Mom's Love Doesn't Belong to Me

　　There was only one day left before the SAT.

　　It was also the final deadline for the hospital to predict my time of death.

　　Fortunately, I finally had the strength today.

　　I didn't even find it difficult to get up.

　　In the morning, I heard the sound of laughter outside the door. "Baby, I will wear this dress tomorrow to accompany you for the exam, okay?"

　　"Okay, you look the best in this dress with a great figure."

　　"My Wanda's dress is even more beautiful."

　　It was my mother and my sister Wanda Lake.

　　I dug out my old sportswear from the closet that had been stored away for a long time.

　　I was about to die, so I wanted to dress more comfortably.

　　After opening the door, I wanted to greet them.

　　But I saw that their faces looked very unpleasant.

　　My mother looked at me, and her eyes gradually darkened, then suddenly revealed a look of disgust.

　　"Did I abuse you? Why are you wearing such disgusting clothes?

　　"Why do you always come and spoil the mood every time we are happy even a little bit?"

　　I looked at their designer dresses. Comparing them with my faded sportswear, it really did look disgusting.

　　"Mom, I didn't."

　　Before I could even explain, I was pushed back into my room by my mother.

　　She gave me a cold stare and said, "Are you going to make someone accuse me of treating you differently from your younger sister?

　　"Change your ugly clothes and wash your face. Don't ruin such a nice day."

　　"Bang!" The door was slammed shut.

　　Wanda's sweet voice slipped into my ears through the crack of the door.

　　"Mom, don't be angry. Nina didn't do it on purpose. She just doesn't like to wear the same clothes as us."

　　My mother snorted, "You don't need to defend her. I know what kind of person she is. She hasn't changed her poor-looking ways even after all these years.

　　"We've looked for her for 13 years and suffered so much. How could she not know? In the end, we found an ungrateful person and she's still thinking about her stepmother.

　　"She's really been spoiled by those country folk."

　　There was a brief silence, and I could clearly feel my mother's voice lowering.

　　"Sometimes I really regret bringing her back. She's not the one I raised, so she isn't close to us.

　　"Unlike you, you are my biological child, but you are much closer to me than her."

　　Her words fell into my ears one by one, like heavy blows to my heart.

　　I was 13 years old when I was found.

　　There was a lot of commotion at the time.

　　My parents held me in their arms and cried when they were interviewed by the media.

　　They said they would make it up to me for the rest of their lives.

　　And then, they took me home.

　　But this became the worst nightmare of my short life.

　　On the first night of my return, Wanda left a note and jumped off the second floor.

　　My parents were so scared that they rushed her to the hospital.

　　They stayed with Wanda in the hospital for five days, while I was left alone at home.

　　Finally, they swore that they would never neglect Wanda because of me and would keep her position, which finally calmed her down.

　　They renamed me Nina Lake. meaning that I could finally live a peaceful life from now on.

　　It meant that I was a priceless treasure.

　　However, my days were not peaceful.

　　Wanda said she liked the new room my parents had prepared for me and cried and refused to eat unless she could move in.

　　My mother felt sorry for her.

　　At first, when something came up, she would ask me in a hesitant tone, "Nina, you're older than Wanda. Can you let her have this, and I will make your room even nicer?

　　"Wanda has been spoiled by us. You're the older sister, can you give her the last piece of cake?"

　　And later on...

　　"It's snowing heavily. I know you're independent, you can take a taxi home after school and I'll pick up Wanda."

　　She may not have known that the roads were covered in snow that day and I couldn't catch a taxi.

　　After walking for three hours, I arrived home with my shoes and pants soaked.

　　For the first time, I saw disgust in her eyes. "I told you to take a taxi, why did you walk back? Don't always show a poor and stingy face.

　　"Wanda has a cold. You go sweep the snow off your clothes before you enter the building, don't bring the chill inside."