Betrayed by Blood, Avenged by Talent

After being exposed for plagiarizing the adopted daughter's song, I was dragged into an abandoned factory by a dozen obsessive fans and brutally tortured.

When I was rescued, a bloody hole was cut open in my neck, my vocal cords were cut off and my ten fingers and legs were twisted and deformed.

My parents, who were superstars, used all their connections and vowed to bring those who hurt me to justice.

My CEO's brother also frantically contacted the world's top medical team to treat me.

Outside the operating room, my mother's hesitant voice came in, “Although it's wrong for Janette to plagiarize Eugenia's work, isn't it too much to punish her like this?”

My father snorted coldly, “This is all her own doing! Ten years ago, we took her in and allowed her to steal so much of Eugenia’s affection.

“But that wasn’t enough—she’s never satisfied and keeps trying to outshine Eugenia in every possible way. And now, she’s even stopped plagiarizing Eugenia’s song!”

My elder brother also echoed, “Yes! She is already the real daughter of our Hendrix Family, but she still uses despicable means to oppress Eugenia.

“We must teach her a lesson this time so that Eugenia can successfully win the Golden Melody Award. As for Janette, we can replace her with a dog's vocal cords so that she can speak!”

The pain almost tore me apart and tears rolled down from the corners of my eyes.

He said he wanted to make amends to my family, but he was so cruel to me just for the fake daughter.

It was clearly Eugenia who plagiarized me, but they believed her onesided words and chose to destroy me.

I did not want this home anymore.

——

At the door of the operating room, the doctor could not bear it and advised, “Mr. Hendrix, although Miss Hendrix's vocal cords have been cut off, there is still hope that they can be restored if they are replaced with artificial ones as soon as possible.

“In addition, if her fingers and legs are delayed any further, they may really be disabled for life. Miss Hendrix is a singer who makes a living with her voice and hands. Should we arrange surgery for her as soon as possible…?"

My father interrupted him, “Delay it for now!”

My mother was a little hesitant, “Hubby, Janette has already received the punishment she deserves. She cannot go to the award ceremony the day after tomorrow.

“After all, she is our biological daughter. Do we really want to watch her become disabled?”

My brother's voice was full of disdain. “It's better if she's disabled. Without her voice, she won't steal Eugenia's limelight anymore. If her legs are broken, she'll stay at home obediently.

“If her fingers cannot be used, she'll stop plagiarizing Eugenia's songs. Our Hendrix Family can support her for the rest of her life, so what's there to be afraid of?

“Since she has the nerve to plagiarize Eugenia, she should be prepared to be punished. The Golden Melody Award should have belonged to Eugenia.

“She should also be the future creative queen. Only if Janette is completely disabled will she stop trying to steal Eugenia's limelight.”

“No need for artificial vocal cords, just give her a dog's vocal cords so she can speak!”

My mother sighed and whispered to the doctor, “Hurry up and give my daughter the best painrelieving medicine.

“As for the injuries on her hands and legs, just keep them from getting worse and from hurting. My daughter has been afraid of pain since she was young."

Hearing these words, I could not stop shaking all over and tears gushed out.

It turned out that what I thought was malicious harm was actually intentional by my closest family members, just because I was the obstacle for Eugenia.

But they never asked me and naturally believed Eugenia's onesided story.

A tearing pain spread from my heart throughout my body and I stared blankly at the ceiling.

When my mother walked into the operating room, she noticed that my hands were covered in blood and were still shaking and she cried out of heartache, “Janette, are you in pain? Don't be afraid, we will call a doctor to save you right away!”

My brother next to him made the call and his voice became tearful. “We must find the best vocal cords for my sister. Her lifelong dream cannot be ruined!”

“Sister, do not worry, I will definitely catch those haters and let them have a taste of having their limbs broken and their vocal cords dug out!”

My father looked at me with guilt in his eyes as he sobbed, “Janette, the world's top medical team is on the way, just hold on.

“When you get better, I will write a song and sing it with you, telling everyone that you are the best daughter I have ever had!”

