Ten Years of Hatred
Chapter 1
At the welcome–home party, the fake
daughter jumped from the balcony.
After that, my brother, he hated me for ten
years.
My fiancé? He treated me like I was his worst
enemy.
He only pretended to marry me.
Then, on our wedding night, he broke my
hands and feet and locked me in the
basement.
For ten whole years, I lived like a dog.
<
୮
I couldn’t live, and I couldn’t die.
Finally, I saw my chance and I escaped, ran
back to my family for help.
But my parents, they wouldn’t even open the
door.
“We only have one daughter, and that’s
Jenny.”
My fiancé found me.
My brother dragged me to him like I was
roadkill.
Everyone regretted ever bringing me home.
Me too.
:
<
In the end, I jumped off the roof.
And then I woke up, ten years in the past.
This time?
I’m giving Jenny back her place as the golden
child.
I’m done trying to please them.
“Tell Jenny to knock it off. Even if Riley
comes back, she’ll still be our daughter, just
the other one.”
That cold voice, it hit me like a punch in the
gut.
<
I snapped back to reality.
I stared at myself in the mirror.
My face was young.
I was wearing that burgundy dress.
My face wasn’t ruined by what happened.
I really was back ten years.
Back at the party that changed my whole life.
The last time, Jenny pulled that stunt,
threatened to kill herself if my parents didn’t
choose.
Everyone thought she was just being
dramatic, even my brother. Alex. didn’t take
<
Then she died.
And they were all sorry.
I became their way of dealing with the guilt.
I got kicked out, left with nothing.
Then, along came Sam, back from studying
abroad.
He said even though the adoption thing
wasn’t official, he still saw me as his girl,
wanted to marry me.
I fell for his act.
I said yes.
く
Turns out, he only wanted to torture me, get
revenge for Jenny.
The night I was supposed to be happiest, he
broke me.
He threw me in that basement, made me a
pet.
Ten years.
Ten years I suffered.
Every time I thought I was finally getting out,
he’d have someone fix me up, then he’d start
all over again.
One day, I got away, begged my family for
help.
<
You’d think they’d have helped me.
But no.
They shut me out.
They were the ones who plastered my face
everywhere, desperate to find me.
What did I do wrong?
I stared at myself in the mirror and made a
promise.
This time, I’m not joining that family.
Not ever.
I took a breath and smiled at Alex.
“You should call off the party and go talk to
Jenny.”
He frowned.
“Riley, we’ve got guests here. We can’t just
cancel. What will people think of you? Of us?”
I tried to stay calm.
“What’s more important? A party, or a
person? And if you’re gonna adopt me, I don’t
care what people think of me.”
He seemed a little surprised that I said that.
“Alright, I’ll go check on Jenny. You go keep
Mom and Dad happy, okay?”
<
I smiled and watched him go.
Inside, I was seething.
After Alex left, I went to the ballroom with my
parents.
I was smiling and saying sorry to people.
Everyone looked at me weird, but I kept
smiling.
Just as everyone was getting ready to leave,
the doors swung open.
Jenny walked in, wearing the same burgundy
dress as me.
Everyone stared.
く
They looked from me to her.
Jenny smiled.
“The party’s still on, but it’s not a welcome-
home party. It’s my birthday party.”
I stared at her.
I–didn’t feel anything.
Before, I would’ve been so angry.
Now, I just didn’t care.
Alex came over.
“Riley, let’s just do Jenny’s birthday party
first. We’ll have a welcome–home thing for
<
you later.”
My parents looked mad.
My mom started to say something, but Jenny
hugged her and batted her eyelashes.
“Mom, it’s my birthday! Don’t you want to
celebrate with me? Riley won’t mind, right?”
She looked at me like she was winning.
My dad sighed.
