My Brother Called Me A Psycho, Until I Saved His Empire

My entire world revolved around Julian. They told me that during a massive house fire five years ago, Julian carried me out of the burning ruins.

But in my memory, I was the one who pushed him out first, right before a burning wooden beam crashed onto my head. Since then, my mind stopped growing.

I became childlike, and I only ever listened to Julian. Julian loved me. He bought me the prettiest dresses. But his fiancée, Victoria, hated me.

She would pinch me when Julian wasn't looking, calling me a brainless freak and telling me to stop clinging to him.

Once, she glared at me and hissed, "I wish I could just strangle you, you useless little parasite." But I remembered Julian telling me to always listen to Victoria.

So, I went to the kitchen, grabbed a paring knife, stood on my tiptoes, and carefully handed it to her. "Here you go, Victoria.

This way, you can actually kill me." Victoria’s face went dead white. She stared at the knife in my hands. The blade glinted coldly under the living room chandelier.

She looked at it as if it were a venomous snake. "Chloe! Are you insane?!" she shrieked, stumbling backward.

She knocked over a glass of water on the coffee table, sending it shattering to the floor. I tilted my head, genuinely confused. She was the one who said she wanted to strangle me.

Julian said Victoria was going to be family, and that I had to listen to her and make her happy.

I was just trying to help. "Here's the knife, Victoria," I said, stepping closer and offering it to her earnestly. "This makes it easier for you." "You... you psycho!" Victoria’s voice shook, her eyes wide with genuine terror.

Just then, the front door clicked open. Julian was home. "Chloe, Victoria, I'm back." Before he could even finish his sentence, he took in the bizarre scene.

I was holding a knife, pointing it at his beloved fiancée. And Victoria was crying, trembling violently behind the sofa. Julian’s expression turned icecold instantly. "Chloe!

Put the knife down!" His voice was harsh and freezing, like a block of winter ice. I flinched, dropping the knife. It clattered loudly against the hardwood floor.

Julian had never spoken to me like that before. He rushed over, pushing me aside roughly to pull Victoria into his arms.

His voice softened instantly into pure worry. "Victoria, hey, it's okay. I'm here. What happened?

Why did she have a knife?" Victoria buried her face in Julian’s chest, sobbing hysterically. "Julian... I was so scared... I was just teasing her. I said...

I said if she kept being naughty, I’d cut up her favorite dress. I didn't think... she went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife... she said she wanted to... to kill me..." I froze.

That wasn't what happened at all.

I opened my mouth, trying to explain. "No, Victoria said she wanted to—" "Shut up!" Julian snapped, his glare cutting into me like glass. "Chloe, how did I raise you?

Did I teach you to threaten family with a knife? Apologize to Victoria. Now." My eyes stung with tears at his shout. I looked at him, feeling incredibly wronged. "Julian...

I didn't..." "Apologize!" He raised his voice further, his chest heaving with anger. I shrank back. I was terrified when Julian got angry.

I walked over to Victoria, hung my head, and whispered, "I'm sorry." Victoria peeked over Julian’s shoulder, a flash of smug triumph in her eyes, though she sounded pitiful. "Julian, don't be too hard on Chloe.

She didn't mean it. She's just... she doesn't know any better..." The more "magnanimous" she acted, the more Julian’s heart ached for her.

He held her close, stroking her back, not sparing me a single glance. "Go upstairs and rest, honey. I'll handle this." He escorted her into the bedroom and shut the door.

Then, he walked out, picked up the knife from the floor, and slowly approached me.

I watched him in fear, taking steps backward until my spine hit the cold wall. "Julian..." He tossed the knife into the kitchen sink with a loud, jarring clang. "Chloe, remember this," he said, looking down at me with deep disappointment. "Victoria is going to be my wife.

She will be your sisterinlaw. You can be difficult, but you cannot hurt her. If this ever happens again, I’m sending you away." Sending me away? To where? Would he abandon me?

My entire world crumbled. Tears fell like rain. "Julian... please don't send Chloe away...

I'll be good..." He watched me sob, but his face held no pity, only exhaustion. "Go to your room.

Think about what you did." With that, he turned and went back into the bedroom, closing the door for the night. I hugged the teddy bear he had given me and cried all night.

I didn't understand what I had done wrong. I was just trying to be good.

The next morning, I woke up with eyes swollen like cherries. Julian had already left for work. Victoria was sitting at the dining table, elegantly sipping her almond milk.

Seeing me, she set her cup down and offered me a sweet, warm smile. "Chloe, you're awake? Come have some breakfast." I didn't dare go over.

I stood frozen in place, watching her timidly. She smiled and waved me over. "Come here, sweetie. I'm not mad anymore." I hesitated, but slowly shuffled over.

She pulled me into a chair and pushed a warm glass of milk toward me. "Yesterday was my fault.