While watching their superb acting skills numbly, I typed away on my phone with my palm. [I really did not plagiarize Eugenia]

Blood soaked the screen and my brother quickly grabbed my phone.

“Yes, we all believe in you. You should recover from your injuries first.”

They nodded, but none of them dared to meet my gaze.

Deep down, I knew they did not believe me at all. It was their cruelty that had turned me into this.

My brother, who found me ten years ago, hugged me and cried, saying that he would spend the rest of his life making up to my parents.

But he destroyed my dream with his own hands and sent me into an eternal hell, just for the adopted daughter Eugenia enjoyed all their doting.

Tears blurred my vision and I could no longer tell who their biological daughter actually was.

I could never compare to Eugenia's position in their hearts.

In this family, there was no place for me, a biological daughter.

The doctor pushed the painkiller into my body and when he saw the horrific bloody hole on my neck and twisted limbs, he looked reluctant as he said, “Miss Hendrix, the experts may arrive later, please be patient for now.”

But no matter how good the painkiller was, it could not stop the pain in my heart. I sobbed and bit my lips hard, my mouth full of blood.

When my parents saw me like this, their eyes were red with heartache.

My brother put his arm to my mouth and said, “Dear sister, if it really hurts, bite me, don't hurt yourself.”

They seemed to really care about me the most, but I just felt chilled to the bone.

When I woke up again, it was already the next day.

Before the expert arranged by my father arrived, I heard my brother and mother’s conversation.

“Deon, Janette has already been punished. Do we still need to arrange for those reporters to come to the hospital to expose her for plagiarism today? After all, we don't have any substantial evidence."

My brother sighed, his tone decisive as he stated, “It has to be exposed! Her vocal cords are already damaged and she has no choice but to retire. A little more dirt thrown her way won’t matter to her now.

“Only in this way can Eugenia gain the sympathy of the judges and her chances of winning the Golden Melody Award will be much greater.”

“Eugenia was raised by us, she can't possibly lie. Even if there is no evidence, I have a way to testify.”

My father told my brother, “Don't be too protective of Janette in front of the reporters. Let her realize her mistakes and smooth her edges.”

My brother responded in a deep voice, “Yes.”

I laid on the hospital bed in despair, but my tears had already dried up.

Ten years ago, I was found by my brother because of the singing competition video I made in the orphanage.

After they recognized me and took me back, I put in more effort and hard work than Eugenia and was admitted to the most famous music college together with her.

Later, I created the song “The Moon Under the Sea,” which was nominated for the Golden Melody Award.

But my brother believed what Eugenia said and wanted to give false testimony for her to destroy my reputation.

My heart was broken. If I had known this would happen, I would never have gone home with them.

The door of the ward was violently pushed open and a group of reporters with cameras and guns rushed in.

I laid on the hospital bed, unable to move and watched them slander me.

“Janette, I heard that you were punished by those haters because you plagiarized your sister's work. Do you know your mistake now?”

"I heard they cut off your vocal cords and broke your arms and legs. Are you going to become a mute cripple?"

The female reporter in the front row asked with indignation and suddenly withdrew the microphone and laughed.

“I almost forgot that you cannot speak now, so let's show it to everyone!”

She pulled away the towel blanket from my body, revealing my broken and twisted hands and feet.

“Now that your limbs are broken, you should not be able to copy your sister's songs anymore, right?”

"That's not necessarily true. Maybe he can be a disabled but strongwilled plagiarist. Isn't it true that some people can type with their tongues?"

The male reporter next to him was full of ridicule and disdain.

Everyone surrounded me and took pictures. Their contempt and ridicule were like knives stabbing straight into my heart.

I felt extremely humiliated but could not open my mouth to refute. My red and swollen eyes were filled with tears again.

“Janette, you are still pretending to be pitiful, right? Don't you plan to apologize to your sister?”

Seeing me like this, the female reporter put the camera to my face and started a live broadcast.

