Using My Life to Pass a Loyalty Test

After my parents die in a car accident, I tear up my college acceptance letter and give up my future to pay off their debts and put my younger brother, Cedric Vossmere, through school. Mom always told me I was adopted. "Your brother was kind enough to share his parents with you. You should be grateful we took you in. Don't make us regret it." I work in a freezing warehouse until I've worn through two pairs of shoes just to cover one semester of Cedric's tuition. To pay his monthly living expenses, I spend my nights caring for patients and my early mornings washing dishes at a diner. When the pain in my chest first gets so bad that I pass out, the doctor tells me I need to be hospitalized immediately. Instead, I send Cedric the money meant for my treatment and tell him it's an inheritance from our parents. I keep promising myself I'll get help once I've put him through college. Four years later, I finally pay off the last debt, and Cedric gets his college acceptance letter. But just as I leave the bank, Mom, who's supposedly been dead for four years, appears with a birthday cake. "Happy birthday! Your gratitude test is officially over!" She cheerfully explains that the car accident was staged, and so were the debts. She only wanted to see whether I'd steal the family's money and abandon Cedric once she and Dad were gone. Then she hands me my birth certificate. "You're actually my biological daughter. Cedric is the one we adopted. I lied because I was afraid you'd use your status as our biological daughter as an excuse not to give way to him." She takes my hand and promises we'll never be separated again. I hide the notice warning that my condition is critical inside my sleeve and smile back. "Okay." Mom thinks we have the rest of our lives to start over. But mine is almost over already. Chapter 1 Mom's hand was warm around mine, but I was so cold I could barely move my fingers. She fussed over my wrinkled sleeves, speaking with a tenderness I hadn't heard in four years. "Sweetheart, why are you still wearing that old warehouse uniform? I've got a new dress waiting for you at home." Before I could respond, my younger brother, Cedric Vossmere, stepped out of the bank. He was still wearing the white jacket Mom had bought him four years ago, with his college acceptance letter tucked under one arm. Unlike me, he didn't seem the least bit surprised to see our parents alive. "Celine, what's with the long face? Mom and Dad are back! Aren't you happy?" I stared at him. "You knew?" His smile faltered. Mom quickly pulled me into a hug, coming to his defense. "Oh, sweetheart, don't blame your brother. He was young and couldn't keep a secret, and we were worried he'd be too distraught. That's why we told him about the plan before we staged the accident." So all this time, I'd been the only one who thought we were orphans. The whole time I worked in that freezing warehouse until I couldn't feel my hands, Cedric knew our parents were alive. When we couldn't afford rent and had to spend our nights at a 24-hour fast-food restaurant, he'd known then, too. Once, I even collapsed from a heart attack and begged him to get my medication. He stood there watching me break out in a cold sweat, but he never called Mom. After all, one phone call would have brought their precious test to an early end. Mom handed the cake to the driver and turned back to me. "You know, Cedric's had a hard time keeping this from you, too. He wanted to tell you so many times, but we wouldn't let him." Cedric's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry, Celine. I really am. But Mom said it was the only way to know if you actually cared about me or if you were just pretending to make them happy." I tried to speak, but the metallic taste of blood filled my throat. In the end, there was only one thing I could bring myself to ask. "What about college?" Mom blinked. "What do you mean?" "My acceptance. The college I was supposed to go to four years ago." Realization finally dawned on her face. She smiled and gave my hand a reassuring pat. "Oh, sweetheart, that was ages ago! You're only 22. If you want to go back to school, I'll arrange everything for you. Besides, look how much you've grown these past four years. You're so much more responsible now." I looked down at my birth certificate, my eyes settling on the name listed under "Biological Mother". Maren Walsh. She'd known all along that I was her daughter. She'd simply decided that convincing me I wasn't really hers would make me easier to control. Suddenly, a sharp pain seized my chest, and I pressed a hand over my heart. Mom noticed, her smile slipping a little. "Celine? What's wrong?" I quickly tucked my critical condition notice farther up my sleeve. "It's nothing." Relief washed over her face. "Oh, good. We're finally together again as a family. Don't spoil it, alright?" Chapter 2 Mom held my hand the whole way home, telling me Dad was waiting for us and how much they'd both missed me over the years. As we drove into the gated neighborhood, I caught sight of our old house through the window. The tree in the yard had grown so much taller since I'd last seen it four years ago. I'd spent all that time believing the creditors would take the house if I couldn't pay off my parents' debts. I'd worked three jobs a day trying to save it, not even buying myself a single new outfit in four years. Now the iron gates opened. The iron gates swung open, revealing Dad standing in the yard amid a sea of balloons. The moment he saw me, he broke into a smile and opened his arms. "Celine! Welcome home!" I couldn't bring myself to run to him. Dad came over and hugged me anyway, giving me a few hearty pats on the back. "Look at you. You've gotten so thin!" He pulled back to study me. "You've grown up a lot, though. You're much more level-headed now. Remember how you