When Goodbye Is the Only Choice

 The day before the college entrance examination, I was kidnapped by my parents’ enemies and locked up in a dark warehouse where I was tortured for three days and three nights.

Once I was found, my hands and feet were all broken, my lower body was covered in blood and there was not a single piece of intact skin on my body.

If it were not for the slight rise and fall of my chest, they would have thought I was dead.

My mother missed the best time to rescue me because she was afraid of being killed. She was in great pain and swore to make these people pay the price.

My father offered a large reward to find the best doctor in the country to treat me.

Just before I was carried into the operating room and completely lost consciousness, I heard my parents’ whispered conversation.

“Hubby, Lindsey is our biological daughter after all. Even if we want to stop her from taking the college entrance exam for Martina's ranking, we can use other methods!”

My father felt a little bit sorry when he saw me covered in bruises.

“I did not expect that person to be so cruel. Lindsey is already the daughter of the Mitchell Family and she always outshines Martina in school, causing Martina to suffer from depression. If her college entrance examination score is better than Martina's, how sad will Martina be?”

“But...."

“Okay, stop talking. We will compensate her well in the future.”

Compensation?

It turned out this was the family love I had been looking forward to.

In their eyes, I had never been as good as the adopted daughter they had raised for more than ten years.

——

“The patient's lower body was severely damaged, her uterus was damaged and she will not be able to have children in the future. What's more serious is that her intestines are not intact at all. 

“They need to be removed as soon as possible and a stoma installed. She will have to carry a stoma bag for the rest of her life.”

The doctor gave me a diagnosis after the operation.

“How could this happen?” My mother's voice choked with sobs. She could not believe that my condition was so serious.

“The child has suffered such a terrible thing at such a young age. I suggest you call the police as soon as possible.”

“You cannot call the police!” My father subconsciously stopped the doctor and seemed to realize that his attitude was a little wrong, so he immediately explained.

“Our daughter has just been through something like this and she is suffering from both physical and mental trauma. We want to accompany her through the surgery before contacting the police.

“Please, doctor, arrange it as soon as possible and use the best materials. We will pay for it no matter how much it costs.”

I laid on the hospital bed, the anesthetic gradually wore off and the conversation between my parents became clearer and clearer.

My father seemed relieved as he spoke, “It's good for Lindsey to be like this. Martina won't feel pressured or sad because of her excellent academic performance. 

“Besides, Lindsey did not grow up with us since she was a child. We can spend more time with her in the future to make up for it.”

It was not a very cold voice, but it made me feel cold all over.

This was the family affection I had longed for for more than ten years and this was the family I once loved.

It was them who pushed me into the endless abyss, allowing the evil people to crush my self-esteem, trample on my body and let me be swallowed by despair.

But then, they were still acting as a savior and shedding crocodile tears.

How ridiculous!

“Martina is still waiting at home alone after her exams. We promised her that we would give her a graduation party, so she should not stay here. Lindsey won’t wake up for a while anyway.”

The two people walked away gradually.

The tears could no longer be stopped from falling from the corners of my eyes and for a moment I could not tell whether the physical wounds or my heart hurt more.

I thought that letting me find my family was a gift from God, but I did not expect it to be a punishment for my extravagant hopes.

When I was taken back to the Mitchell Family at the age of fifteen, I felt that my parents did not seem to like me that much.

Especially when Martina saw me, her eyes turned red and she looked timid and my parents' expressions towards me became even stiffer.