Their Forgotten Faces

After I turned sixteen, I inherited the huge fortune my parents had left behind. As soon as the money was in my account, I hired a fake family online. A dad, a mom, and an older brother. Then, I gave them their instructions. "My dad doesn't say much, but he always lets me have my way." "My mom is gentle and a wonderful cook, especially when she makes barbecue ribs." "My older brother has poor health, and he doesn't like me. Just act like I don't exist." The three of them froze, and their expressions darkened. A long time passed before the woman playing my mother took my hand and asked softly, "Why did you hire a family? Do you miss them that much?" I avoided the guilt in her eyes, buried my face in her arms, and smiled. "Being alone is too boring." They were obviously relieved, but when no one was looking, I quietly wiped away my tears. What I did not tell them was that… I was dying. So, please. Don't hypnotize me into forgetting your faces again this time. Chapter 1 The three people standing in front of me were all the people closest to me. But the most ridiculous part about all of this was that if I wanted to see them, I could only do it by hiring them. The moment I wiped away my tears, my mom reached out without thinking and patted my head. "Behave, Rena. From now on, just treat us like your family." My dad nodded. "We signed a six-month contract. For the next six months, we'll take good care of you." I thought I was ready for this. I thought that no matter what they said, it would not hurt. But when I actually heard those words, my chest still tightened with pain. Six months… What about before that? What about after that? Were you going to fake your deaths again and leave me behind just to make Zack happy? I almost blurted those words out, but in the end, I forced them back down and did not ask a single question. I simply could not. If I did, they would realize I already knew the truth, and they would hypnotize me again. So, I pulled away from my mom's arms and forced a smile. "Alright. Just act natural, like a real family. Don't be so stiff." "Tsk." The second I finished speaking, my brother clicked his tongue before laughing mockingly. Then, he dropped the act and went straight back to his bedroom. Mom and Dad exchanged a look and hurried after him. As soon as the door closed, I quietly walked over and listened to the discussion inside. My brother still hated me just as much as ever. Even when he said my name, his voice was full of disgust. "Mom, Dad, why did you sign that contract with Rena? Didn't we agree that during the five years of my treatment, we'd move away and never see her again?" "Zack, didn't you see how Rena looked? She looks so miserable." Mom spoke to him gently. "It's only one month. Your health is almost back to normal, too. Just hang in there. It'll be over before you know it. Once the month is over, we'll leave. After that, we'll take you abroad for two years, alright?" My stomach dropped, and I felt a chill run through my spine. My brother said in annoyance, "I just can't stand it. Why is she so healthy? She hardly ever even gets a cold. I've been sick since the day I was born. It's always one thing after another. It's not fair!" Dad, who had been quiet the whole time, let out a sigh. "Zack, this isn't Rena's fault. When your mom was pregnant with you, we had just started our company. She went through a lot, so your health was poor from the beginning. If anyone is to blame, it's me. I didn't take good care of either of you..." "I just can't move on." Gentleness always worked better with my brother than brute force. After hearing Dad say that, his tone softened a little as he said, "Fine. It's only one month, anyway. After one month, we'll hypnotize Rena into forgetting all this, and then we'll leave!" The moment I heard the word "hypnotize", my body started shaking. I was just about to walk away when the door behind me suddenly opened. When Mom saw me standing there, her expression changed immediately. "I'm sorry, Rena. My son still isn't very good at this. He didn't mean to lose his temper..." I glanced into the room. Zack was still visibly biting his lower lip, and his eyes were full of contempt. I let out an awkward laugh and said, "It's alright, Mom. He's doing a great job. My brother has always hated me like this. Sometimes, I wonder if he wants me to die that badly." Chapter 2 By the time Mom had gotten pregnant with me, Dad and his company had already made a foothold in Oceanton, so money was no longer a problem. Mom had been careful from the very beginning of her pregnancy this time, and everything she ate and used was the best. That was why I had always been healthy, from the day I was born all the way through childhood. I was lively and cheerful too, always laughing and running around. But when Mom was pregnant with Zack, she had worked too hard. He had been born weak, with one health problem after another. He had always found me annoying. He hated the fact that I was always smiling and never got sick. Even when I caught a cold, a couple of pills were enough to make it go away. What he hated even more was that when he felt miserable, I could still bounce around and pester Dad and Mom. That annoyance built up day after day until it slowly turned into disgust. Back then, I did not understand. I had never imagined that being healthy could become a sin, not until Zack sank into severe depression and slit his wrists. When he was rushed to the hospital, I was standing beside him, crying in panic. Dad, who had never even raised his voice at me before, suddenly slapped me across the face when he heard me cry. "You've still got the nerve to cry?! Your brother ended up like this because of you! If anything happens to Zack, I'll kill you!" I was stunned and terrified. Thankfully, Zack was saved. He survived, and nothing else happened. From that day on, I grew more careful around him. I never dared to run around again. I even pretended to be sick on purpose a few times. That was because I realized that whenever Zack saw me looking unwell, he would give me a rare smile. He believed that a