used to make such a fuss whenever things didn't go your way?" Applause erupted around us. I looked over at the guests gathered in the yard and recognized the faces immediately. They were the same creditors who'd splashed red paint across our front door, smashed our windows, and forced me to my knees to beg for more time to pay them back. Now they were all dressed in expensive suits, holding glasses of champagne and congratulating me as though we were old friends. One of them raised his glass toward Dad. "Mr. Vossmere, you've raised one hell of a daughter! I remember she once showed up to pay me back while running a terrible fever. I almost felt too guilty to keep pretending!" The yard erupted in laughter. Even Mom looked emotional, her eyes glistening with tears. "Well, sometimes it takes a little hardship to appreciate what you have," she said. "Celine always thought we loved Cedric more than her. I'm sure she knows better now." I couldn't take my eyes off the man who'd spoken. Last winter, he'd dragged me out of my rented apartment and taken every penny I'd saved for Cedric's tuition. I'd spent two hours on my knees in the snow, begging him to give it back. He'd only told me that a debt was a debt and that I had to pay what I owed. The next day, I'd sold the gold necklace Mom had left me so I could scrape together enough money for Cedric's tuition. And now I knew that every penny he'd taken had gone straight back to my parents. Once we were inside, Dad had someone turn on the projector in the living room. A video began playing, showing highlights from the past four years of my life. Apparently, they'd been keeping a record of my "test". There I was, unloading shipments before dawn, wiping elderly patients down at the hospital, getting cornered by creditors in a dark alley, and dragging myself out to deliver Cedric's exam admission ticket despite running a high fever. Every clip came with its own score. "Responsibility: Perfect Score." "Endurance: Perfect Score." "Family Loyalty: Perfect Score." One of the final clips showed me collapsing at work in the freezing warehouse. My coworkers rushed over, ready to call an ambulance, but a man in a cap stopped them. He told them there was nothing to worry about and that my blood sugar had just dropped too low. I stared at the screen. That man was Dad's driver. Mom seemed to take my silence as a good sign. She leaned closer, smiling proudly. "You know, I almost rushed to the hospital when I heard about that. But then the supervisor told me that the first thing you asked when you came around was whether Cedric's tuition had been paid." Her smile grew. "That's when I knew we'd done the right thing. All those years of testing you really paid off." "What if I hadn't woken up?" I asked softly. Mom frowned. "Celine, don't talk like that! This is supposed to be a happy day. Besides, didn't the doctor say you were just overworked?" I turned to Cedric. He immediately dropped his gaze. He knew perfectly well what the doctor had said that day. It wasn't a simple case of exhaustion. The doctor ordered a heart ultrasound and gave me paperwork for hospital admission. My stomach suddenly lurched. I covered my mouth, but blood was already seeping between my fingers. Mom started to get up, but Cedric was quicker. He grabbed a tissue and held it out to me. "Celine, your nose is bleeding again." I wiped the blood from my palm and nodded. "Yeah. The air at the warehouse is really dry." That was all it took. Mom didn't ask another question. She simply pressed play again. On the screen, I was huddled on the floor of a hospital hallway, clutching Cedric's tuition receipt against my chest. And on the couch beside me, Mom and Dad exchanged pleased smiles. "Congratulations, Celine. You passed." Chapter 3 After the party, Mom took me upstairs to my old bedroom. She opened the door and eagerly watched for my reaction. "Well? What do you think?" The walls had been painted pink again. Dolls covered the bed, and the desk was stocked with school supplies better suited to a teenager. The closet was filled with dozens of dresses, all in the sizes I'd worn before I turned 18. Mom seemed to think that bringing my old bedroom back would somehow bring back the daughter she'd known four years ago. She picked up a white stuffed bunny and tucked it into my arms. "Remember this?You used to refuse to sleep without one of these." I stroked its soft, brand-new fur. "What happened to my old one?" Mom looked momentarily confused. "Oh, that? It was getting pretty worn out, so I threw it away years ago." I nodded. My college education, my career, the illness I'd never gotten treated… Apparently, those were no different from an old stuffed animal to her. As long as she could buy me something new, she saw no reason to care about what I'd lost. Mom sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out a stack of bank cards. "We saved every penny you sent Cedric over the years. We never touched any of it. And with your reward for passing the test, you've got 1.2 million dollars." She pressed the cards into my hand with a warm smile. "You can buy yourself a car, go study abroad—whatever you want. It's your money." I stared at the cards. Four years ago, I didn't need 1.2 million dollars. I needed Mom to come home, even just once, when the creditors were pounding on our door. I needed Cedric to pick up the phone and call for help when I was on my knees, barely able to breathe through the pain in my chest. More than anything, I needed someone to tell me I didn't have to work myself to death just to prove I wasn't an ungrateful daughter. But while I was struggling to survive, my family had been sitting back, waiting to see whether I'd pass their little test. A knock interrupted us, and Dad came in with a document. "Celine, there's something I need you to sign." It was a nondisclosure agreement, forbidding me from