I don’t want that biased love
When my parents committed me to the
mental hospital, Olivia Knowles was taking a
bow for her violin performance. My fiancé and
my own little brother were in the audience,
applauding her wildly. It should have been my
moment of glory. That violin should have been
my twelfth birthday present. I’d spent my
whole life competing with Olivia. Whether I
was right or wrong, my parents always sided with her, especially after she’d shed a few
strategic tears. But I was their real daughter!
It wasn’t until I was dying that I finally
understood. If I ever got another chance, I
wouldn’t waste my time fighting for love that
was already biased against me.
I opened my eyes again, reborn into my
eleven–year–old self. It was the day Olivial
く
wanted to change her last name to Knowles,
trying to fully integrate into our family. Olivia
was my uncle’s daughter. He and his wife had
died in a car accident, leaving Olivia, a frail
child, all alone. My dad, being my uncle’s
brother, couldn’t bear to see her in foster
care, so he and Mom took her in. Olivia
snuggled into Mom’s arms, her voice full of
longing. “Mom, could I have a name like
Lizzie’s? They never gave me a proper name
before, and I want to be a real Knowles, too.”
Mom stroked her hair affectionately. “Of
course, sweetie. Since your brother’s middle
name is Nathan, how about we call you
Olivia?” I stood on the staircase, watching the
heartwarming scene unfold below, my heart
cold. Dad noticed me. He frowned, a look of
suspicion on his face, as if he already
assumed I was about to cause trouble for
Olivia. “Lizzie, don’t be difficult. Olivia is your
<
sister now.” “She’s not well, so you need to
be patient with her. Don’t bully her, do you
hear me?” Hearing the same words as in my
past life made my stomach sink. Olivia was
frail, so I, as the older sister, had to give in to
her. I heard those words countless times in
my previous life. Ever since Olivia arrived, the
love and attention that had once been solely
mine were largely diverted to her. Just
because she was an orphan and sickly, I was
expected to constantly yield to her.
Eventually, even the scraps of affection that
remained were given to Olivia. But I was only
two months older than her! And she was my
cousin, not my sister. Why did my parents
treat her like their own daughter? Just
because she knew how to cry? I still
remembered the look of disgust on Mom’s
face the last time I saw her. “Lizzie Knowles,
I’ve spoiled you rotten. You couldn’t even
く
leave poor Olivia alone.” But she seemed to
have forgotten that she hadn’t truly shown me
any affection since Olivia arrived. I was her
own flesh and blood! I looked down at Mom
trying to appease me. “Lizzie, even with Olivia
here, Mommy still loves you the most.” A
flicker of something dark, too mature for her
age, flashed in Olivia’s eyes. If I hadn’t lived
this life twice, I might have missed it. But in
the next instant, she batted her eyelashes
and, in front of my parents, gave me a small,
, “Lizzie?” I ignored her and turned to
go upstairs. Mom called after me, but Dad cut
her off. “Leave her. She’s been spoiled rotten.
If she were half as well–behaved as Olivia, I’d
be grateful.” I paused, my hand tightening on
the banister, then continued to my room,
outwardly unaffected. Even though from the
moment I was reborn, I decided to let go of
their love, my heart still stung from my
く
I stayed in my room except for meals and
bathroom breaks. I didn’t want to see Olivia’s
fake sweetness, and I wanted to focus on my
studies so I could get into a good college.
Once I was in college, I could finally escape
the Knowles family and their suffocating
favoritism towards Olivia. I was studying when
a knock came at my door, followed by Olivia’s
timid voice. “Lizzie, Mom cut some
watermelon. I brought you a couple of slices.”
I didn’t bother responding, keeping my eyes
on my book. After a while, Olivia’s voice, now
laced with tears, sounded from outside again.
“Mom, Lizzie doesn’t like me. I just wanted to
get along with her, but she ignores me… Is it
because she thinks I stole you and Dad?”
“Maybe I should go back to the group home.
Then Lizzie would like me.” Mom comforted
her. “Don’t be silly. Lizzie is just spoiled. I’ll
tell her to play with you later.” My little
く
brother, Nathan, chimed in, “I like Olivia! Not
Lizzie. Lizzie’s mean!” I flung open the door.
“Okay, I get it, your bond is unbreakable. But
could you please take your little drama
somewhere else? It’s distracting.” Olivia took
a step closer, pretending to want to approach
me but holding back. “Lizzie, would you play
with me if I went back to the group home?
I…I’ll pack my things right now.” Nathan
immediately spread his arms protectively in
front of Olivia, glaring at me. “Lizzie’s a bad
person! I like Olivia! No Lizzie! Lizzie go
away!” Mom didn’t scold Nathan. Instead, she
looked at me. “Lizzie, you’re being incredibly
childish! You should learn from Olivia. She’s
younger than you and so much more mature.”
My grip on the doorknob tightened. “So
mature and well–behaved. Why don’t you just
make her your daughter then? Oh wait, you
already have.” Dad came up the stairs, yelling
<
at me without even trying to understand the
situation. “Lizzie Knowles, you have no
manners! Olivia is a part of this family now.
As her older sister, you should be taking care
of her, not treating her like this! Even your
brother is more mature than you!” “Now
apologize to Olivia, right this instant!” I looked
at my parents, Nathan, and Olivia standing opposite me, as if they were the real family, and I was the outsider. How absurd. My own parents wouldn’t defend me, instead berating me for a single sentence, all because Olivia knew how to manipulate them. Even my little brother, whom I’d always adored, was on her side. Catching the slight upturn of Olivia’s lips, I slammed the door shut, ignoring Dad’s continued pounding and demands for an apology. I leaned against the door, trying to calm down, still vaguely hearing them
comforting Olivia. There was no difference
