“Please forgive me. I never do this again. I’ll try harder so please release me from this. I’m begging you. Please, aunty, I’m scared of the dark. Please.” Irene.  For 18 years I’ve been treated this way. My own family abandoned me and never looked for me. Not even once. I have always been treated like a maid in this crook family. They said that my parents abandoned me just because I was born a girl. I have never wanted to be born in this world. I don’t even been given a choice to choose my own gender. Is it true what they said?

At the age of 3 months, I was sent back to stay with my parent’s friend in the countryside. At first, they treated me right, but after they got their own kid, things just got worst. They have been using the money that my parents gave me for their kids. I only can eat once a day. The nanny that was in charge of taking care of me was fired and I was left alone in this house. I need to clean the house and cook breakfast and lunch before going to school. I’ve been working like this since I was 12 years old. Every day becomes harder and harder.

6 March – It was my birthday today. No one ever celebrates it since my nanny has gone. All I have is just a packet of Choco pie. I think this would be enough to replace the cake. Now that I had my legal age, I can finally get out of this house once and for all. The money that I’ve been saving would be enough for me to rent a house.

Tuk tuk tuk. “Excuse me. Is this Park Jungwon's house?” Bae J