Caged Bird

I found a flight attendant's business card stained wit

he table, but the re

vitation was all t

e", the illegitimate son of the Smi

so my fir

d with me, "Jane, help me

d, like a bir

nded me over to his nephew, al

I had just sent my biol

er home. Every time, I would hide my sister in the

n down on me. I would curl up on the fl

worthless mother? You're nothing but a burde

y mind, and the thought of a bleak future

on. He squinted and slowed his steps, searching for th

as about to open the wardrobe door, I picked up his bottle fro

led down fr

me in shock, then collapsed

n my palm when my sister emerged from the wa

d, he won't hi

g, "No one will hurt us anym

e of an act of self-defense, and I even didn't hesitate to st

y, and I lay weakly in th

uely heard the crowd condemning my fat

x years in prison, and my sister a

h, I sent her to live with my aun

r than me, and I encounte

, one of the spiciest peppers in the world, w

ntil the end, nearly pas

tle of mineral water in front of

e cap and took a big gulp, then

isingly

uel hadn't given you his water, yo

e that sound

shoulder, and handed him half of t

u for hel

aintly in t

of water isn't worth

left me with j

picy food competitions were all in need

f encounter, I

and prize money to my aunt for

month's money to you. Use it

my aunt's indifferent tone t

o Aunt's house to see me? I'll take you

oo

money, maybe we wouldn't

..

y job at a high

rs an hour, and this part-ti

the manager, who wa

n yourself lately. Com

s office as

e manager sitting with his legs c

ashtray, tugged at his tie with his han

is restaurant. One is a genius who can double the revenue with their ability, and

orry, I don't q

o matter how desperate, I w

k my head, which only prov

d and began teari

ring,

alarm w

ked open, and in the chaos, a han

him-S

e you do

s, afraid he would find out ab

invoice to your manage

t did yo

eplied, "I didn't hear anything,

d a sigh

take you to get

stepping on his shadow, feeling

oney, why don't I int

wiped my mouth, and

ollars an hour. Can it not be lower

prob

ugh my emba

tutor for a girl

also taught there, maki

beautifully, which I di

d would occasionally prac

e black and white keys,

couldn't help but appla

! You can even

en I was young. My mom was a piano t

are the

re bot

ss in his expression, so

a dinner gathering, the employer's

deed had

-lost youngest

ing to stabilize, an un

a fell

uietly o

ster on the bed, I turned and questioned, "Why didn't you take her to the hospital? I s

seeds as she replied, "Do you know how expensive it is to raise a

cared her, as she put down the seeds and reluctantly said, "Alr

ns, the hospital staff shook

ed; this is a severe case of se

tears, pressing down on my

You have to save her. I'm begging

doctor, clutching his pant leg, pleading

my head in desperat

g some remorse, came

to do his best, leaving

al room, Ariella lay quietly on

my aunt handed

ft in this card. Use it to pay

th but couldn't

my contacts to borrow money, finally scrap

ews on the TV i

essfully reunited with his son, who ha

l and handsome beside Kieran, d

ide by side, but now, our

Congratulations, you've finally made

d. Following the doctor's advice, I transf

he hospital and the

amuel on TV, mostly about him joinin

ame and fortune, he ne

ves would never

Ariella's medical bills, wo

o learn about h

niform at the hotel, the manager called me to the t

entrance, I noticed the s

uel be th

door, and inevitably, I spott

es, making her laugh, and then

he specialty saus

g me so much that I nearly dropped

th another hospita

was unbuttoning my uniform in the locker

only to be pulled

my head and spoke slowly, "You truly ha

tinued, "Why did you come back

nkly out the window at the city's nightscape, thinking of Ar

the same; he had the

, hoping he would help me be

e I nee

, letting out

me to me f

'll repay you, even if I

ntality. Whether he reciproca

iella's illness. I

irelessly. Next Monday afternoon,

aving me to collapse onto the f

still in such

at the Blue Ocean S

ounging on a deck chair, wearing sun

re as p

stured for his secretary to

d information about the young

interests, past relationships, and pref

oes thi

asses, gazing at the dee

s women wh

derstand wh

ty mi

explain y

arting t

Once the fish is on the hook, th

're

feelings were in

, but his cold voice stopped me

sita

was a huge temp

't lose

mely handed me a

p breath and

tside the ward. Confused, I approached and saw do

iel

family needs to gather money quick

ing for a long time before pu

have to give me ha

ust my judgment a

devil, I would eventu