Chapter 3The Swap: Raising a Viper in the Nest

My aunt pushed the takeout boxes closer to me:

"Hurry and eat! It's all your favorites: fried chicken, pizza, and soda."

Actually, I didn't like these things, and I knew eating too much high-calorie food was bad.

But when someone is starving, the smell of any food makes the stomach rumble uncontrollably.

She didn't know anything.

I swallowed hard, pressed down on my cramping stomach, and tore my gaze away from the fried chicken.

Mustering my courage, I expressed my wishes just like Mia usually did:

"Auntie, I don't want to eat this. Could you order me something light for dinner?"

"You don't want it? Since when did you become a picky eater?" She was stunned.

Then she smiled again:

"Alright! Look for yourself and see what you want."

"But don't you dare learn from Mia and diet to lose weight. Auntie loves seeing you eat heartily. You're a growing girl, your figure doesn't matter."

My aunt had always been very good to me, unconditionally fulfilling all my requests and indulging my preferences without limits.

But every time I accepted my aunt's kindness, I would be beaten and scolded by my mom right after, calling me ungrateful and saying I thought my uncle and aunt's family was richer than ours, calling me a beggar who embarrassed her.

The realization that my aunt was my biological mother made my blood boil again.

Once we acknowledged each other, I could openly enjoy her care and concern without having to walk on eggshells around my mom anymore.

I took a deep breath:

"Auntie..."

But she suddenly stood up:

"Oh dear, a drop of oil got on me. Let me go clean it up. Order whatever you want."

She then pinched the corner of her white blazer and walked toward the bathroom.

My words were stuck in my throat. Watching her retreating back, my hands absentmindedly swiped on her phone.

When I looked down at the screen again, it had stopped at the app switcher, and one of the pages was unmistakably her email.

My aunt replied to the email I sent!

[What makes you think I am the prey, and not the hunter?]

[Whoever you are, there's no need for any more unnecessary reminders. If there is a next time, I will drag you out into the light, and you will bear the consequences!]

I read my aunt's reply on my own phone, my body running completely cold.

This was her true face.

She had known all along!

She definitely understood my hints just now, and probably even realized that I knew about what happened back then.

No wonder I always felt it was illogical for her to be deceived for so many years.

So, her limitless indulgence of me was just another way of ruining me?

Her method of ruining me was completely different from my mom's, but the end result was the same.

I couldn't understand why they couldn't fight out in the open. Why didn't she target Mia?

Instead, she chose to destroy me!

But I understood one thing: no one would ever love me.

So it didn't matter who my biological mother was.

From now on, I would take charge of my own life.