Because I Once Saw the Light

On the day Mom and Dad divorced, two divorce agreements lay on the table.

The first one stated that the child was to stay in the old house in the old town with Dad, Chuck Browning, who was addicted to gambling and riddled with debt.

The second one stated that the child was to go to the coastal town with Mom, Marina Dillon, who had remarried a wealthy businessman.

In my previous life, my younger sister, Tamara Browning, cried and begged to stay with Mom, so I silently packed my bags and went with Dad instead.

Later on, Dad quit his gambling habits and received a large settlement for selling off his old house in a land expropriation project, and that was when he began pampering and showering me with affection.

Meanwhile, Tamara suffered emotional abuse at her stepfather's home as she was forbidden from leaving the house at all. Eventually, she died of depression.

Now that we were reborn, Tamara snatched the cigarette away from Dad's fingers and hugged him tightly.

"I feel sorry for Dad, Tiana. You can go ahead and enjoy your life with Mom. I'll let you take it."

Dad was stunned momentarily. Then, he stroked Tamara's head with a look of relief.

I said nothing and picked up the train ticket that would bring me to the coastal town.

Tamara had no idea that Dad only managed to quit his gambling habits because I had worked myself to the bone paying off his debts while suffering from a brain tumor. Dad finally saw the error of his ways after I nearly gave up my life for him.

And now that I was reborn, I no longer had to put up with the voices of the debt collectors hounding us anymore. All I wanted was just a good night's sleep.

…

I picked up my worn-out suitcase.

"Get out of here. Go look for your gold digger of a mother instead," Dad said, waving his hand dismissively at me like I was just an annoying fly.

Tamara hid behind him and made a face at me. She mouthed, "Don't come begging me for money the next time you see me!"

I smiled and said nothing. Instead, I turned around and walked out into the rain, flinching at the cold. I could feel the chill seeping into my bones.

It wouldn't make much of a difference wherever I went anyway. I just wanted someplace quiet to spend the last of my days, getting through everything.

At least, I no longer needed to hear the debt collectors hounding at the door or put up with the horrible stench of cigarettes anymore.

Mom's black Mercedes was parked at the entrance to an alleyway. The car windows rolled down, revealing Mom's youthful, well-maintained face.

She frowned as she stared at my drenched body, a look of disgust in her eyes.

"How did you end up like this? Hurry up and get it. And make sure not to dirty the interior of the car."

I opened the back seat door and was just about to enter when she said, "Throw that suitcase into the back."

She pointed at my suitcase and said, "That's so filthy. I don't even know what germs it's covered in."

I hesitated for a moment. However, I still did as she said and put the suitcase in the trunk of the car.

When I finally got back inside the car, I did my best to stay in a corner and take up as little space as possible, not daring to touch the leather seats.

The air conditioning in the car had been turned on, but I still felt very cold.

"Make sure you behave yourself when we reach that place, Tiana," Mom said, looking at me in the rearview mirror while driving. "Your new stepfather doesn't like noise. Stay in your room as much as possible and don't come out.

"Don't chew with your mouth open, and don't drag your feet on the floor while walking. Also, don't you ever bring up your dad. He's nothing but bad luck."

I looked at the fleeting raindrops outside the window and nodded.

"Got it."

I felt a sudden sharp pain in my brain. My vision went black for a while, and I hurriedly held my head in my hand.

"What's wrong?" Mom asked, sounding impatient.

"Nothing. Just a little carsick."

"You're so delicate," she said with a scoff. "Just like your dad."

I closed my eyes and forcefully swallowed the metallic taste rising in my throat.

I didn't want to come back here anymore if I could be reborn again.

The car drove on for five hours. It was dark by the time we arrived at the huge mansion located halfway up the mountain.

The place was flooded with lights. However, it was as quiet as death itself.

"We're here," Mom said, parking the car and touching up her lipstick. Then, she inhaled deeply as she reconditioned herself.

Soon, she turned from the harsh and irritable woman earlier into a kind and understanding wife and mother.

"Let's go. Remember to greet your stepfather properly later."

I dragged my suitcase with me and walked after Mom.

There was a man seated in the center of the couch in the living room. A blanket was draped over his lap, and he was holding a book in his hands.

He looked up when he heard us at the door.

This was my new stepfather, Leonard Newton.