“Famous singersongwriter, Janette Hendrix, was crippled by fans in retaliation for stealing her sister, Eugenia Hendrix's original songs."

Tears blurred my vision. I wanted to hide, but even the slightest movement felt like a distant luxury.

The flash lights went on and off, recording my humiliating and embarrassed appearance.

“This is a private hospital. Who allowed you to enter the ward without permission?” My brother rushed in and yelled at them to leave.

My mother quickly covered me with the blanket again and my father angrily scolded the reporters, “If you don't leave now, I'll sue you. Get out!”

“Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix, as senior veterans in the industry, are you actually choosing to cover up for plagiarism?”

The reporters kept asking and a clear and pleasant female voice rang out, “As expected, a biological daughter is more important than an adopted daughter, right?”

“My parents are both talented singers. Without their careful training, I would not be who I am today.

“They have never been partial to me, but Janette, as their elder sister, is always jealous of their kindness to me.”

Eugenia was dressed in a pure and noble manner, pushing through the crowd and walking slowly towards them.

Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying for a long time.

“Sister, please stop making the same mistake over and over again. You've already implicated our parents, is that not enough?

“If you want a Golden Melody Award, I'll give it to you. If you want the love of your parents and brother, I'll give it to you too.

“Please stop doing stupid things, okay? I really can't bear to see you become like this."

She burst into tears and knelt down beside my bed.

I became emotional and typed the following line with my palm, [You’re lying! I wrote that song. I have proof.]

The whole audience was in an uproar and reporters took photos one after another, but they still did not believe what I said.

My brother pulled her up, his brows furrowed. “It's not your fault, Eugenia. Calm down," he said.

After that, he turned around, stared at me with a steely gaze and said, “Janette, don't make excuses now. I don't want to see you going further down the wrong path.”

As he spoke, he whispered a few words to Eugenia.

Eugenia's face turned pale, she bit her lower lip and shook her head desperately.

“No, I won't do that. My sister's reputation will be ruined."

My brother became anxious and raised his voice a few notches higher as he yelled, “It's already this late. If you don't show her the evidence, she will continue to be stubborn and won't let go!”

Everyone heard it clearly. Eugenia clearly had evidence that proved I had plagiarized.

Our parents also sighed and urged Eugenia to take it out quickly.

Under everyone's gaze, Eugenia slowly took out a few pieces of paper.

It turned out to be the handwritten manuscript I created at the beginning, even the few lines of lyrics that I deleted are exactly the same.

Eugenia burst into tears and talked about the original intention of her creation.

She actually knew exactly what I was thinking and even told me all my creative ideas.

I looked at her in horror, but could only utter a few low hoarse sounds.

How could she know so much? Impossible!

But no one gave me any more chances and the reporters urged me to produce evidence.

I flipped through my phone desperately, only to find that all the drafts of my creations that were originally stored in it were gone.

In despair, my parents and brother waved away the reporters.

My mother hugged me and cried, “Are all the bodyguards you stationed at the door dead?! Don’t let them in like this!”

“Janette, I'm sorry. It's all our fault for not keeping a close eye on them and letting them in. We will immediately ask Deon to block the news they got.

“It doesn’t matter who wrote this song; you’re still our good daughter.”

Despair and bitterness twisted in my chest.

Really? Then why did you destroy me for Eugenia?

Why did you let me be tormented and my reputation shattered?

But after achieving their goal, they still acted out these hypocritical family ties. Wasn't it disgusting?

A feeling of distress surged in my chest and I spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Janette!”

“Sister!”

Before everything was completely dark, I heard my parents and brother calling for a doctor in panic.

“Even if her vocal cords are replaced, speaking will be a struggle and singing is out of the question. The injuries to her fingers and legs have been left untreated for too long—I fear there will be lasting aftereffects.”

My parents roared angrily, “No matter how much it costs, you must do your best to cure her.”

My brother also shouted, “Yes, treat her according to the standards you said before, doc.”

He hugged me tightly and the warmth from his chest made me shiver all over.

