When My Family Lines Turned Gray

Ever since I was a child, I could see the fate lines connecting me to others.

When I started school, the line between my desk-mate and me was a vibrant red.

On graduation day, that line faded to a dull gray and quietly snapped.

I wasn't sad.

I knew the three lines connecting me to my dad, my mom, and my brother were always blazing red and thick.

That was all the confidence I had in this world, the freedom to be myself, to be a little bit spoiled and demanding.

Until I was 13. They brought home a timid, shy girl and said she was their biological daughter.

Eleanor hugged me, crying. Richard and Ethan, their eyes red, swore:

"Even though Chloe's back, our love for you will never change."

I believed them.

But when I looked up, the lines connecting me to them had already faded to a light pink.

It was just pink at first.

Then came the day Chloe showed up, covered in bruises, crying and telling them I had led the bullying against her at school.

I desperately tried to explain, to prove my innocence. They listened, and like always, patted my head, smiling.

"Mia, don't cry. We believe you."

They said they believed me.

But in the very next second, those three pink lines seemed to be drained of their last bit of life.

Right before my eyes, they turned completely gray.

Only then did I truly understand: my confidence, my foundation, was long gone.

I stared at the gray lines, my heart pounding with anxiety, and whispered:

"Do you... do you really believe me?"

No one answered.

They were busy tending to Chloe's injuries, their faces etched with concern, utterly focused.

Seeing this, I clenched my fists and asked again, louder this time.

Ethan finally turned his head, his voice laced with exasperation.

"We already said we believe you, Mia. Can you please just stop making a scene?"

His eyes held a frustration I didn't recognize.

I stood there, stunned, a mix of hurt and bewilderment.

Watching the lines fade even more, I didn't dare speak again.

I picked up a bottle of antiseptic and, trying to be helpful, stepped forward.

But I tripped over something, losing my balance, and the entire bottle splashed onto Chloe's face.

She shrieked, closing her eyes and shrinking into Eleanor's arms.

"Mia, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told on you. Please, don't bully me anymore."

"Richard, Eleanor, maybe you should just send me back. My life there might be just as bad as it is here, but at least you won't have to deal with me."

Eleanor's eyes instantly welled up.

Despite her usual aversion to messes, she disregarded her sleeve staining and wiped Chloe's tears.

"Don't be silly, Chloe. We'd never send you back to those horrible people!"

"Mia wouldn't bully you. I promise you, she's not that kind of malicious person."

As she spoke, the red line between us thinned by an inch.

So, in her heart, she truly thought I was malicious.

Richard gently nudged my back, pushing me forward.

"What are you standing there for? Apologize to Chloe. Your mom is defending you, aren't you going to show some remorse?"

At his words, I clutched Richard's sleeve, pinning my hopes on him.

"Richard, please believe me. Someone tripped me just now. It wasn't on purpose."

"No one said it was on purpose. But you splashed Chloe, so you should apologize."

He looked down at me, his voice still patient, but his eyes were utterly devoid of warmth.

"Maybe she tripped me! Maybe she did it on purpose to frame me!"

The pride cultivated in me over many years made me unwilling to apologize, so I pointed at Chloe, accusing her.

"Richard, please believe me this one time!"

"You always taught me not to lie, and I've always remembered it. If you lie, you get punished!"

Richard pursed his lips, looking at me.

I tried to meet his gaze with the most sincere look I could manage, hoping he would side with me.

But in the next second, the line connecting me to him became even thinner.

And with it came his chilling words:

"Then you will be punished."

"Liars have to kneel outside. I believe in fairness, so I won't play favorites with you."

Kneeling outside was the severest punishment in our household, and I only remembered it happening once.

When Ethan was little, he didn't watch me, and I scraped my knee.

For such a small injury, Richard and Eleanor made Ethan kneel for an entire day.

Back then, they punished Ethan because they couldn't bear to see me hurt.

Now, they were punishing me because they couldn't bear to see Chloe hurt.

My heart turned to ice. My face pale, I walked towards the door.

With every step, I hoped someone would call out to me.

No one did.

Until I stood at the doorway and knelt heavily before them.

Even then, the lines connecting us didn't change at all.

