Chapter 2My Sister Put Me on Trial, But the Verdict Was Hers

A video played on the big screen.

The former orphanage director, Mrs. Thorne, sat in a wheelchair, tears welling in her eyes.

“Stella, I don’t blame you for destroying my legs. Just admit your mistakes…”

The live chat went silent for a moment, then scrolled frantically.

“Stella Stone is sick, isn’t she? The director was so good, and she ruined her legs?”

“OMG, so the director was replaced because Stella hurt her!”

Some audience members shouted angry curses at me.

Others, furious, couldn’t stop themselves from throwing shoes in my direction.

“Heartless monster! Grew up in an orphanage and still hurt your own director!”

“Bitch! So cruel to her director and sister! Who knows what else she’s done behind their backs!”

“How can someone be so disgusting? Look at her, showing no remorse, it’s infuriating!”

The Judge of Truth cleared his throat and had a staff member place a judgment device on me.

The device would extract memory fragments from my mind, to be used as evidence in this trial.

“Trial begins! First charge: Violence!”

Mrs. Thorne also testified that I had been violent towards other children who grew up with me in the orphanage, bullying them on multiple occasions.

She even presented a hospital diagnosis from that time.

I scoffed. Did they think providing evidence automatically meant it was the truth?

My extracted memory fragments began playing on the big screen, allowing the Judge of Truth to deliver his verdict under the supervision of all present.

A little girl with two cute pigtails, her soft, pale face filled with anxiety.

“Chloe, did they bully you again?”

This was me at seven years old.

The live chat was momentarily confused.

“Stella Stone was this cute when she was little?”

“Were she and Chloe Evans this close as kids?”

Chloe, tearfully, threw herself into my arms.

“Stella, how could they do this to me?”

I looked at her torn princess dress, my heart aching.

“They’re awful. I’ll go get them. Don’t be sad!”

The scene shifted. The little girl, her cheeks puffed out, marched up to a group of kids a head taller than herself.

“Liam Hayes, why do you always bully Chloe!”

My childish voice rang out.

The leading boy looked me up and down.

“Little dummy, did Chloe send you to fight her battles again?”

I froze for a moment.

“What do you mean?”

Liam tapped my head.

“Told you you were dumb. She ran over to brag about her new dress herself.”

“Chloe was just too happy, maybe…”

I tugged at my fingers, awkward.

Liam sighed.

“Alex wanted to buy some study materials, and Mrs. Thorne said there was no money, but then she bought Chloe a new dress… Don’t be too kind, you’re just being used as a pawn.”

I didn’t notice Chloe quietly following behind me.

But the big screen clearly showed a strange look in her eyes, unfitting for a five-year-old child.

It seemed to be jealousy, and perhaps anger.

“Chloe Evans’s eyes are so creepy…”

“Honestly, a five-year-old doesn’t understand anything. How could Stella Stone be violent towards others?”

“Same! She’s still a kid herself. How could she bully other kids? And they seem pretty nice to Stella Stone.”

Chloe sat in the audience, watching the live chat with a gloomy expression.

Later that night, Chloe dragged me to the orphanage’s bike shed.

Two small figures huddled together in the dark.

I looked at the large safety pin she handed me, conflicted.

“Chloe, this isn’t good! What if something happens?”

Chloe smiled sweetly, pushing the pin into my hand.

“It’s fine, it’s just to scare them a little! They don’t usually ride their bikes much anyway.”

I pulled my hand back.

“No! Chloe, I’m going back. Don’t do this either!”

Chloe watched my retreating back, then picked up the pin from the ground, her face expressionless.