Chapter 3
I was just testing the waters, but I never expected to hit Mom’s real feelings like that.]
My heart sank. I stared at her, totally stunned.[]
Everything she said was true–except all that crap was Emma’s doing. She just threw me under the bus every single time.]
She was terrified Mom and Dad would blame her, scared it’d screw up her perfect transcript.[]
So me–a year younger but somehow in her grade–became her scapegoat again and again.
Tears started streaming down my face as I looked at Mom
“Is that really how you see me? Like I’m just… nothing?”
“If you can’t stand me, why’d you even have mer
“God, if I’d known, I would’ve saved us all the trouble!”
CRACK-
She hit me even harder, and everything went fuzzy.
Mom was panting, staring me down.[]
“Is that how you talk to your mother? I’ve been busting my ass for twenty–five years raising you, and now you’re acting like I’m your worst enemy?“]
“So what if I give you hell? I’m your mom, you’re my daughter–who else am I gonna take it out on? If you weren’t mine, some family would’ve married you off by now just to get rid of you!”
“The only reason I haven’t kicked you out is because you’re my blood![]
Claire, let me spell it out for you–if I wasn’t stuck being your mother, I wouldn’t put up with your shit for five minutes!
I’m literally the only person on this planet who could stand living with your
Every word was like getting stabbed in the chest.
It hurt so bad I kept wanting to ask her the question that’d been killing me.]
In my past life, when Emma murdered me, Mom found my body first.
Her first thought wasn’t about getting me justice.]
It was covering Emma’s ass.]
She staged the whole thing–made it look like I’d gotten blackout drunk and some random creep had assaulted and killed me.
ade up some bullshit alibi
In court, she straight up lied for Emma. Made
Since coming back, I kept wondering why she’d do that.
But now? Now it all made perfect sense
Hot tears burned my fucking cheeks.[]
I nodded.
“Tine. I’ll leave. Just like you want.“[]
I turned to go pack my stuff.
But Dad stepped right in front of me, blocking my path with his arms spread out.]
Where’s my money?”
“What money?”
“The cash I dropped raising your worthless ass for twenty–five years! Don’t play dumb with mer
Dad spit right next to my feet, his cigarette smoke making my eyes water.
“Don’t think you can just walk out and forget about it. You’re not leaving this goddamn house until I get every penny back!”
I couldn’t fucking believe it. I wanted to cut ties with them, and their first reaction wasn’t to think about what they’d done wrong, or worry about me.
They wanted me to PAY THEM BACK
Something inside my chest just… died.
“How much?”
My voice sounded so cold and dead I barely recognized it.
Dad held up five fingers.]
“Tifty grand? I don’t have that right now, but I can write you an IOU. Soon as I earn it, I’ll pay you back.“]
When I tried to step around him. Dad just laughed.
“Fifty grand? You think I’m some kind of charity case?”
“TIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND!”
I was so pissed I shot back
“Where the hell am I supposed to get five hundred grand? What, you want me to rob a bank like Enuna? I actually give a damn about doing the right thing–I can’t sink that low”
Next thing I knew, Dad yanked off his shoe and whacked me across the face with it.
“Don’t you dare talk back to me! Show some respectr“]
“No five hundred grand, no walking out that door!”
“I already lined up a husband for you. Bride price is exactly five hundred grand. Can’t pay up? Then you’re gonna earn it the hard way!“]
Emma sat there munching on watermelon, playing innocent.]
“Five hundred grand? Wait, is that the creepy old guy whose wives keep mysteriously dying?“|||
“Dad, you actually pulled that off? hero!“[]
Damn, you’re good! M
Dad didn’t even look at her, just kept smacking me harder.
I crashed to the floor, blood running down my forehead.
Dirt and crap from his shoe kept raining down on me with every hit.[]
I was sobbing, begging Mom to help
She just looked at me like I was nothing and went into the kitchen.
When she came back, she was carrying a plate of peeled fruit.]
“Emma, honey, you had such a long day. Have some of these–they’re your favorites. I did them all by hand, nice and fresh. How do they taste?*
Something inside me just died.
The tears turned into this crazy, broken laugh.]
“Fine. You want five hu
five hundred grand? I’ll write you the damn IOU and pay back every cent.“]
“But here’s the deal–I’m cutting ties with all of your
