Stolen Luck

I stood in front of the grand and spacious villa, hesitating to walk in.

This used to be my home, but I was abducted by human traffickers for many years.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and come in." My adoptive mother, Elora Clarke, urged me.

Limping, I made my way into the house.

"My child, you've suffered so much all these years." My biological mother, Brynn Jones, embraced me tightly. Her choked voice brought a faint sense of calm to my heart.

"Mom, have you done a DNA test on her? She's ugly and physically impaired. She's got to be a fraud." A tall, handsome man pointed at me with a look of disgust.

"Watch your mouth. She's your biological sister," Brynn scolded him before gently stroking my head. "This is your elder brother, Erik Lewis. Your name is Madalyn."

I looked at Brynn's smiling face and nodded.

From today onward, I would reclaim my original name, Madalyn Lewis.

When Erik and I were born, our grandpa, Reece, had consulted a revered fortune-teller.

The fortune-teller said I had extraordinary luck and would achieve great things in the future, while Erik's luck was mediocre.

Reece, who favored boys over girls, couldn't tolerate the fact. So, he asked the fortune-teller to do something to transfer my luck to Erik.

Not long after the transfer, I was abducted by human traffickers and sold to my adoptive mother, Elora.

After taking me in, Elora soon became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. From then on, she treated me with disdain.

She refused to send me to school, making me stay home to do chores and earn money to pay for her biological daughter's education.

One day, I accidentally fell into a ditch and broke my leg.

Elora and her family were unwilling to spend money on my treatment, so I became a cripple.

With my lame leg, I became a burden and was beaten by them every day.

"At least a dog can guard the house. You just sit around eating and wasting our food."

It wasn't until Elora discovered that my biological mother was still searching for me and had promised a generous reward for my return that her attitude changed.

Eager to rid herself of the burden I had become and make a fortune in the process, Elora brought me back to my family.

She received a large sum of money and secured a spot for Nicolas Clarke, her biological daughter, at City High School, a top-tier school known for its rigorous academics and elite reputation.

Many parents were trying their best to send their children to City High School.

Elora had a good plan. She couldn't send Nicolas to City High School, but with the strength of the Lewis family, this was not a difficult task.

Before leaving, Elora smiled at me and said, "Raising you wasn't a waste after all. Rich kids always bring rewards in the end."

Erik led me upstairs and opened one of the rooms. "Here, this is your room."

It was a bright and cozy room, decorated with care. A soft, comfortable bed sat in the center, adorned with a rabbit plushie.

"Thank you, Erik," I said shyly, my voice tinged with happiness.

"This was all our mom's doing. And don't let others know that I am your brother. How could I have a sister who's both tacky and physically impaired? It's embarrassing just to think about it. I'll never acknowledge you."

Erik frowned, looking at me as if I were something filthy. "You're not welcome here. Our grandpa is on a trip right now, but once he's back, I'll make sure he kicks you out."

In that moment, I felt the blood drain from my face. My fists clenched tightly.

Of course. I was raised in a poor, remote village, and physically impaired. How could anyone accept me?

I looked up at Erik. Above his head, I could see a faint purple aura that no one else could see.

It symbolized the fortune that had once been mine.

Under Brynn's love and care, Erik had thrived. He lived in a villa, rode in luxury cars, possessed a brilliant mind, and enjoyed perfect health. Everything about him was flawless.

He had taken the fortune that was rightfully mine, yet he looked down on me. Why should I show him any kindness?

"If there's nothing else, I'd like to rest now." I dropped my smile, stepped into the room, and shut the door.

"Hey, what's with that attitude? Just as I thought. You are from the sticks and are always trouble. A nobody from some backwater place, you'll be kicked out sooner or later," Erik shouted as he stomped downstairs.

Over the next few days at the Jones family's home, I gradually learned more about it.

Not long after I was abducted, my dad fell ill and passed away.

Brynn, with her exceptional abilities, managed to grow the family business significantly. But because she was always busy, Erik was mostly raised by Reece.

Reece doted on Erik endlessly. At home, Erik got whatever he wanted. Though he was spoiled, he was smart.

He consistently ranked first in his grade and stood out even among the elite students at City High School. Teachers adored him, and his classmates admired him as an unbeatable academic star.

With his family's wealth, tall stature, good looks, and stellar grades, Erik was one of the school's most popular figures.

Recently, Nicolas transferred into the regular class at City High School.

After receiving a large sum of money from my mom, Nicolas's family's living conditions improved significantly.

Now, she was stylishly dressed and drawing attention wherever she went.

Brynn had instructed Erik to look after Nicolas at school.

He had once brought her an umbrella on a rainy day and occasionally bought her breakfast.

Rumors quickly spread, claiming that Erik and Nicolas were dating.

When Erik heard about the gossip, he publicly declared that he would never date a country bumpkin.

I overheard Erik complaining to Brynn about the rumors during dinner, but I felt no particular emotion.

"Madalyn, eat more." Brynn placed some food onto my plate before turning to Erik. "You just focus on your studies. I heard you won first place in the last math competition?"

Erik lifted his head proudly, casting a sidelong glance at me. "Of course. Who do you think I am? Winning comes naturally to me. Unlike some people, who just freeload at home like parasites."

My hand froze, a wave of shame washing over me.

During my time with Nicolas' family, I hadn't had an opportunity to attend school.

A neighbor's child, who was kind to me, had secretly given me some books. With those, I managed to teach myself elementary school material and parts of the middle school curriculum. But for someone my age, who should have been in high school, it was far from enough.

In fact, on my second day back, I had already asked Brynn to hire a tutor to teach me at home.

I cherished this opportunity deeply, waking up at dawn every day to study.

I diligently completed all the assignments my tutor gave me, spending most of my time locked in my room and immersed in learning.

When Brynn asked if I wanted to go out for a walk, I declined, using my injured leg as an excuse.

I knew all too well that a person who was both physically disabled and uneducated was no different from a useless burden. The only way forward was to study hard and carve out a path for myself.