The outcome, it seemed, had already been decided.

No matter what, they would distance themselves from me for Chloe's sake.

I don't know how long I knelt. I was dizzy with hunger.

Back then, when Ethan was punished, I secretly snuck him food.

Now, the house was brightly lit.

The aroma of dinner, their happy chatter, the cozy atmosphereit all braided into a cruel rope,

Lashing at my heart, reminding me that there was no one in this world who would care for me anymore.

I hung my head, my spirits sinking, my mind starting to drift.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps.

My heart skipped a beat. I looked up hopefully,

Expecting to see a glimmer of hope that I wasn't abandoned.

But when I clearly saw who it was, I froze.

It was Chloe.

She held a piece of bread in her hand, her face full of concern.

"Mia, are you hungry? I secretly got you some bread."

I stared at her, unable to tell if she was being genuine.

But my upbringing told me not to refuse someone's kindness.

So I reached out, wanting to take the bread,

And cautiously began to suggest:

"I appreciate your offer, but from now on, let's just stay out of each other's way and live in peace, okay? I don't want the house to be a mess."

Chloe smiled at that.

It wasn't a smile of agreement, because there was no line connecting us.

Anxiety bloomed in my chest.

Sure enough, in the next second, she shook her head regretfully, her tone light but chilling.

"No."

With that, she suddenly threw the bread away and shrieked as she fell to the side.

I watched in shock, realizing how ridiculously naive I had been.

Chloe only wanted to be the executioner, severing the red lines.

Hearing the commotion, the three of them rushed out.

Seeing Chloe lying on the ground, Ethan, who was in front, quickly helped her up, his voice filled with concern.

"Chloe, what happened? Why did you fall?"

Chloe's eyes and nose were red, her face streaked with tears, portraying utter helplessness.

"I saw Mia hadn't eaten all day, and I was afraid she'd be starving, so I brought her some food."

"She's probably still mad at me, she wouldn't eat... and she pushed me..."

Hearing this, Ethan's eyes flared with anger.

"Mia, where did you learn such cruelty?"

"Chloe was thinking of you, despite everything, and you repay her with malice!"

Looking up again, Richard and Eleanor's disappointed gazes felt like daggers.

I wanted to ask what kindness I had repaid with malice.

I wanted to ask what they were so disappointed about, when I hadn't done anything...

But my head felt lighter and lighter. Before I could speak, I fainted.

In a hazy dream, I heard Richard and Eleanor's conversation:

"She thinks faking a faint will get her off the hook? She's 13 already, no sense of responsibility at all."

"Just let her lie there. We'll see how long she can pretend."

Then came the sound of receding footsteps and a door closing.

...

When I woke, sunlight streamed directly into my eyes, making me tear up.

My muscles were stiff. I turned my head and realized I was still lying by the front door.

Those voices were real; they hadn't bothered with me.

After a moment to gather myself, I tried to push up,

But my strength failed, and I fell back. The scabbed wound on my knee ripped open again, blood welling out.

I bit my lip and dragged myself towards the house, crying out in pain and injustice.

"Richard, Eleanor, it hurts so much..."

Before, if I got even a small scratch, they would make a huge fuss, tending to my injury.

But now, when I looked up, I saw Maria's indifferent face.

"Where are Richard and Eleanor?"

"Today is family day. They went out."

That spot in my chest began to ache and throb again.

Had no one remembered that I was the one who initiated "family day"?

Back then, Richard and Eleanor were busy with work, and Ethan rarely came home from boarding school.

Unhappy with this, I insisted that Saturdays be designated "family day" for a family outing to strengthen our bond.

They naturally agreed, and Eleanor even pinched my nose, saying:

"You little mischief, you just want to go out, don't you? Our bond doesn't need strengthening, Richard, Ethan, and I will always love you."

I believed it then, because our lines were thick and red, strong and vibrant.

But now, there was nothing to support her words.

I sniffled and held out my hand to Maria.

"Then please help me up. I'm hurt."

Maria stepped back, her voice cold.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sterling said we're not allowed to help you."

"They said if too many people fuss over you, you'll become even more spoiled and arrogant."