Was the standard he mentioned before to replace my vocal cords with a dog's, so that I could never play the piano again or stand up?

I wanted to laugh, but I passed out anyway.

When I woke up again, it was already the day of the award ceremony.

My fingers and lower limbs were bandaged and my throat was wrapped in gauze.

My mother squeezed my palms tightly, her eyes blurred with tears as she asked, “Janette, are you awake? The doctor said you will get better soon, don't be afraid.”

The phone next to her was broadcasting the live video of the award ceremony.

In the picture, Eugenia, dressed in gorgeous clothes, was holding my father and brother's hands, with a sweet smile.

Seeing my depressed expression, my mother quickly turned off her phone and wiped away my tears as she asked, “Are you hungry? The doctor said you can only eat liquid food these days. Should I buy you some porridge?”

I nodded and after she left, I opened my phone to watch the live broadcast.

In the picture, facing various questions from reporters, my father and brother firmly defended Eugenia and protected her behind them.

When I heard them asking her about plagiarism, they just glossed over the issue and issued a statement on my behalf to quit the circle.

Eugenia stood on the stage and sang the song I composed, "The Moon Under the Sea,” as if she was really the mermaid singing under the sea, so beautiful.

My heart ached when the judges awarded her the award. It was clearly my work, but none of them believed me.

In her acceptance speech, Eugenia actually mentioned that my father helped her polish the lyrics of the song and my father acknowledged it with a smile.

He personally presented the award to Eugenia and praised her as his pride.

I bit my lips tightly and tears fell.

The lyrics of this song, which clearly talked about my time in the orphanage, became their achievement.

Even my brother told the media seriously, “Ten years ago, our family went out to sea for fun. I went surfing but encountered a tsunami.

“In the critical moment of life and death, it was Eugenia who jumped down and saved me at all costs. She gave me her life jacket to wear and was almost swept away by the waves.

“Eugenia gave me a second life. As a brother, I will protect her at all costs. Let her be the happiest mermaid princess and sing freely.”

I laughed until tears came out. Eugenia could not swim at all, how could she save you?

I gave you my life jacket and I was swept by the huge amount of water and hit the reef. My back was covered in blood and I almost died. And it turned out to be Eugenia's credit?

I wiped away my tears and tremblingly sent a message to a number I had not seen for a long time. [Does your promise from that year still count?]

The other party replied immediately, [Of course. You are a pearl that shouldn’t be tainted by their cruelty. I’ve seen the recent news—they framed and hurt you, all for the sake of that adopted daughter. There’s no reason for you to stay with them. Just tell me, what do you want me to do?]

I clumsily tapped out a few lines with my palm and the door of the ward was pushed open.

When my mother saw the words on my screen, her face changed drastically.

“Janette, who are you messaging? Where are you going in three days?”

I closed the interface, took out the calendar and showed it to her.

There were words marked inside, [My birthday.]

My mother breathed a sigh of relief and touched my head with loving eyes.

“Sure, sure, wherever you want to go, we will go with you,” she said.

I typed in an address, which turned out to be the beach where my family went on vacation ten years ago.

Since everything started there, let's end it there.

Three days later, my whole family chartered a cruise ship at the seaside to celebrate my and Eugenia’s birthdays together.

In the ten years since I was found, Eugenia was more like the only protagonist in every birthday party.

Eugenia was spoiled by my parents and loved by my brother since she was a child. She knew how to act coquettishly and show weakness to everyone to win favor.

But I grew up in an orphanage and my personality was reserved and not likable.

This time was no exception.

She deliberately asked someone to make the cake two meters high, then looked at me in the wheelchair with a guilty look on her face and said, “Sister, I am sorry! I forgot that you can't cut the cake with me anymore."

My parents and brother quickly comforted me, saying that it was not her fault and that they would let her do the cutting on my behalf this year.

Amid everyone's blessings, Eugenia proudly cut the giant cake. She even cut my doll in half out of mischief.

When she handed it to me, she leaned over and whispered in my ear, “See? Your parents and brother like me more. If you dare to compete with me again, I will make you suffer the same fate as this doll.”

