Revenge Bound on My Father

Chapter 1

[1]

On the seventh day after my mother's death, I helped my father lure a beautiful young woman to our home. She wore a floral dress, her hair was sleek and black, and her eyes were clear and bright. I had never seen such a beautiful woman before and stared at her in fascination for a long time.

In front of my mother's portrait, my father wrapped his arm around the slender waist of the new woman and grinned, showing his yellow teeth. "This time, I've got myself a well-educated city woman. She'll definitely give me a smart son!"

After saying that, he spat on my mother's portrait. "Ugh, that useless woman cost me so much money and only gave me a daughter. If it weren't for this girl's smarts, she would have gone to hell with her mother."

His saliva, mixed with the smell of smoke and alcohol, sprayed onto my face. I shrank back, lowering my eyes in fear, not daring to make a sound.

The new woman hung her head, her expression unreadable. She stepped closer and suddenly slapped me hard across the face, glaring at me with hatred. "You and your father tricked me! I actually believed your father was abusing you and wanted to help you escape!"

I ignored her, covering my face and smiling ingratiatingly at my father. "Dad, can I have a blanket to cover myself with tonight?"

He nodded benevolently, then dragged the tear-streaked, emotionally shattered new woman away. Not long after, I heard my father's animalistic grunts coming from the next room.

I knelt numbly on the ground, burning paper money in mourning for my mother, my hands cold and stiff. In her portrait, my mother seemed to be smiling. Or maybe she was crying.

That evening, when the new woman came to dinner, she was covered in bruises. Her eyes were swollen and red, her appearance disheveled, while my father looked refreshed and satisfied, clearly having satisfied his brutal urges.

Under her resentful gaze, I slowly lowered my head. I knew she thought I had deceived her. But I hadn't. My father's abuse was real, and the horrifying scars on my body were real too. I was merely a tool to keep my mother from escaping, never seen as a person in my father's eyes.

My mother had been bought from people traffickers by my grandmother because no one wanted to marry my alcoholic, gambling father. After being brought here, my mother resisted fiercely, always plotting her escape. This worried my father and grandmother greatly.

Then, a neighbor gave my father an idea. "Morris, why don't you have her give you a child? Once she has a child, she won't dare to leave."

Originally, my mother was bought to continue the family line. This suggestion was an eye-opener for my father and grandmother. That very night, they spiked my mother's drink. They succeeded. A month later, my mother was pregnant with me.

At first, she tried every possible way to abort me, but my grandmother kept a close watch on her, and she failed. After giving birth to me, my mother could have left, but she chose to stay. Because I was a girl, my grandmother was deeply disappointed and nearly killed me. If my mother had left, I would have surely died. So, she tore up her escape plans and chose to stay, enduring my grandmother's bullying and my father's beatings to raise me until I was twelve.

Half a month ago, the law changed, and marriage no longer required a household registration. My father, working in the city, set his sights on the new woman's wealthy family. She was kind and didn't look down on my father's ugly appearance like others did. Instead, she took care of him. This gave my father wicked thoughts. After returning home, he poisoned my mother. Then, he forced me to help him lure the new woman home.

On the seventh day after my mother's death, my father forced her to use her ID to get a marriage certificate. His intentions were clear-he was after her family's money. Sure enough, at the dinner table, my father spoke up. "You're one of us now. Hurry up and give me a son to continue the family line. Once the child is born, have your father find me a cushy job so I can take good care of you and the baby."

[2]

Grandma had just placed the last dish of meat on the table.

Hearing Dad's words, she shot me a sharp look and said sarcastically, "Better hope your belly cooperates this time and doesn't give us another burden."

New Mom clenched her fists and suddenly stood up, slamming her bowl down with force. She flipped the table over without a second thought, her eyes red with anger as she shouted, "I will never have a child for a beast like you, not unless I'm dead!"

The table was in chaos, with the meat falling to the ground. I quickly crouched down to grab some, even though it was covered in dirt and dust.

Mom always taught me that dirty food shouldn't be eaten because it would cause stomach aches. But Mom, I'm so hungry that I can't care about that anymore. Since you left, Grandma hasn't given me food or a place to stay. I sleep in the storage shed, eat rotten leftovers, and drink thin rice gruel. She says that as a girl, it's a miracle I've survived this long, and I should be grateful for any food I get. So you wouldn't blame me, right?

The grit in the food hurt my teeth, but I closed my eyes in satisfaction.

New Mom yanked me up and slapped me across the face. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"You wretch, you've brought me to this, and yet you still get to eat meat?" she cried. "You can't eat that, spit it out!"