sister as unwell and delicate as he was was the kind of sibling he wanted. Still, that did not last long because I was just too healthy. Even after I deliberately took a cold shower before my physical exam, the results would still show that I was completely healthy. The experienced doctor frowned and gave Mom some advice. "She's fine. She just gets cold easily. She's only twelve, so stop giving her anything cold to eat or drink all the time. You had her take a cold shower yesterday, didn't you?" Mom and Dad froze. I nervously clenched my fingers and looked at Zack. His face darkened. He shot me a glare and ran off. After that day, the plan that haunted me for three years officially began. I was only thirteen when I suddenly learned that my whole family had died in a car accident, and I completely fell apart. Their plan was thorough. They arranged for someone to help me with the funeral from start to finish, hired a nanny to take care of me and make sure I stayed in school, and had a lawyer tell me they had already made a will so that I would inherit everything after I turned sixteen. I was too naive. It never crossed my mind that they were lying to me. I just kept grieving, falling apart, pulling myself back together, then grieving all over again... Repeatedly without end. Until two years ago, when I ran into them at a theme park in Oceanton. Chapter 3 That day, they were having fun with Zack. When I threw myself at them, weeping, their faces had turned grim. Mom had pushed me away in a panic and said I had the wrong people. But how could I have gotten their faces wrong? How could I mistake my own parents? I cried and shouted, "You're my parents! I know I didn't get it wrong! Haven't I behaved enough? If I did something wrong, you can hit me or scold me! But why don't you want me anymore?!" Mom's face went pale, and when I tried to hug her again, she brushed my hand away. "Rena, just wait a few more years. When you turn eighteen, we'll come home. So… Just behave." I felt a chill down my spine as I became hysterical, and I screamed, "Why? Is it just because I'm healthier than Zack?!" No one answered as they just stood there and watched me break down. That chill that I felt did not just make me angry—it made me panic. I dropped to my knees and crawled to them as I cried, "Please come home! I was wrong! It's my entire fault! You're my family. Please come back!" My knees were bloodied, and still no one paid any attention to me. I even started to think that this was all a dream, and everything in front of me was a fake scenario I had conjured up in my head because I missed them too much. Then, Zack coughed twice. Mom and Dad grabbed his hands at once. "Zack, are you alright? Are you feeling sick again?" "We told you not to come out today. Let's go home!" Then, all three of them started to leave. Lost and helpless, I asked, "Where are you going? Are you really abandoning me?" Dad stopped. When he turned back, his face was full of sorrow. "Rena, go home for now. You'll forget all about this tomorrow." I stared at them leaving in disbelief, my face pale. Sure enough, it was not long before a hypnotist came to see me. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated how alert I was. The hypnosis failed. I only pretended to forget. For the next two years, I never brought it up again, and I never went looking for them either. Even after I was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year, I told no one. I kept it buried inside me. Only after my inheritance landed in my account did I make a post online to hire a family. I knew they would see it. If they did not come, then I would die quietly. If they came, then I would consider it as life's last little surprise for me. "Rena, let's have barbecue ribs today." Mom's voice pulled me out of my thoughts as she smiled at me gently. "You haven't had them in a long time. I'll make them for you in a little while." I almost started crying again as my eyes turned red. "I'll have something soupy. Meat makes my stomach hurt." "Why would your stomach hurt?" Mom frowned right away. Dad and Zack, who were both in the room, looked over as well. I gave them a gentle smile and said, "I've just got a little stomach problem. It's nothing." The three of them let out quiet sighs of relief as I quickly returned to my bedroom. The moment I shut the door behind me, I covered my face with my hand. That was close. My tears had almost fallen just now. Mom, Dad, you lied to me for three years. Today, let me lie to you, too. Just this once... Chapter 4 It had been a long time since I had eaten food Mom prepared. Even though I could not eat much in my condition, I still could not stop myself from eating two extra bowls of stew. After dinner, Dad said he had to go out for a while. Mom cleaned up in the kitchen, and my brother and I sat on the couch watching TV. It felt just like old times, as if we had never been apart. "I didn't think you'd ever get sick." Zack suddenly let out a mocking laugh. "When did you get the stomach flu? Does medicine even do anything?" My face turned dark. "My brother wouldn't start a conversation with me." His expression stiffened. He pouted and awkwardly looked away. "It's not like I wanted to talk to you first." I kept my eyes on the screen and ignored him. After a while, he asked again, "Then, did you take any medicine?" I frowned. I was just about to tell him to shut up when Dad's voice came from the doorway. "Rena, come here and see which medicine works." My brother and I turned around at the same time and saw Dad holding a plastic bag filled with a dozen kinds of medicine for the stomach. I froze for a moment, suddenly not knowing what to do. It had been too long since my family had taken care of me. So long that I had already forgotten how I was supposed to respond. My brother's face darkened, and he went back to his room. The mood in the house immediately changed, and Dad stood there awkwardly, not sure whether he should still hand me the medicine. In the end, Mom took the bag from him and passed it to me. "Rena, your dad went out just to buy this for you. Let's give it a look