

My brother-in-law started making a fuss about wanting to spend Christmas vacation at the beach, so I decided we'd make it a family trip. When my husband's adoptive sister got wind of it, she insisted on tagging along with her kid. Without a second thought, my husband went ahead and booked plane tickets for everyone—except me. He expected me to drive there with all the luggage. I thought at least someone in the family would speak up for me, but no, they all sided with him. Fine. If that's how they want it, then we'll go our separate ways—what's theirs is theirs, and what's mine is mine. But the moment I took that stance, the whole family suddenly started panicking…

During a hunting trip, I was mauled by a grizzly bear and rushed to the hospital. Seeing how panicked my boyfriend looked, a playful idea struck me, and I decided to play a little prank on him. “Who are you?” I asked. Toby froze. Just as I was about to laugh and tell him the truth, he suddenly pushed his older brother, Logan, forward. “I’m your boyfriend’s younger brother,” Toby said. The next second, he pulled my best friend, Chloe, into his arms. “And I’m also your best friend’s boyfriend.” My face stiffened. Yet, Logan stepped closer to my bedside. “That’s right. I’m your boyfriend.” I looked at him and smiled. “Okay. Then I’m going home with you.” It was just a boyfriend, after all. If he were defective, I could easily replace him.

During a hunting trip, I was mauled by a grizzly bear and rushed to the hospital. Seeing how panicked my boyfriend looked, a playful idea struck me, and I decided to play a little prank on him. “Who are you?” I asked. Toby froze. Just as I was about to laugh and tell him the truth, he suddenly pushed his older brother, Logan, forward. “I’m your boyfriend’s younger brother,” Toby said. The next second, he pulled my best friend, Chloe, into his arms. “And I’m also your best friend’s boyfriend.” My face stiffened. Yet, Logan stepped closer to my bedside. “That’s right. I’m your boyfriend.” I looked at him and smiled. “Okay. Then I’m going home with you.” It was just a boyfriend, after all. If he were defective, I could easily replace him.

My brother Mitchell sided with his dream girl when she accused me of bullying her. Despite being the only family member I had left, he exploded in anger and sent me away to a boarding school for so-called reformation to learn how to become a meek and obedient little sister. In time, I became exactly what he wanted—a docile sibling who never fought back, never argued. But everything changed the day he saw my medical report. He lost his mind. "Nora, I'm begging you—forgive me and let me be your brother again!"

"A riot broke out in the suburbs when my mother secretly left me at the edge of it. My crying caught the attention of the winning side.They walked over with their guns raised, and one of them pressed a pistol right against my forehead.Since then, I have 109 brothers in my family.At home, I'm the princess.But in high school, things were not so good.Valeria Rossi, a rich student, beat my legs with a hot curling iron that was still plugged in, burning my skin into blackened, torn flesh. The pain was so intense that I broke free from Valeria's thugs and dragged her down the stairs with me.When I wake up, Marcella Greco, dean of Students, berates me angrily.“All Valeria did is beat you up, When someone talks trash and puts their hands on you, you ought to be asking what you did wrong.How dare you plot revenge against her instead!”“Summon your guardian here right away,or forget about leaving!”All of my hair stands on end as soon as I hear the command.My guardians—109 Brothers—none of them are ordinary people, and I've been leading a normal life for more than a dozen years in order not to cause them any trouble.But if trouble shows up at my door, then I can't help it.“Are you sure you want to meet my guardians, Ms. Greco?”"

My mother-in-law and I were traveling together. We'd just checked into the Solenne Hotel in Rivera City and decided to hit the pool. Then this woman—dressed like money and attitude—pinched her nose like we stank. "This is a luxury hotel. How did you people even get in? Sneak in just for the pool? Ugh, I need a test after this." Buzzkill. I snapped, "It's a hotel pool. Guests swim. If that's a problem, go build your own." Her face twisted. "Excuse me? Do you even know who I am? My husband owns this place. We always stay in the top suite. So get out. You reek of broke. You're contaminating the water." Georgina and I traded a look. Ice cold. This was her son's hotel. My husband's. Since when did he come with a second wife?

When we were about to head to the amusement park, my Beta boyfriend, Drew, brought along a woman and her daughter. There happened to be one seat short in the car. Drew told me to get out and give my seat to the two of them. “Laura has a kid with her. Let them go first. I’ll come back for you later,” he said. I calmly stepped out and watched as the car slowly pulled away from the pack. Three hours later, they arrived at the amusement park for the fireworks and feast. When a friend asked Drew why he still hadn’t come back to get me, Drew was patiently helping Laura light a giant firework. He wasn’t in a rush at all and even said, “It’ll be fine if I pick Sienna up later. She won’t mind. I’ll coax her a bit, and she’ll stop being mad.” Anger only worked on people who cared about someone. My dad, mom, and brother never cared, and now, not even Drew cared anymore. It was time for me to leave for good.

When we were about to head to the amusement park, my Beta boyfriend, Drew, brought along a woman and her daughter. There happened to be one seat short in the car. Drew told me to get out and give my seat to the two of them. “Laura has a kid with her. Let them go first. I’ll come back for you later,” he said. I calmly stepped out and watched as the car slowly pulled away from the pack. Three hours later, they arrived at the amusement park for the fireworks and feast. When a friend asked Drew why he still hadn’t come back to get me, Drew was patiently helping Laura light a giant firework. He wasn’t in a rush at all and even said, “It’ll be fine if I pick Sienna up later. She won’t mind. I’ll coax her a bit, and she’ll stop being mad.” Anger only worked on people who cared about someone. My dad, mom, and brother never cared, and now, not even Drew cared anymore. It was time for me to leave for good.

My mother-in-law and I were traveling together. We'd just checked into the Solenne Hotel in Rivera City and decided to hit the pool. Then this woman—dressed like money and attitude—pinched her nose like we stank. "This is a luxury hotel. How did you people even get in? Sneak in just for the pool? Ugh, I need a test after this." Buzzkill. I snapped, "It's a hotel pool. Guests swim. If that's a problem, go build your own." Her face twisted. "Excuse me? Do you even know who I am? My husband owns this place. We always stay in the top suite. So get out. You reek of broke. You're contaminating the water." Georgina and I traded a look. Ice cold. This was her son's hotel. My husband's. Since when did he come with a second wife?

My stepsister falsely accuses me of causing her allergies to act up. My three brothers stuff me into the cramped cellar and chain the door shut. I pound on the door and beg them to let me out. My eldest brother, an outstanding businessman, snaps, "It's bad enough that you keep bullying Lori. How could you make her eat seafood when you know she's allergic to it? Isn't that just murder? Stay in there and reflect on your mistakes!" My second brother, an award-winning singer, and my third brother, a genius painter, scoff contemptuously. "It's unbelievable that someone as evil as you is making excuses to garner pity. You can stay in there and repent for your sins!" After that, they take our shuddering stepsister to the hospital. The oxygen in the cellar soon runs out, and it gets difficult to breathe. Ultimately, I die in there. My brothers only remember me three days later when they bring our stepsister back from the hospital. Unbeknownst to them, I've already died of asphyxiation.