I stared blankly at the bloodstain on the ground, murmuring:

"Even if I'm bleeding, they won't let you help?"

"Not under any circumstances."

At that moment, my heart felt like a piece had been torn out, and the wound hurt even more.

But I gritted my teeth and dragged myself to the sofa.

I thought, if I just rested for a while, once my legs recovered, I could take care of myself.

With that thought, I drifted off again.

When I next opened my eyes, I was jolted awake by a sharp sting.

Eleanor's face was before me.

She was applying medicine to my wound.

In that instant, my tears started flowing before I even fully registered what was happening, and I spoke, my voice full of hurt.

"Eleanor, you didn't really abandon me, did you?"

But Eleanor's face was expressionless. After she finished applying the medicine, she sighed.

"Don't pull these self-pitying acts again. This is the last time."

"Next time you do this, you'll suffer by yourself."

Only then did I see the line between us, so thin it was barely visible.

My eyes widened in panic, my tears stopped.

"Eleanor, I didn't! I fainted, that's all..."

Eleanor stood up, cutting me off.

"Don't try to justify yourself."

Not far away, Chloe, wearing a trendy dress, shyly asked Richard and Ethan:

"Does it look good?"

Their eyes were full of tenderness.

Richard said:

"My daughter looks good in anything."

Ethan also said:

"My sister looks good in anything."

Eleanor took a Tiffany necklace from a bag and put it around Chloe's neck.

"They're right. It looks even better with this."

As I watched, my eyes started to sting.

Not long ago, Chloe had secretly worn one of my dresses.

When I found out, before I could even say anything, she quickly took it off, pleading:

"Please don't be angry. I've never worn such a beautiful dress, I just couldn't help but try it on."

Richard and Eleanor saw this and immediately intervened, saying right in front of me:

"You look better in this than Mia. Keep it. Mia has plenty of clothes anyway."

I used to think those compliments belonged to me.

Now I understood, they belonged to Richard and Eleanor's biological daughter, Ethan's biological sister.

The current me, was no longer that.

I looked away, down at the bandage on my knee.

A little red had seeped through, like a small, unnoticed period at the end of a sentence.

After two days of rest, I could finally walk again.

The first thing I did once I could walk was to go see Chloe's adoptive parents,

Who were also my biological parents.

As soon as I met them, I saw the thick, red lines connecting us.

And their humble, honest appearance was a stark contrast to Chloe's descriptions.

My heart settled completely, and I told them the purpose of my visit.

After returning that day, I stopped being the pampered young lady of the Sterling family.

This time, I wasn't throwing a tantrum; I just didn't want to fight anymore, or rather, I couldn't win.

I locked myself in my room, from morning till night.

I only came downstairs for meals, sitting quietly in a corner, and returning to my room when I finished.

Richard, Eleanor, and Ethan were surprised by my quietness, and their attitudes softened somewhat.

They would serve me food during dinner, but only after serving Chloe.

They would talk to me, but our conversations would barely last a few sentences.

With Chloe, however, they had endless things to say.

I listened quietly, and after eating, I'd put away my dishes, say,

"I'm done eating, please enjoy the rest of your meal," then head back to my room.

I didn't expect to be asked to stay, didn't expect any concern.

After living like this for a while, the hurt and sadness in my heart began to heal, like gradually closing wounds. The pain slowly subsided until it disappeared completely.

One day, Eleanor said the venue for my high school acceptance celebration was set up and wanted to show me the design plans.

Chloe also leaned over to look, her eyes full of envy.

"It's so beautiful! I've never had a party like this."

Ethan, sipping coffee nearby, suggested:

"Why don't we combine your welcome-home party with Mia's celebration?"

I instinctively refused, a hint of displeasure in my voice.

"Why? This is clearly for me."

Before, to avoid being called the spoiled Sterling girl,

I studied relentlessly, participated in various competitions, and earned an early admission slot to the best high school.

When they heard the news, they were overjoyed, their eyes red, as if they wanted to proclaim their pride in me to the world.

Now, hearing my refusal, Ethan frowned.

"You're sisters. Why the division?"

Chloe clutched the hem of her dress, her voice full of grievance.

