding a bottle of warm milk and a roll of bandages.

My parallel-universe mom’s voice sounded frantic and slightly distorted.

"Chloe, what happened to your hand? Who hurt you?"

I took the milk, and my tears finally spilled over.

"They broke the pocket watch you gave me. Is the portal broken? Can you still take me away?"

An angry growl echoed from the depths of the fridge—it was my parallel-universe dad.

"They've gone too far! Chloe, don't be afraid. Even without the token, we will forcefully break through the spatial coordinates to get you tomorrow at noon."

"Tomorrow at noon, exactly twelve o'clock. Just stand by the fridge, and we will take you home. No one will ever hurt you again."

Hearing those words, the heavy weight on my chest finally lifted.

I drank the warm milk while clumsily wrapping the bandage around my wounded hand.

Just a few more hours. Once tomorrow morning passed, I would leave this suffocating house forever.

The next morning, the basement door was kicked open violently.

Eleanor stood at the top of the stairs, throwing a dirty rag at my face.

"Stop sleeping! The relatives are coming today. Get upstairs and clean the living room and kitchen. You're not living here for free."

Without protesting, I picked up the rag and walked upstairs.

Because I knew this would be the very last time I ever cleaned for them.

As noon approached, the relatives began to arrive.

The house quickly filled with laughter and chatter, with everyone crowding around Leo to praise him.

"Oh, Leo is so smart! With grades like that, he’s definitely going to an Ivy League school!"

"You guys are so lucky to have such a brilliant son."

I walked out of the kitchen carrying a platter of sliced fruit, which immediately caught the relatives' attention.