Chapter 64

Zoey finished her homework just before Lena called her. She carefully placed her notebook in her backpack and responded, "Okay."

She got up and walked towards the kitchen, but Derek stopped her halfway, "You finished your homework, right? Now you need to teach me!" He didn't have the slightest attitude of someone asking for help; instead, he spoke as if it was Zoey's duty.

Back in middle school, Derek wasn't as tall as Zoey, but he was overfed and extremely fat.

She replied, "Wait a bit, I'll teach you after I finish cooking."

"I have to go out and play later, I can't wait until you finish cooking! Mom will check my homework soon, are you trying to cause trouble?" Derek shouted at her, showing no respect to Zoey.

Zoey, even if she had no choice, couldn't say anything.

This had happened too many times since they were kids.

She looked at Derek, feeling uncomfortable inside, but still called out to Lena in the kitchen, "Mom, Derek wants me to teach him his homework now."

Lena heard this and didn't want to delay his studies because of her, "Then teach Derek first, his studies are more important than cooking!"

"Okay." Zoey followed Derek into the room, and Derek closed the door behind them.

He lazily lay on the bed and started playing with his toys. He pointed to the homework on the desk, "You do it, hurry up, finish it in twenty minutes. I have plans to play with my friends."

"Why should I do it for you? I only agreed to teach you!"

"What's the difference?" Derek said unhappily, "Even if you teach me, I won't get it. To save both of our time, it's faster if you just do it for me."

Zoey looked at Derek with his legs crossed, feeling the urge to kick him.

Because their parents favored Derek over Zoey, he also followed suit and bullied her.

Previously, their parents helped with his homework, but now that they weren't around, Derek asked her to do his homework with an arrogant attitude.

"I won't do it. If you don't want to learn, I'm leaving." Zoey didn't indulge him at all and turned to leave.

Helping with his homework here was less appealing than helping Lena cook.

Seeing Zoey about to leave, Derek jumped off the bed in a flash, "If you dare to leave, I'll scream! Believe it or not!" He threatened Zoey, "I'll scream right away! Don't think Mom will believe you over me. I'll just say you came in and started being mean to me and refused to help with my homework!"

Zoey laughed at his stupidity, "You think you're the only one who can tattle? I will do it too."

"Well, do you think Mom and Dad will take your side?" Derek still thought she was foolish.

Zoey firmly refused to indulge his attitude, "What do you think?"

"I think as long as I cry, Mom will definitely believe me!" He already imagined the scene, as long as he cried, the whole family would revolve around him, regardless of whether he was right or wrong, their parents would always center on him.

After all, it had always been this way since they were kids.

Zoey didn't understand why her relationship with Derek had become like this.

She always gave in to Derek because she was his sister, and they were siblings with the same parents. As his sister, Zoey felt she should be good to Derek and let him have his way. How did it become something he took for granted?

"Do you think I've been too good to you, making you have such thoughts?" Zoey snapped.

Derek looked at Zoey with a mocking smile, "Come on, even if you're not good to me, Mom, Dad, and Grandma will be. They don't like you; they only like me. Grandma even said you're just a maid in our family."

"A maid?" Zoey had heard Derek say things like this many times.

She had heard it so often that she thought she was used to it.

But at this moment, Zoey didn't think Derek was joking; he was seriously expressing his attitude of giving orders to a 'maid.' She didn't know why it had come to this.

Then she naturally started to recall and doubt. Compared to the previous confusion, once she began to doubt, confirming the answer was actually quick and easy.

From attending the same elementary school as Derek, she always sat in the back seat while Lena drove, never enjoying the closer front seat.

As she grew older, Lena even stopped bothering to take her to school or pick her up, always saying Derek was younger and couldn't be left alone.

So, at a young age, Zoey carried her backpack through the crowds of people going to and from school.

She walked for a long time every day, so she got several blisters on her heels. When she asked Lena what to do, she just said, to soak them in hot water.

Lena got up and left, not caring about her, but turned to bring Derek water to wash his feet.

Even if Derek splashed the water everywhere, Lena didn't scold him at all but looked at him indulgently.

She kept telling herself, Derek was her brother and younger than her, so she could do better than Derek, and didn't need Lena.

As long as she was there, no one in the family washed dishes; it was always she who had to wash them, from the first time helping to later becoming a habit.

She wanted a few books to study, but Lena thought it was a waste and unnecessary, suggesting she borrow from others. But when Derek wanted comic books and toy cars, a bit of whining got him everything.

Even when she argued with Derek, they always said, "You're Derek's sister, let him have his way!"

If she showed her displeasure, all she got were their annoyed expressions.

In fact, Derek hadn't respected her in a long time.

She always thought she was a good sister, but everything in the past was just what she thought.

"Hey, Pat, can't you understand what I'm saying?" Derek's voice brought her back.

Zoey could clearly feel someone pushing her.

She slowly opened her eyes, breaking free from the overwhelming memories.

At that moment, she was shattered.

Her eyes were lifeless as she looked at Derek, who was pointing and ordering her around.

Indeed, she should have been used to him yelling at her by now.

For years, he had never respected her.

And now, the name Pat was like a sharp blade, piercing her heart.

She really hated that name.