14
As the final bell signaling the end of the exam rang out,
The semester came to a close.
87
I bought my ticket to Chicago and realized while packing that I didn’t really have much to
take with me.
The day before I left, I finally caught my stepmother who hadn’t been home for days.
When she saw me come out of my room, she sat on the sofa without even lifting an
eyelid.
I stood in front of her, blocking her view of the TV.
“Get lost,” she frowned impatiently.
I put the bank card in my hand on the table.
My stepmother finally looked at me:
“What’s this? You want money? No way!”
I smiled:
“This is for you. Consider it a thank you for not abandoning me, raising me, and letting me go to school back then.”
During that time when we relied on each other for survival,
Although she often cursed and complained, when she saw me envying other people’s
new clothes, she would use her meager salary to buy some for me.
During exams, she would try to cook for me like other parents did.
But people are complex and always changing.
I continued:
13:01 Sun, 2 Mar G
<
“I’ve already arranged my transfer. I’ll move out after this, and let’s end our relationship
here.”
-Smack!
The remote control was thrown violently, hitting my head.
“Now you want to leave? Giving me money, how much can you give me…*
“One million dollars.”
I said lightly.
My stepmother’s cursing stopped, and she just stared at me with wide eyes.
“Where… where did you get so much money?”
After a while, my stepmother finally found her voice.
“Zachary Goodwin gave it to me.”
I looked at my stepmother’s confused gaze, realizing she didn’t know about Zachary’s
existence.
That time when my stepfather was beaten and hospitalized, she was only told it was revenge from a business rival.
She didn’t care about anything related to me.
I sighed and said frankly: “A man.”
-Smack!
A heavy slap landed on my face the moment I finished speaking.
It hurt much more than when Chloe hit me.
The pain twisted my heart.
13:02 Sun, 2 Mar Gw
<
“Lily, have you no shame! Have you no shame!”
My stepmother screamed at me.
As if she had seen something dirty.
87%
I lowered my head and started laughing softly, the laughter growing louder, my shoulders beginning to shake.
In the end, I even laughed until tears came out.
“Shame? What’s that? Can it save my life?”
I raised my head and looked my stepmother in the eye.
“Shame? Can it stop my stepfather from harassing me, can it stop him from trying to open my door every night?”
“Can it stop him from always trying to peek at me while I’m showering?”
“Can it stop him from looking at me with those disgusting eyes? Can it stop him from having the chance to violate me?”
With each sentence, I took a step forward, forcing my stepmother to sit back on the sofa.
“You… you’re making things up, he… he just…”
“Just wanted to care for me? Just wanted to get closer to me? Is that what you want to say? Do you really believe that? If you really think so, why are you always unwilling to come home? Are you afraid to face me?”
I laughed out loud.
“You’ve ruined yourself, you’ve ruined yourself!”
My stepmother cried at me, her voice hoarse.
“What do you mean by ruin? I was slapped and slandered at school, almost violated ‘at home, that’s what you call ruin.”
<
19
Sun, 2 Mär