together and see which one you usually take?" "You have terrific acting skills," I said. The smile on Mom's face froze, and guilt filled her eyes. "Rena, didn't we agree not to bring up the contract this month? Just treat us like your real parents and stop talking about acting..." Maybe it was all in my head, but the moment I saw the medicine, my stomach really did start hurting. I nodded, avoided her gaze, and went to the kitchen to get some water to take the medicine. That night, Mom slept beside me. I fell asleep quickly, but I had a nightmare. In my dream, I kept going back to the day I was hypnotized. The hypnotist had held me down and kept telling me to forget what my family looked like. I had tried to force myself awake, but no matter what I did, I could not wake up. In the end, I really did forget Mom, Dad, and Zack. I jolted awake from the dream, drenched in cold sweat. Mom woke up too and instinctively patted my shoulder. "What is it, Rena? Did you have a nightmare?" The moment I heard her voice, I started crying. "Is it wrong to be healthy? Why did you abandon me?" I couldn't control myself as I flew into her arms, greedily taking in her scent. "Mom, if I die, will you love me a little bit more?" Her body stiffened, and panic crept into her voice. "Rena, did you remember something?" As soon as I heard that, I instantly came to my senses as chills overwhelmed me. "Mom, Dad, why did you leave me? I miss you so much..." I cried as I spoke, my body shaking. "I want to die too. I want to go see you." "So, you were talking in your sleep." Mom let out a sigh and pulled me tightly into her arms. When she spoke again, her voice was thick with tears. "Rena, just wait for us for two more years. Just two years, alright? Once your brother gets better, we'll be a family again. You won't remember any of this. Then, no one will get hurt." I squeezed my eyes shut. The pain in my heart was so bad that I could barely breathe. Mom, I didn't have two years... Chapter 5 When I woke up early the next morning, no one was beside my bed. Mom had already gone to make breakfast. For some reason, my stomach hurt badly this morning. I forced myself out of bed and went to wash up. While I was brushing my teeth, I kept gagging and retching. In the end, I threw up a mouthful of blood. I turned the tap on and rinsed it all away as I had done so often, and then I continued to brush my teeth. I did not think much of it at first, but the pain in my stomach became unbearable after breakfast. I was a little scared, but I asked Mom while still carrying a little hope, "Can you accompany me to the hospital with me this afternoon? I don't feel very well." Mom agreed right away. "Of course." Then, she asked with concern, "Rena, are you in pain? Should we go right now instead?" I could feel the warmth in my heart. "This afternoon is fine. I've got something to do this morning." The truth was, I had nothing to do. It was just that my doctor was not in the office that morning. Dad had also gone out with Zack, and he would not be back until the afternoon. I wanted the whole family to go with me. Mom nodded and poured me a cup of hot water. At noon, I secretly took some strong painkillers and took a short nap. But when I woke up, no one was home. It was already three o'clock. Where could they have gone? I called Mom. "Where are you? Weren't we supposed to go to the hos-" "Rena, I'm sorry, but can you go by yourself? My son has a fever, so we can't go with you!" Before I could finish, Mom's rushed voice cut me off. My heart sank, and I did not know what to say for a moment. Mom spoke apologetically. "I'm really sorry, Rena. If it isn't urgent, can you wait a little longer? We can go with you tomorrow." "It's fine," I said as I hung up. Then I got dressed, walked out, and went to the hospital. All my movements were mechanical. I still felt dazed even as I sat down in front of Dr. Smith, as if I had no idea how I had gotten there. Dr. Smith looked over my test results, and his brow furrowed. "Rena, your condition is getting very serious now. Even if your parents are gone, you still need to take care of yourself. Do you have any other relatives?" I lowered my eyes and let out a faint, mocking laugh. "Just tell me how much time I have left." Dr. Smith looked at me with sympathy. "At most? One or two months..." "Thank you," I said as I nodded and put away the test report. As I walked out of the hospital, snow was falling from the sky. By the time I got home, my hair was already covered with snow. Mom ran over to me. "Rena, did you go to the hospital by yourself? Why didn't you wait for us?" "I couldn't wait." I brushed past her expressionlessly and went back to my bedroom. The three of them were left standing in the living room, staring at one another. From that day on, I barely spoke to them. Time started passing quickly. Before I knew it, a month had gone by, and the contract was already over. Zack awkwardly tossed a new contract at me. "Sign it. We'll play pretend with you for another two more months." I did not even look at it. "It's fine. You can leave. I'll transfer your pay in a minute." He stared at me in shock, frozen in place. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Seriously? You've been giving us an attitude ever since that day we didn't go to the hospital with you. What's there to be mad about? You..." "The contract is over. There's no need to keep up with the act," I looked at him, my eyes void of any emotions. "Pack up. Take your parents and leave." His face turned stormy. After a long silence, he gathered his things and left with Mom and Dad. Before they left, Mom and Dad held my hands and cautioned me, "Don't hire people online again. What if you run into bad people?" "You have our number. If anything happens, call us." "Thank you," I said as I nodded politely and pulled my hand back. Mom and Dad sighed and then left. After they were gone, I replied to Dr. Smith's message and told him I did not want to be hospitalized. Then, I transferred all the money they had left me into Dad's account. Note: [I'm giving it all back. We're no longer related from now on.]