: The Seventh Day
2
Elara Sterling and Mr. Crawford registered their marriage, and she began to rest at home during her pregnancy.
The Sterling Family pampered her endlessly, especially Uncle Sterling, who came to visit Elara Sterling every single day.
Mr. Crawford was busy at his company, so Uncle Sterling would take Elara Sterling and Helena Crawford to amusement parks and on shopping sprees at the mall.
As for me, the child of the true but unwelcome lady of the house, I was naturally unwelcome as well.
Elara Sterling and Helena Crawford put on a show for everyone, playing good cop and bad cop to cultivate the image of a kindhearted stepmother.
Thanks entirely to their masterful performance, I didn't have to say a word for the Sterling Family and Mr. Crawford to be convinced that I despised Elara Sterling and Helena Crawford.
My bedroom was quickly moved to the maid's quarters, the room farthest away from them.
I naturally became the lowest-ranking "servant" in the Sterling Family. Even the maids could walk all over me.
I loathed the way these servants fawned over the powerful.
When my mother was still alive, she had worried this day would come. She gave them plenty of gifts and money, asking them to look after me.
But now, with my mother barely in her grave, they had turned right around and started fawning over Elara Sterling.
I knew that any smart person would choose to curry favor with Elara Sterling, but the thought still sent a chill down my spine.
Everyone had forgotten my mother.
Human nature chilled me to the bone.
I was waiting for the right moment—a moment to make everyone remember my mother.
Finally, my chance came.
That night, a thunderstorm raged. Mr. Crawford was away on business, leaving only Elara Sterling, Helena Crawford, and me in the house.
I had observed her for a long time. Every night before bed, Elara Sterling would without fail come downstairs to drink a bottle of milk.
I got everything ready and hid behind the curtains in the hallway, waiting for her to appear.
Her usual bedtime came and went. After what felt like a long time, I finally heard heavy footsteps.
Elara Sterling went to turn on the lights, only to find the power was out. She muttered under her breath.
"The power's out? What a coincidence?"
I was suddenly grateful for all the times my mother and I had waited in the dark for Mr. Crawford to come home. It was thanks to that experience that I could now clearly see Elara Sterling approaching the top of the stairs.
Just as she reached the top of the stairs, I sent a toy car speeding into her foot.
An instant later, Elara Sterling stepped on the car. And then, she tumbled down the stairs!
"AHHH!"
Elara Sterling lay on the floor, screaming and groaning. Before I could even move, her bedroom door was suddenly thrown open!
To my shock, my uncle, Lance Sterling, came rushing out from inside!
My eyes widened, and a cold smile touched my lips.
'So that's how it is! So that's how it is!'
'This so-called "brother and sister" had been carrying on a sordid affair all along!'
'This only strengthened my resolve for what I had to do tonight!'
Just as my mother had taught me, I strapped on a pair of makeshift stilts, draped myself in one of her old nightgowns, and appeared in a flash at the top of the stairs.
It was a skill my mother had learned after being abducted and sold to the mountains. The Sterling Family and Mr. Crawford were ashamed of her past and never knew she could do such a thing.
A flash of lightning illuminated the scene. I looked down at Elara Sterling, groaning in a pool of her own blood, and gave her a wicked smile.
Elara Sterling's lips trembled. She slowly raised a finger, pointing at me as she shrieked.
"You! You..."
Just as Lance Sterling turned to look, I vanished, leaving only a ghostly silhouette behind.
Elara Sterling grabbed Lance Sterling's arm, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"It's her! She's come back to get revenge!"
"She must hate me for stealing her life! She's come back for revenge!"
Lance Sterling had seen the silhouette too, and a cold dread washed over him.
Fighting to control his trembling hands, he quickly dialed 911.
I quickly disassembled the makeshift stilts into simple wooden poles, tossed them into the backyard, and disposed of all the other evidence.
As I watched the ambulance carry Elara Sterling away, I stood in the rain, tears streaming down my face.
Today was the seventh day since my mother's death. 'Mom... did you see that?'