telling anyone about the test. Apparently, the truth getting out would be bad for the company's reputation and the Vossmere family name. Mom gave my shoulder a reassuring pat. "Your father has to protect the family, sweetheart. We only staged the accident and those debts to teach you a lesson, but people wouldn't understand that. You know how quickly rumors spread." Dad held out a pen. "You've passed the test, Celine. Surely you've learned by now that family comes first." My eyes settled on the word "voluntary", and I was suddenly 18 again. Back then, I'd torn up my college acceptance letter and taken a job at the cold storage warehouse. When I signed my employment contract, the manager asked whether I was doing this voluntarily. I told him I was. After all, Mom had always taught me that when someone had done so much for you, you didn't get to put your own future ahead of theirs. Now, four years later, my hand shook so badly I could barely sign my name. Dad took the agreement back, looking satisfied. Mom pulled me into a hug. "There's my good girl." A sudden stab of pain tore through my chest. I pushed her away and staggered into the bathroom, barely making it to the sink before coughing up a mouthful of blood. It splattered against the spotless white porcelain. Mom knocked on the door. "Celine? Honey, are you feeling all right?" I looked up at the mirror. My face was deathly pale. For the first time, I almost told her everything. "Mom, the doctor actually told me—" Suddenly, Cedric called from downstairs. "Mom! Come down for the photos! The photographer's ready for our family portrait!" Mom hesitated. "Just freshen up a little, okay? It's our first day back together as a family. We shouldn't keep everyone waiting." With that, she hurried downstairs. I stayed there, gripping the edge of the sink, unable to move for a long time. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to finish what I'd been trying to tell her. The doctor had told me my heart was failing. I didn't have much time left. But after four years, Mom had finally acknowledged me as her daughter again. I couldn't bear to let her down on our very first day back together. Chapter 4 The photographer asked the four of us to move closer together. Mom and Dad sat in the middle, with Cedric standing behind Dad. Mom waved me over. "Celine, come stand next to me." For the first time in my life, I had a place right in the center of our family portrait. Growing up, I'd always been pushed to the edge whenever we took family pictures. Mom used to say that since I was adopted, putting me in the center would raise awkward questions from our relatives. As the camera flashed, Mom gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Come on, sweetheart. Give us a smile." I did my best to smile, but the photographer lowered his camera. "She looks awfully pale. Maybe we should take a break?" Mom took out her lipstick and dabbed a little color onto my lips. "Well, she's had a rough few years. Of course she's looking a little worse for wear. Once we're done here, I'll take her for a full checkup and make sure she gets back to her old self." Dad chuckled. "There's no rush. We'll have plenty of time to get her healthy again." All the time in the world. I found myself repeating those words in my head. Somehow, they sounded wonderful. But halfway through the photo session, my vision began to darken. I dug my nails into my palm, relying on the pain to keep myself conscious. Cedric leaned toward me and lowered his voice. "Celine, are you still mad at Mom and Dad? You know they only did all this because they wanted what's best for you." I turned to look at him. "Why didn't you tell them when I was hospitalized?" He looked away. "Mom said we only had another six months to go before the test was over. Besides, the doctors managed to save you, didn't they?" So that was how they saw it. As long as I hadn't actually died, there'd never been any real danger. I didn't bother asking anything else. Once the photographer had taken the last picture, I made my way upstairs, holding on to the banister for support. Mom called after me. "Celine! We haven't even cut the cake yet. Where are you going?" "I just need to get something." The notice from the hospital was hidden in the sleeve of the old jacket I'd left upstairs. I wanted to show it to Mom. The test was over now. Surely that meant I didn't have to keep suffering through everything alone. But the moment I stepped into my bedroom, what little strength I had left gave out. As I reached into the jacket's sleeve, the report slipped out. I bent down to pick it up, only to collapse onto the carpet. Downstairs, the cheerful sound of them singing "Happy Birthday" drifted up to my room. Mom was teaching Cedric the part I'd loved singing most when I was little. She got the words wrong and burst out laughing at herself. I lay there listening as my vision slowly blurred. Even after four years, Mom's laugh hadn't changed a bit. I wanted to call out to her. But there was a crushing weight on my chest, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make a sound. I had no idea how much time had passed before the bedroom door finally opened. Mom came in carrying a slice of cake. "Celine, sweetheart, are you still upset? Everyone's waiting for you downstairs. Why are you—" Her voice trailed off. The plate slipped from her hands, sending the cake crashing to the floor. Frosting splattered onto the back of my hand, but I couldn't feel a thing. Mom dropped to her knees and frantically pulled me into her arms. "Celine?" Just then, my phone started ringing in my pocket. With trembling hands, she answered it. A doctor's frantic voice came through. "Hello? Am I speaking to a family member of Celine Vossmere? We've been trying to reach her for three days! Her heart could stop at any moment! She needs to get to a hospital immediately!"