I Bet My Soul on My Mother’s Love Chapter 01

I Bet My Soul on My Mother’s Love Chapter 01

When my mother almost died giving birth to my little sister, I made a deal with the Grim Reaper.

I wagered my own soul to ensure they both survived.

If, by the time I turned eighteen, I was no longer my mother’s favorite child, my soul would shatter into nothingness.

When the wager began, I confidently patted my chest.

“This is too easy. Mom always said I’ll forever be her favorite little angel!”

But Mom was lying.

My sister was born frail, a porcelain doll fiercely guarded by the entire family the moment she drew breath.

I was no longer the favorite.

On my twelfth birthday, I made a wish to always be Mom’s favorite child. The stress triggered my sister’s heart condition.

Furious, Mom shipped me off to a strict military reform boarding school for six long years.

When I finally graduated, wearing a badge that read [Cadet 018], my sister was waiting for me at home in a pristine princess dress.

She smiled sweetly, looking like an exquisite doll.

“Hey sis, there’s no room for you in this house anymore. How does that feel?”

“Even if you have a healthy body, you’ll never have Mom’s love. Bet that hurts.”

“Honestly, Mom and Dad almost softened their hearts a few times over the years. But I threw tantrums and faked being sick, so they didn’t dare bring you back.”

She tilted her head, smiling. “Poor thing. That must drive you crazy.”

I shook my head.

You are the sister I saved with my own soul. How could I ever be mad at you?

It was just that I was about to lose this wager built on love.

…

The moment the clock struck midnight on my eighteenth birthday, the Grim Reaper appeared before me again.

Looking at my emaciated body and the countless scars covering my skin, he froze.

He sighed heavily.

“You’re a good kid, but a deal is a deal.”

Perhaps I looked too pitiful, because even death itself showed a flicker of mercy.

“I’ll bend the rules a little for you.”

“Today, on your birthday, if your mother says she loves you the most—whether she means it or not—I’ll call the wager off.”

“If she can’t even do that, I will claim your soul as promised. You will fade into absolute nothingness.”

I nodded blankly.

But my mother couldn’t even bring herself to say she loved me.

How could she ever say she loved me the most?

During those six years at the reform school, I never received a single phone call from home.

I never saw my mother once.

Locked away and completely abandoned for six years, I had long since learned my lesson.

I no longer dared to dream of her affection.

I was assigned to sleep in the dusty storage room.

The miniature piano and old dolls Mom had bought for me as a kid were piled here, buried in dust.

Just like me, treated like discarded trash.

This was my first night back, and the first day of my adulthood.

And likely my last day on this earth.

Mom always hated me for craving her attention.

But she didn’t know that without her love, I would literally die.

I woke up to the sound of my sister laughing and playing.

Four beautifully arranged breakfast plates sat on the dining table.

Mom still loved cooking gourmet meals, just like she used to.

The breakfast smelled delicious, but the disposable paper plate and plastic fork set in front of me were an eyesore.

My presence made the atmosphere painfully awkward, so Dad smiled, trying to smooth things over.

“Chloe, sweetie, sit down. Today is your eighteenth birthday. Try some of the strawberry cake your mother spent hours baking.”

“You’ve lost weight, Chloe. That school runs on strict military discipline, so it must have been tough. But you’ve always been strong. It builds character for kids to rough it out a bit.”

“Your sister is in poor health, so your mother and I sent you to a school that could look after your development. Congratulations on graduating!”

I kept my head down, too terrified to speak.

I mechanically shoved the cake into my mouth as fast as I could.

At that school, talking during meals meant being placed in an isolation punishment room.

If you took too long to finish eating, you would be given additional physical training as punishment.

Seeing me wolf down the food, Mom’s face darkened instantly.

“Chloe Vance! Who are you throwing that attitude for?”

“We paid an exorbitant amount of tuition to get you a proper education, and you’re acting like the victim here?”

Hearing my full name, my reflexes kicked in. I snapped to attention, standing rigid by the table.

“Cadet 018, present!”

The table fell dead silent.

My sudden movement was so loud it startled my sister, who was cutting a slice of cake.

She clutched her chest in pure terror. “Chloe, what is wrong with you?”

Dad immediately rushed to the living room to grab her medication.

Mom frantically pulled my sister into her arms, soothing her with a gentle, desperate voice.

“Lily, baby, don’t be scared. Does your heart hurt again? Daddy’s getting your medicine.”

“Chloe Vance, have you lost your mind? If you hurt your sister again, I will send you right back to that school!”

“Have you learned nothing? You make a scene the very first day you’re back? How did I end up with a daughter like you?”

A cozy family breakfast was left in absolute ruins.

I stood there, completely helpless and paralyzed.

I wanted to explain. Mom, I didn’t mean to scare her.

But my throat tightened so hard that not a single syllable could escape.

Mom’s screaming suddenly stopped.

My breathing grew rapid and shallow as violent red hives erupted across my skin.

“Chloe, what’s happening to you…”

“The strawberries! She’s been severely allergic to strawberries since she was a toddler! Call an ambulance, fast!”