"Maybe it's because my grades aren't good, Mia thinks I don't deserve a party like this."

Eleanor lovingly put her arm around Chloe, comforting her softly:

"You're my daughter, of course you deserve it. We'll hold them together. You come look at the plans too."

Hearing this, I swallowed all my arguments.

What good would it do to speak?

I was no longer their pride.

Now, the one they wanted to proclaim to the world was the recovered Chloe,

Not me.

I stood up, my voice low.

"Let her look at the plans. I'm going to rest."

Chloe still feigned reluctance.

"Never mind. Mia's already angry. I shouldn't steal her thunder."

Ethan snorted coldly.

"Don't worry about her. She'll cheer up when she sees the custom designer dress we picked out for her."

I walked into my bedroom without stopping.

Closing the door, I leaned against it and slowly slid to the floor.

I didn't cry. I just felt empty.

As if the last bit of expectation had been removed.

This celebration truly felt like my farewell party from them.

Time quickly passed to the day of the party.

Chloe and I were changing in the hotel.

Halfway through, Chloe's dress ripped.

Eleanor, without a second thought, turned to me.

"Give your dress to Chloe. It's her first time at an event like this; she needs to look presentable."

This was a dress I had waited for for a long time.

I had been looking forward to it since the day I got my early admission, repeatedly discussing the design with the designer, every detail personally confirmed by me.

But I still took off my dress, folded it, and handed it over.

Eleanor paused, surprised I was so obedient.

As she took the dress, she couldn't help but say with satisfaction:

"Mia has finally grown up."

With her words, the lines connecting us suddenly thickened by a few inches and gained a faint hint of color.

I stood there, frozen, an infinite sadness rising in my heart.

Fate, it seemed, was truly mocking me.

The thing I had strived for so long, finally found hope the moment I decided to give up.

But this hope, I no longer wanted.

Chloe changed into the dress and entered the ballroom before me.

It was as if she was the star of the show.

I wasn't in a hurry. I checked the time.

Almost an hour late, I finally walked into the hall.

But as soon as I appeared, Eleanor slapped me hard across the face, raging:

"Mia Sterling, I thought you'd matured, but it turns out you were just plotting to frame Chloe."

"Tell me, did you intentionally ruin both dresses to make Chloe look bad?"

My cheek tingled from the slap, and my head spinning, I looked over.

Chloe was truly wrapped in Ethan's jacket, sobbing in his arms.

Everyone looked at me with complex expressions, whispering amongst themselves:

"Mia Sterling is as bossy as the rumors say, she just can't stand the real heiress."

"At only 13, she's so cunning. How did the Sterling family raise such a malicious person?"

Richard, hearing the whispers, his face darkened, and he warned me in a low voice:

"If you still want to be a Sterling, quickly admit your mistake and apologize to Chloe."

"As long as your attitude is sincere, your reputation in our circle can still be salvaged."

I scoffed, refusing directly.

"Don't worry. From today on, I am no longer a Sterling."

Richard stared at me, his expression icy, and demanded sharply:

"If you're not a Sterling, where else can you go?"

Just then, two people walked in from outside.

They were wearing perhaps the best clothes they owned in their wardrobes.

Even so, there was still a considerable difference between them and the people gathered here.

But I felt they were radiating light.

Chloe saw them and shrank into Ethan's arms in terror.

"Are they... are they Mia's doing?"

"I'm sorry! I truly know I was wrong. I won't ever take anything from her again. Please, don't let them take me away!"

Ethan glared at me, scolding:

"Mia Sterling, what has Chloe done that you want to destroy her like this?"

I looked at him, my cheek stinging from the slap mark, feeling only despair.

Richard glanced at me, then scolded the two newcomers:

"You're not welcome here. Get out! Don't scare my daughter!"

But the couple just nervously rubbed the hems of their clothes, raising their voices to respond:

"We're here to take our daughter home."

Eleanor frowned in disgust.

"Can't you understand? Your daughter isn't here!"

"Someone, get them out!"

As her words fell, my voice rang out:

"Wait!"

"They're here for me."

The atmosphere froze.

Just three seconds later, those dim, thin lines suddenly grew thick and vibrantly red.