As she spoke, she hit my back and even tried to pry my mouth open.

Dad's eyes lit up, and he exchanged a conspiratorial glance with Grandma. New Mom was forcibly taken back to her room, but she kept staring at me until the very last moment.

Feeling guilty, I avoided her gaze and numbly chewed the food in my mouth.

Dad walked over to me, speaking kindly for the first time.

"Rena, she's your new mom," he said. "Watch her closely for me. If she tries to run, come tell Dad."

With that, he picked up a clean piece of meat and brought it to my mouth.

"You like eating meat, don't you?" he asked. "Every time you tell on her, I'll let you have some meat."

Chapter 2

The new stepmother refused to comply.

That night, when Dad went to her room, she struck him on the head with an ashtray.

Grandma, who doted on Dad as her only son, was enraged and immediately stopped giving the new stepmother any food or water.

Dad's forehead was wrapped in bandages, his face dark with anger.

"Damn it, I knew this woman would be trouble, but I didn't expect her to be this stubborn."

"She actually broke my head! If it weren't for her father's wealth, I'd have beaten her to death!"

Grandma looked at Dad's wound, her heart aching. "Why are city women so delicate? You can't even hit or scold them when they hurt you! Son, maybe we should just give up."

"Give up?!"

"Mom, do you know how rich her family is? If we succeed, we'll have billions. All of it will be ours."

Grandma had never heard of such an amount of money and her eyes widened in shock.

Dad patted Grandma's hand, reassuring her. "Mom, don't worry."

"She may be defiant now, but wasn't Rena's mom the same way?"

"Once Rena was born, didn't she become obedient?"

Grandma glanced at me, her lips curling in disdain, but she was convinced by Dad's words.

"You're right, son."

"No matter how difficult a woman is, she'll calm down for the sake of her child."

I hung my head, wringing the fabric of my clothes in my hands.

The teardrop-shaped necklace around my neck rested on my collarbone, cold and chilling.

It felt like my mother's tears on my skin.

The new stepmother's name was Lillian, a beautifully poetic name.

When Mom was alive, she often recited poetry to me.

"In the land of water, reeds grow under the frost, the cold water and mountain colors blend into the twilight.

Who says a thousand miles separate us from tonight, dreams of departure are as long as the frontier."

So, I liked her name.

But Dad and Grandma didn't like it. They even mocked it, saying "Lillian" sounded like "bite" in Chinese, implying she was born to be a man's plaything.

Every night, Dad went to her room, and soon, I would hear the new stepmother's painful moans.

I slept in the woodshed next door, under a thin blanket, always unable to fall asleep.

I thought about what Mom had said.

Mom said that good people would be rewarded in the end.

But she was wrong.

After just five days, the new stepmother gave in.

When I went with Dad and Grandma, she lay on the bed, her face pale, her eyes empty.

When she saw me, she paused, tears welling up in her eyes.

Facing Dad, her tears fell like broken pearls, large and heavy, onto the bed.

She looked pitiful and fragile.

She had lost weight, her once perfectly shaped waist now even more slender.

Dad's eyes darkened with desire immediately.

"Cory, please give me something to eat."

The new stepmother crawled humbly, sobbing and begging, "I surrender. As long as you give me something to eat, I'll do whatever you say!"

"I'm so hungry, I can't take it anymore."

Dad smiled triumphantly and looked at Grandma. "See, Mom, what did I tell you?"

"She was pampered and couldn't endure hardship. It only took a few days for her to beg for mercy."

I stared at his monstrous face, Grandma's disdainful voice ringing in my ears.

"Of course. I thought she was as tough as Rena's mom."

"Back then, Rena's mom was as stubborn as a mule. She held out for almost a month, fainting from hunger several times before she surrendered."

The new stepmother's face turned pale.

Dad frowned. "Mom, why are you bringing up a dead person? It's bad luck!"

"Lillian knows what's best for her. It saves trouble and suffering."

With that, he pushed Grandma and me out of the room, his eyes filled with lust.

He cleared his throat and spoke with false righteousness.

"Alright, Mom, I need to get to business and continue our family legacy."

"You two, get out."

Grandma agreed without hesitation, grinning from ear to ear, nodding repeatedly.

I slowly lifted my foot, hearing Dad's satisfied sigh from the room, and silently clenched my fists in anger.

Mom, please wait a bit longer.

I will drag these beasts from the human world down to hell.

Chapter 3

[1]

My mother had a beautiful name too.