In the following time, everyone surrounded Eugenia to congratulate her on her achievement, secretly casting contemptuous glances and speculations at me.

My parents and brother were greeting their friends and when they realized that I had embarrassed them, my brother came over.

“The sea breeze is strong at night, Janette, how about I push you inside to rest?”

Before he could put his hand on my wheelchair, he was stopped by Eugenia.

“Brother, go greet your friends. I will take my sister back to her room!”

I wanted to refuse, but no sound came out.

In the end, Eugenia pushed me to a room at the corner.

There was smoke inside and a dozen masked men were staring at us with unfriendly expressions.

Eugenia pushed me between them and smiled sinisterly before she sneered, “Janette, don't think you can turn things around by playing the victim. You will never be able to defeat me.

“You do not know yet, do you? My brother asked the doctor to replace your vocal cords with those of a dog, haha.

“From now on, even if you want to sing, you can only sing woof woof woof.”

Eugenia imitated the barking of a dog, which made the big men laugh.

Looking at the obscene light in their eyes, I trembled all over, thinking of the torture I had suffered before.

[I will give you whatever you want. I will be leaving soon. From now on, you will be the only lady in the Hendrix Family.]

I typed these words tremblingly, but Eugenia laughed even more crazily after seeing them clearly.

“Leave? And where would you go in such a miserable state? I only trust myself. That’s why I want to watch our whole family despise you.”

After saying that, she slapped my phone away.

Then, she tore her dress to pieces and ruffled my hair.

The next second, the big men rushed over and pressed her to the ground.

“Help!” Eugenia screamed and cried and the door was soon kicked open.

My brother, parents and others rushed in.

Seeing me sitting calmly in a wheelchair, unharmed, while Eugenia was pinned to the ground by masked men, wailing and struggling, my brother’s eyes burned with fury.

“Stop it now!”

My father tried to persuade these masked men to calm down.

“You can ask for anything, but don't hurt my daughters!”

The big man in the lead had sharp eyes and a muffled voice, as if he was wearing a voice changer.

“This bitch slandered our idol, we will make her pay with blood!”

He pulled out a hammer from his clothes and was about to smash Eugenia's hand.

“Police. Put your hands up!”

Dad's friend rushed in.

The big men let go of Eugenia and turned around to jump into the sea from the window.

It was too dark at night and when everyone rushed to the window, they found that the big men had already swam away and disappeared.

Eugenia hugged her parents and cried inconsolably.

“Mom, Dad, please don’t blame my sister. She was just angry at me because she believed the fans who attacked her and left her disabled were mine, so she wanted her own fans to teach me a lesson in return.

“It’s my fault she became like this. Stop blaming her!”

A trace of guilt flashed across my brother's eyes, then turned into anger as he scolded, “Janette, are you crazy? The people who hurt you have nothing to do with Eugenia, why are you taking your anger out on her!”

My parents' eyes were also filled with disappointment and heartache, they scolded too, “You were the one who made the mistake first, which is why you were abused and humiliated by Eugenia's fans.

“Not only do you not know how to repent, but you also want to vent your anger on Eugenia. You are so vicious!”

They embraced the crying Eugenia and turned away.

Everyone called me a bad person and an ungrateful person and advised my parents to cut off their relationship with me.

I stammered desperately, begging them to give me a chance to explain, but I was ruthlessly locked in the room.

“Just reflect on yourself here!”

After saying this, my parents ordered someone to lock the room.

The whole family called a doctor and nervously performed various tests on Eugenia. After making sure that she was fine, only then they thought of me.

My father said to the waiter beside him, “Go and release Janette. After being locked up for a whole night, she should have realized her mistake.”

The waiter just walked to the door and bumped into the cruise manager who ran in in a panic.

“Mr. Hendrix, something terrible has happened. Miss Janette...she jumped into the sea last night. All she left behind was a cell phone and it contained a recording of what really happened in the room.

“It turned out Miss Janette was wrongly accused!”