We Shared a Body They Chose Her Every Time Chapter 02

We Shared a Body They Chose Her Every Time Chapter 02

A sharp slap stung my cheek.

My brother held my shoulders from behind so I couldn’t dodge.

I turned my head, my cheek burning.

A sore mark on my forehead trailed down toward my cheek.

My brother’s brow furrowed for a moment, then went smooth again, so quickly I almost thought I’d imagined it.

He nodded at the furious Brett Vance.

“Mr. Vance, I’m sorry. We accept full responsibility for what happened to your daughter. The Harper family will pay all medical costs.”

He paused, then pushed me forward.

“And I’m putting my sister in your hands. Do what you want with her.”

My back stiffened.

Brett’s anger cooled a little. He looked at his daughter lying in the bed covered in bandages, and the pain in his eyes was unbearable.

“How did you hurt her?”

My brother had already told me what to say. Even if he hadn’t, I already knew.

My mother pushed me. “Say it.”

I clenched my hands. “I hit her. I pushed her. I hurt her with burning objects.”

Brett gritted his teeth, grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me into the room. Then he threw me down in front of Madison’s bed.

“Then you stay right here for three days and three nights. You don’t move from that spot.”

“You take care of my daughter until she wakes up.”

I was forced down onto the ground. The pain was so sharp I couldn’t hold back my tears.

My mother came up to me.

“Just bear it,” she whispered. “You and Sophia are the same person. When she makes a mistake, you bear the consequences too. You’re not separate.”

I braced my hands against the cold floor.

My gaze was hollow.

“Is that right? Then why have I never gotten any of the love or any of the good life?”

My mother’s face went stiff.

My brother was close enough to hear. His face went dark with anger.

“You really have the nerve to say something that selfish? You think we never gave you love?”

When I stayed silent, he sighed and crouched down in front of me. He gently touched my head.

“Sophia is different from you. You’ve always been the smart one. She’s practically useless. More ability means more responsibility.”

“We just expect different things from you and Sophia, you understand?”

“Be good. I promise you, next time you wake up, I’ll take you on a trip. Okay?”

I nodded. “Okay.”

It didn’t matter. There wouldn’t be a next time. I wasn’t coming back.

He let out a breath and turned to Brett.

“She’s yours to deal with. I just hope you’ll consider not calling the police, since they’re both still young.”

Then he and my parents walked away without looking back.

Brett looked at me with cold contempt.

He walked over to Madison’s bed and carefully wet her pale lips with a cotton swab dipped in water.

“How could you do this to her? All because of a dress?”

I had nothing to say. To the outside world, I was the one who did it.

Two souls in one body was too absurd. No one would ever believe me.

“I’m sorry.”

He threw a cup at my feet. “Sorry isn’t good enough. I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done.”

Shards of the broken cup scraped my legs painfully..

I tried to move, but from the doorway, I saw my brother’s tight frown and his lips forming the words. “Don’t fight back.”

My body froze, and I stayed put.

I looked down at the floor, and my heart sank into the darkness.

I stayed there for three whole days and three nights. No water. No food.

My legs ached and swelled.

On the third day, Brett told me to get up and ordered me to stay by Madison’s side and take care of her every move.

Whenever he got angry, I was right there to take it, he would lash out at me whenever he was upset. Whatever he felt like.

On the twenty ninth day, Madison woke up.

My parents and brother came as soon as they heard.

My brother’s eyes went tight when he saw my swollen knees and bruised face. He looked at Brett.

“Are you satisfied now? Will you not call the police?”

Brett closed his eyes. “Get out.”

He glared at me. “If you ever harm my daughter again, you will face serious consequences. I don’t care what it costs me.”

My face was pale. My lips were cracked and dry.

But right then, I envied Madison.

I envied that she had people who loved her with everything they had, just like Sophia did.

I had never had that.

When we got home, my brother called out to me. He sighed.

“You went through a lot this time. Tonight’s the new draw. Next time it lands on you, I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

He came over and touched my head.

“A trip, the northern lights, a hot air balloon ride. I’ll take you to do it all.”

I looked at him. “Okay.”

I went upstairs, lay down on the bed, and watched the clock tick by.

At midnight, as I heard the wooden spinner box rattling, I slowly closed my eyes.

And I smiled.

Mom, Dad, and Liam…

This time, I was finally free.