She was called Mia, a name that carried all the hopes and love of her parents.

But in their mouths, she was just a cursed dead woman and "Rena's mom."

How ironic.

Mom, you stayed in this living hell for me.

It wasn't worth it.

So let me be the one to destroy everything with my own hands.

Two months later, the new mom was pregnant.

When she found out, her body trembled as she looked fearfully at Dad, crying as she spoke.

"I've thought it through. For the sake of the child, I'll live well with you."

"But when the child is born, we must move to the city and let the child go to school there."

"I'll have my dad buy a house and bring the whole family over."

Dad had always wanted to move to the city and live a wealthy life.

But without money, it was just a pipe dream.

Her words hit the mark for Dad.

Grandma and Dad were delighted, exchanging excited glances and readily agreeing.

But she remained constantly downcast, and the village neighbors said this wasn't good for the baby.

To ease her mind and help her rest during the pregnancy,

Dad agreed to allow her regular outings.

The condition was that I had to accompany her.

The new mom refused, making only one request: that I take care of her closely.

Dad naturally agreed.

I thought I would face a torrent of revenge, but it didn't happen.

Perhaps it was the overflow of maternal love due to pregnancy, but she looked at me with gentle eyes.

Not only did she share the nourishing chicken meat Grandma prepared for her with me, but she also let me sleep on the big, soft bed, under a warm, fluffy quilt.

She even read me bedtime stories.

Even though I had caused her so much trouble, she didn't retaliate but treated me so kindly.

I was surprised, let alone my overly suspicious Dad.

He suspected the new mom was trying to win my sympathy and seize an opportunity to escape.

He threatened me in private.

"Remember what I told you before. Keep a close eye on her. If she runs away, you'll join your deceased mom down there!"

"Of course, if you take good care of her, you'll naturally get to eat meat."

"Rena, you are a clever child. You know what to choose."

I hung my head, nodding fearfully, trembling uncontrollably.

Dad snorted.

"Look at you, so useless. You really are a disgrace."

With that, he walked away, smoking a cheap cigarette.

I lifted my head, unable to suppress the smile spreading across my lips.

Dad, you got one thing right.

I am a clever child.

So don't use my beloved mother to threaten me.

[2]

A few days later, the new stepmother, in a rare moment of tenderness, tried to charm Dad. She prepared a table full of delicious dishes and gently shook his arm, her face displaying a playful, childlike charm.

"Darling, I want to contact my dad," she said softly.

Dad immediately became wary. "Why?"

Her eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly fixed them on Dad with a bright, innocent gaze. She had a face that men couldn't resist, very alluring. But Dad clearly sensed something was off.

A once pampered young lady who never lifted a finger for any household chores suddenly cooking a feast was enough to raise anyone's suspicions.

The new stepmother said, "I've been away for months. If my dad finds out I'm missing, he'll definitely call the police."

Dad stared intently into her eyes, casually dismissing her plea. "I've already used your phone to send a message to your dad on Whatsapp, saying you went back to school early."

"I've also reported your safety regularly. There's no need to call."

Their exchange was intense, a back-and-forth that made me nervous, my palms sweating. But the new stepmother remained calm.

"But my dad and I have a video call every month. It's been two months now, and he must be worried."

"Check our chat history if you don't believe me," she said confidently, without a hint of deceit.

Dad wavered but still didn't agree. She pressed on, "I'm pregnant with your son. The baby needs nutrition, and we don't have enough money for supplements or check-ups."

"If I ask my dad for some money, our situation will be much better."

"You can't escape your responsibilities. Stop worrying."

The mention of money made Dad's eyes light up, and he finally nodded in agreement. He handed her the phone, insisting she make the call in front of him.

The new stepmother shook her head. "That won't work."

"My family is very traditional. My dad wouldn't let me live with a man before marriage."

"If he sees you, there's no way he'll give me any money."

Her reasoning didn't convince Dad, but he couldn't argue. He had no choice but to agree, but he made me go in to monitor her.

Being young, I could follow her into the room and, with the right angle, remain unseen by the person on the other end. Even if they saw me, I was just a child, easily explained away.

She didn't say anything suspicious, just reassured her dad and asked for a hundred thousand dollars. After hanging up, she looked tense, subtly turning the screen and quickly typing a message.

From my angle, I could see the phone screen clearly. I saw the distress message she was sending.

I blinked, glanced at the barely noticeable, red-light-flashing camera in the corner of the room, and then, with all the strength I could muster, shouted, "Dad, come quick!"

"Mom is calling the police!"