Mystery of the Half-Scratched Lottery Ticket

I clutched the lottery ticket and forced a smile at Harry.

"Harry, Mom must be mistaken. How could I possibly get lucky enough to win?"

He wasn't a fool. Offering twenty thousand for a twenty-dollar ticket had to be a trap. I could take the money—but if he regretted it later, who knew what he might do? No, this ticket wasn't going to him.

"Not a winner?" Harry's voice was sharp, disbelief flashing in his eyes. He reached for the ticket. "Let me see it."

My heart pounded, but I kept my composure and handed it over.

He inspected it carefully, turning it this way and that. When he saw it hadn't won, his anger exploded. He swore, then stomped on the ticket repeatedly, grinding it into the floor.

Glancing at my mother, he hissed, teeth bared. "Aunt Maddie, your eyes are really failing—should've checked properly."

My mom froze. The other relatives bent down, picking up the ticket, their collective "what a shame" echoing through the room.

I exhaled quietly, relieved. Thank goodness I hadn't washed this outfit yet.

Inside my pocket was a ticket I'd bought half a month ago. It hadn't won, so I'd shoved it in there absentmindedly. And now, it was finally coming in handy.

But my relief was short-lived. My sister suddenly called out, loud and sharp. "Sis, didn't you buy another ticket downstairs earlier? Maybe you mixed them up?"

My mother's eyes lit up instantly. She lunged at me, gripping my arm hard. "Cathy! Did you hide the winning ticket? I knew I wasn't seeing things! Hand it over right now!"

Harry, clearly sensing he was being played, returned and slapped me hard across the face.

"Little trickster! You dare play games with me? Give me the real ticket, or I'll hit you again!"

"I told you, it didn't win! Why would I lie?" I stammered.

My sister pressed on. "But I didn't see you throw away that ticket!"

Then my father, who had stayed silent until now, stepped forward. I thought he would defend me.

Instead, he slapped me across the face. I stumbled, hitting the ground, as he screamed, "You useless girl! Give the ticket to Harry, now! If you waste any more time, I'll make sure you regret it!"

A cold despair spread through me.

My mother snorted, rolling up her sleeves and advancing toward me. "Fine. I'll search her pockets myself. And if I have to… I'll strip her clothes off to make her hand it over!"

I shouted, my voice cracking. "Mom, Dad, are you insane? All this… over a fake lottery ticket? This is my birthday party. Stop this madness!"

Harry kicked me in the side. "Cathy, if you disappoint me, forget your birthday. I can make sure you don't even go to the college you just got into."

I stared at him in disbelief, then turned to my parents. They gave me cold, contemptuous smiles.

"Cathy," they said in unison, "we don't have money. Your college tuition comes from your cousin. If you want to go, you do as he says."

I wanted to fight back, but several relatives pinned me to the table in seconds.

In full view of everyone, my mother tore at my clothes and began searching for the lottery ticket. Shame flooded my body. Tears threatened to spill.

After fifteen minutes of frantic searching, she hadn't found the second ticket.

Finally, she shoved me aside and slapped my sister across the face.

"You little brat! Keep your mouth shut before I sew it closed!"

My sister clutched her face, her eyes red, and glared at me with pure hatred.

Harry said nothing, staring at me silently, his gaze unreadable.