I shouldn't have teased you like that." She stroked my hair, her touch as gentle as Julian's. "You forgive me, right?" I looked at her, not knowing what to say.

She continued, "Your brother was still very angry before he left for work.

He said if you don't start behaving, he really will send you somewhere far away, and you'll never see him again." My heart squeezed.

I grabbed her sleeve. "No... please..." "Then you have to be good," she said softly, guiding me in. "From now on, whatever I say, you do.

That’s the only way to keep Julian happy so he won't abandon you. Understand?" I nodded vigorously. "I understand." As long as I wasn't sent away, I would do anything.

After breakfast, Victoria said she was taking me out. She dressed me in a beautiful white tulle dress with sparkling beads that looked like stars.

Julian had just bought it for me a few days ago. I loved it so much. Victoria took me to a highend shopping mall.

She had a great time shopping, buying clothes and designer bags, making me carry them behind her.

The shopping bags were heavy, cutting red lines into my palms, but I didn't dare complain. Julian once told me that gentlemen help ladies carry things.

Even though I was a girl, I wanted to help Victoria. By late afternoon, Victoria took a phone call, and her face suddenly darkened. Hanging up, she snapped irritably, "Let's go.

We're leaving." On the way back, she didn't say a word, driving dangerously fast. Once home, she threw her purchases onto the sofa and sat there, boiling with rage.

I didn't know what was wrong, so I just stood quietly in the corner. After a while, she seemed to finally notice me.

She looked me up and down, her gaze landing on my beautiful white dress. Her expression turned twisted. "You really like this dress, don't you?" she asked. I nodded.

She smirked and waved me over. "Come here." I walked up to her. She picked up a freshly brewed cup of black coffee from the table—steaming hot, dark liquid.

Then, before I could react, she splashed the entire cup right onto my dress. "Ah!" I screamed from the heat. The scalding liquid soaked through the thin tulle, burning my skin.

It hurt terribly.

The pristine white dress was instantly ruined by a massive, ugly brown stain. "Oh my, I am so sorry," Victoria gasped, covering her mouth with fake surprise. "My hand slipped." Looking at my miserable state, the malice in her eyes was completely undisguised. "Such a pretty dress, ruined." She sighed dramatically. "Julian is going to be so angry when he sees this." Tears streamed down my face from the pain.

Seeing my favorite dress ruined made me both heartbroken and terrified. "Julian... will be mad..." "Oh, absolutely." Victoria knelt down, leaning close to my ear, whispering in a snakelike hiss, "He’ll think you were careless and messy.

He’ll think you're a bad kid who doesn't appreciate nice things." She patted my cheek gently. "So, you better not tell him I did this.

Otherwise..." She dragged out her words. "...I’ll tell him you tried to stab me with that knife again." I froze. Terror wrapped around me like a suffocating net.

I couldn't let Julian know. If Julian found out, he would hate me even more. He would really send me away.

That evening, Julian came home.

The moment he walked through the door, his eyes fell on the stain on my dress, and his brow furrowed. "Chloe, what happened to your dress?" I nervously clutched my hem, hanging my head, terrified to speak.

Victoria walked out of the kitchen with a fruit platter, chiming in at the perfect moment. "Julian, don't be mad at Chloe.

She accidentally spilled coffee on herself while we were at the mall today.

Kids will be clumsy, it's totally normal." Her words sounded like she was defending me, but every syllable told Julian: Chloe did this to herself.

Julian’s face darkened further. "Chloe, how many times have I told you to be careful?

Such an expensive dress, ruined in one day?" I bit my lip, tears pooling in my eyes. "I'm sorry...

Julian..." "Alright, alright," Victoria said, stepping in to play the peacemaker. "It's just a dress. Julian, don't be so harsh, you're scaring her.

I tried to wash it out for her, but coffee stains are really stubborn." The more "understanding" she appeared, the more spoiled and difficult I looked.

Julian sighed, the disappointment on his face heavy. He ran a hand through Victoria’s hair and said softly, "You're too good to her. Thank you for patience.

You work all day and still have to come home and deal with her." At that moment, I felt like a complete outsider. The two of them were a family. And I was just a burden.

From that day on, Victoria’s abuse escalated. When Julian wasn't home, she would pinch my arms and twist the skin on my thighs, leaving dark purple bruises.

Then she would casually tell Julian, "Chloe has been so clumsy lately, always bumping into things.

She’s covered in bruises." She would "accidentally" knock over the Lego sets I spent days building, and when I cried, she would hug me and say, "Don't cry, sweetie, I'll buy you a new one." She would even spray her expensive perfume on my clothes, and when Julian came home, she would cover her nose and say, "Julian, do you smell that?

How strange." Julian would sniff the air and frown at me. "Did you touch Victoria’s perfume?" I shook my head.

