The narrator, Elisa, recounts her childhood and complicated family dynamics. She was the favored child, and her mother constantly praised her intelligence and achievements while belittling her sisters, particularly Bella, who was portrayed as jealous and resentful. Elisa's mother was emotionally abusive to Bella, and Elisa often felt sorry for her but didn't intervene.
As Elisa grew older, she won a science competition and was accepted into NASA's junior space program. Her mother was proud but struggling financially after losing her job. Elisa tried to help by offering her prize money, but her mother refused.
When Elisa returned home from her program, she discovered that her mother and sisters had been using her prize money without her knowledge or consent. She also overheard a conversation between her mother and sisters, revealing that they had been manipulating and using her for their own gain.
It turned out that Elisa's father had left the house in her name, and she had the rightful ownership. She had the police remove her mother and sisters, and she sold the house to start a new life, leaving her past behind.
Here are the extracted facts:
1. Elisa is the eldest of three daughters.
2. Elisa's mom favored her over her sisters.
3. Elisa's sister Bella failed every subject in the third grade.
4. Elisa's teachers praised her at a parent-teacher meeting.
5. Bella grabbed a chair and flung it at Elisa, missing her by an inch.
6. Bella was grounded and had to write "please forgive me" to Elisa a thousand times.
7. Bella's apology note to Elisa said "I'll get you next time".
8. Bella sabotaged Elisa's lemonade, making it taste like soap.
9. Elisa made lemonade for their guests.
10. Guests spat out the lemonade and described it as disgusting.
11. Bella was accused of tampering with the lemonade.
12. Elisa's mom defended her, saying she was perfect and could make mistakes.
13. Bella was sent to get coffee.
14. Bella spat in Elisa's face when no one was looking.
15. Elisa's sister Vienna was kind and took care of her.
16. Elisa saved up her pocket money to buy her mom a sweater for Christmas.
17. Bella burned the sweater in the fireplace.
18. Elisa's mom was devastated by the loss of the sweater.
19. Bella threatened to set Elisa and her mom's hair on fire while they were sleeping.
20. Elisa and her mom got into a fight with Bella.
21. Bella was described as a mother's worst nightmare by their mom.
22. Elisa's mom sent Bella to her aunt, but later changed her mind.
23. Elisa was close to her sister Vienna.
24. Elisa was tasked with making lemonade for their guests.
25. Bella was mean to Elisa at a cousin's wedding.
26. Elisa was the maid of honor at the wedding.
27. Bella stepped on Elisa's foot at the wedding.
28. Elisa's cousin accused her of stealing the wedding rings.
29. Elisa and Vienna were locked in a storage room at the wedding.
30. Elisa's mom asked her to participate in a national-level science competition.
31. The first prize of the competition was $50,000.
32. Elisa won the science competition.
33. Bella was jealous of Elisa's success.
34. Elisa's mom did not want to use Elisa's prize money for herself.
35. Elisa applied for NASA's junior space program.
36. Elisa was selected for a three-month course at NASA.
37. Elisa's mom was laid off from her job.
38. Elisa's scholarship to NASA was fully paid.
39. Elisa's prize money arrived before she left for NASA.
40. Elisa's mom was proud of her and did not want to use her prize money.
41. Elisa did not want to ask her mom for money while she was at NASA.
42. Elisa finished her course at NASA earlier than expected.
43. Elisa decided to return home without telling her family.
44. Elisa's mom and sister Vienna were happy to see her.
45. Bella was not happy to see Elisa and threw away the gift Elisa gave her.
46. Elisa's prize money had arrived at her home.
47. Elisa's mom wanted to keep the prize money at home.
48. Elisa's mom took her family out for dinner to celebrate her return.
49. A week later, Elisa's mom was screaming at someone.
50. Policemen arrived at Elisa's home with a notice.
51. The notice stated that Elisa's mom and sisters were living in the house illegally.
52. The rightful owner of the house was Elisa, according to her father's will.
53. Elisa's mom and sisters were evicted from the house.
54. Elisa sold the house and left her family behind.
55. Elisa started a new life, leaving her past behind.