Love 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
My mom, Jane Dawson, is the best stepmother in the world.
My stepsister, Eva Scott, scored a big fat zero on her exam, so Mom pulled me—top student of the whole school—out of school to tutor her full-time.
When Crestwood Academy demanded Eva cut her hair short, Mom shaved my head bald so Eva wouldn’t feel self-conscious.
But I don’t blame Mom.
Mom was a rich heiress who fell in love with my dad, poor boy David Dawson. Because of me, she gave up billions in inheritance and eloped with him.
But Dad went and slept with some other woman behind her back.
Mom divorced him, went home, and married a new husband, Franklin Scott—her perfect social match—and he brought along a sweet little daughter.
Night after night, Mom stared at my face that looked so much like my father’s, slapping me as she cursed:
“Lily Dawson, your very existence is the stain on my life! You’re the reason I can never forget what a dumbass I used to be!”
My heart ached for her. The more she hated me now, the more she must have loved my father back then.
When my sister got into middle school, Mom bought the luxury yacht Oceanic Majesty to celebrate.
But just because my sister snitched that I’d taken a picture of the Oceanic Majesty and sent it to Dad—
Mom screamed, smashed my phone, and broke both of my hands.
“Bitch, I gave up half my inheritance to win you back! And you’re still pining after that heartless bastard, huh?”
“Fine! Go live with him! He treats you so well, right? He’ll find you a whole bunch of new stepmoms who’ll fuck you up!”
I knelt and begged, knocking my head on the floor until my face was a bloody blur. My stepdad and my sister tried to hold Mom back.
“Don’t hit her anymore, she’s just a kid!”
“Jane, calm down. I swear I’ll never tattle on my sister again!”
Mom cried until she started laughing. Then she tied me up with a rope and threw me into the sea.
“Here’s your lesson! Let your brain soak in seawater for a couple of days! Then you’ll know who your real mother is!”
The Oceanic Majesty surged forward, and the enormous waves rose like some giant monster, swallowing me whole. My consciousness slowly faded.
But I smiled.
It’s good, Mom.
Without me, your stain, maybe you can finally be happy.