Chapter 3 A Man's Promise

My mother's breathing caught. When she spoke, her voice was strained with impatience. "Your dad and I are both home. Whatever it is, we can talk about it when you get back."

I scoffed, but I hurried home anyway.

When I was in the cab, I couldn't help thinking about my previous life.

Whenever I got sick, my mother would only say over the phone, "I'm busy. You're old enough to take care of yourself."

Yet, my mother could journey through the night whenever Cecilia said she felt sick. She would drive from out of town just to hold her and murmur, "You poor thing. You've been through so much."

When I ranked first in my grade, I remembered how I had excitedly placed my report card on the table.

My father barely gave it a glance before saying, "Oh." Then, he would immediately turn to put food in Cecilia's bowl. A drop of grease had landed on my report card, as if to prove how little it was worth to him.

Eventually, I stopped telling them anything.

My certificates piled up in the bottom drawer, along with the part of me that still wanted to be seen.

I told myself it was okay. I kept chanting to myself that everything would get better once I got into college, once I left this family behind.

That was when the kidnappers came.

Surviving had been nothing but luck. The image of my parents choosing to die for Cecilia became my nightmare.

It tormented me day and night. I kept turning everything over in my mind until I threw myself from a high-rise and ended my life just to make the pain stop.

In my previous life, things didn't get better.

Not even once.

The cab stopped outside the house. I paid and got out.

The moment I opened the door, I saw my parents sitting on the couch, looking at me with detached expressions.

My mother ordered, "Go pack your things. You're coming with us. Now."

"I'm not going anywhere. You need to go to the school and get my enrollment reinstated," I stated firmly.

My father slammed his hand against the coffee table. "We drove all the way back to pick you up, and you're still not satisfied? Are you really going to make a scene over this?"

My mother frowned. "Exactly. We found you the best high school in Ashford. What's the point of staying at this school?"

She sounded as if I were a disobedient mutt. To them, they had given me better food, but I was still turning my nose up at it.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm. "Fine. Tell me what you want."

They both froze. "What?"

"What do I have to give you for you to agree to help me get my enrollment reinstated?"

My mother's expression changed. There was a strange hurt in her eyes. "Why are you talking like we're forcing you to do something? The new school has better teachers. We're doing this for your own good. You'll understand someday…"

My father took a drag of his cigarette and spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Your sister doesn't do well in school. The family business will depend on you someday, so you need to follow the path we've laid out for you. You can't just do whatever you want."

He tapped the ash from his cigarette and added, "When we're gone, you and your sister will still have each other."

I understood then what was going on.

They didn't want me close. They weren't afraid to lose me. They simply saw me as Cecilia's safety net for the rest of her life.

I clenched my fists and finally asked the question I had never been able to ask in my previous life. "I'm your biological daughter. Why do you favor an outsider over me?"

"An outsider?" My mother's voice hardened with displeasure.

Then, she hissed, "We watched your sister grow up. We've always treated her like our own daughter. She's sweet and has a good personality. The poor dear even lost her parents. Who wouldn't feel sorry for a girl like that?"

My father stubbed out his cigarette. "I promised her parents I'd take good care of her. I can't go back on my word."

His voice was low. "That's a man's promise."

And so, they became Cecilia's parents, while they made me an orphan.

It didn't matter how well I did, for I could never compete with Cecilia's sweet words.

My mother must have noticed something was wrong with my expression because she quickly continued, "We wouldn't favor your sister if you possessed even half of your sister's sweetness.

"Think about it. What kind of attitude have you been giving us for all these years? You've always had that cold look on your face, as if the whole family owes you something. If you want someone to blame, blame yourself."

I lowered my head as a bitter, self-mocking smile tugged at my lips.

There was no point arguing anymore.

When I looked up again, the hurt in my eyes had turned to cold indifference. "Fine. I'll go to Ashford. However, I'm finishing my high school education here. After high school, I'll apply to a university in Ashford and follow the path you want me to."

My parents exchanged a look.

"If you don't agree, I'll drop out. You can go find yourselves another heir."

The room fell silent for two seconds.

My father lit another cigarette without saying a word. My mother looked at him.

They lowered their voices.

"Maybe it's better if she stays here. Otherwise, Cecilia might get the wrong idea."

"Fine. We'll do it her way."

I heard every word they said.

For some reason, I didn't even have the energy to mock them.

After a long pause, my mother nodded. "If you really want to stay, then stay for two more years. Once you finish the high school, you are to come to Ashford immediately."

The next day, they went to the school and helped me get my enrollment reinstated.

After the paperwork was finished, my mother pulled a bank card from her purse and pressed it into my hand. "There's enough money on it to last you a while. Take care of yourself."

Money had always been the easiest way for them to dismiss me.

In my previous life, my parents had used it again and again to make up for their guilt.

Alas, all I had ever wanted was their love.

This time, I didn't care for their love. So, I took the card, slipped it into my pocket, and said curtly, "Got it."

They got into the car. My mother rolled down the window. She parted her lips as if she still wanted to say something.

I turned and walked away without even sparing them another glance.

Now, I no longer cared for their guilt, nor did I want their love.

Cold, hard cash was enough.