Victoria would quickly add, "Oh, maybe it just rubbed off on her when I hugged her earlier. It's fine, kids are curious about everything." She was always perfect, always the saint.

And in Julian’s eyes, I became a lying, clumsy, destructive brat. Julian started coming home later and later, spending less and less time with me.

His gaze, which used to be filled with love and protectiveness, turned into annoyance and fatigue. I knew I was slowly losing my brother.

I was devastated, but I didn't know what to do. I tried even harder to obey Victoria, hoping she would be happy and say nice things about me to Julian.

One evening, Julian’s company had a major charity gala, and he was taking Victoria as his date. Victoria chose a stunning silver gown, pairing it with dazzling diamond earrings.

She stood in front of the mirror like a proud princess. I peeked from behind the door, my eyes full of envy. She noticed me and waved me in. "Chloe, come here." I walked over.

She picked up a velvet jewelry box from the vanity, pulling out a necklace. "Is it pretty?" I nodded eagerly. "So pretty." It was a diamond necklace, matching her earrings, glittering brilliantly under the lights. "Do you want to try it on?" she asked.

I was stunned. "Let me put it on you, okay?" She smiled warmly. Feeling incredibly flattered, I nodded hesitantly. She actually clasped the necklace around my neck.

It felt cold and luxurious against my skin. I couldn't help but touch it, a bright smile spreading across my face. Suddenly, Victoria’s expression twisted in pain.

She clutched her stomach. "Oh... my stomach hurts so bad... Chloe, can you run down to the pharmacy at the corner and get me some antacids?

I can barely walk." "Okay!" I agreed without a second thought. I was so happy to be useful to her.

I spun around and ran out of the house, completely forgetting about the necklace still around my neck. I ran all the way down the street, bought the medicine panting, and ran back.

But when I pushed the front door open, the scene inside turned my blood to ice. Julian was already home. Victoria was weeping in his arms.

And my bedroom door was wide open, the inside completely ransacked. "Julian... my necklace is gone... the one you bought me..." Julian saw me enter, and his face turned absolutely stormy.

His gaze locked onto my neck. Where Victoria’s "missing" diamond necklace was shining brightly.

"Chloe, what is that on your neck?" Julian’s voice was dead cold. I instinctively reached for my neck, only then realizing I had forgotten to take it off. "Victoria...

Victoria put it on me..." I scrambled to explain. "I put it on you?" Victoria looked up, her face drenched in tears, looking at me in utter disbelief. "Chloe, how can you lie like that?

I just asked you to hold it for a second.

How could you put it on, and then... and then tear your room apart like this..." She pointed to my messy room, sobbing harder. "I know you like the necklace.

If you wanted it, you could have just asked me. I would have asked Julian to buy you one... How could you steal it?" Steal? I didn't. "I didn't!" I cried out. "I didn't steal it!

Victoria told me to go get her medicine, and I forgot—" "Medicine? When did I ask you to get medicine?" Victoria looked baffled. "I feel perfectly fine.

Why would I need medicine?" She was acting. She was acting so well that for a second, even I wondered if I had imagined it.

Julian looked at me, the sheer disappointment in his eyes threatening to drown me. He walked over, step by step, and personally unclasped the necklace from my neck.

His touch was gentle, but it felt like a blade slicing my skin. "Chloe," he said, his voice quiet and heavy. "I am so disappointed in you." He handed the necklace back to Victoria, then grabbed my arm and dragged me into my room.

The door slammed shut, and I heard the lock click from the outside. "Lock yourself in and think about what you did!

You are not coming out until you realize your mistake!" I banged on the door, crying hysterically. "Julian! I didn't steal it! Open the door! Julian!" But there was no reply.

Only Victoria’s fake, soft pleadings from the hallway. "Julian, don't be too hard on her, she's still a child..." "She's old enough to know right from wrong!

If I don't correct her now, she’ll end up a criminal!" Then came Julian’s comforting murmurs to her, and their footsteps fading away. I was locked in the pitchblack room.

Darkness and isolation swallowed me like a cold tide. I cried until my throat was raw, then curled up in the corner, clutching my knees, shivering. Why?

Why didn't Julian believe me? I tried so hard to be good. Why did he only believe Victoria? In the mirror on the wall, I saw my pathetic reflection.

A girl with messy hair, a tearstained face—a broken little freak. I stared at my reflection, looking into my own bloodshot eyes.

But underneath the terror and the hurt, there was... a spark. Something long forgotten, buried deep in the recesses of my mind, was beginning to wake up.

Suddenly, flashes of the fire from five years ago rushed into my brain. The roaring flames, the suffocating black smoke, the searing heat... Julian didn't carry me out. It was me.

I had used every ounce of my strength to push his larger body out of the collapsing doorway. And then, the burning support beam fell, crashing directly onto my skull.