Chapter 2

After all, I hadn't kept Mom or Dad company at home ever since marrying Kevin and moving in with him, and it had made me very accommodating with my family's demands.

I even repeatedly tolerated it when they started replacing me in the family portraits with Vivian's photos and serving only her favorite dishes during every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner over the past few years.

I even comforted myself, saying that it was good for someone to keep Mom and Dad company while I wasn't at home. I thought that nothing else mattered as long as my parents were happy.

But now, the persimmon incident had thoroughly woken me up from my delusions.

Since they were treating me like an outsider, there was no point in my continuing to make a fool of myself.

I chuckled coldly and said, "I'm not thinking of doing anything. I just wish you and your family all the best."

After that, I went into my room to pack up my things.

Dad came in after me and slapped me hard across the cheek.

"Don't you know that it's Christmas! What do you think you're doing with that damn attitude of yours? It was just a damn persimmon! Why the hell must you make the entire family so awkward and uncomfortable over that?

"And as for Vivian, don't you know that she's already been reserved enough while living with us as a family? What the hell was your outburst for, embarrassing her like that?

"You're just set on making things difficult for your mom and me, aren't you, you ungrateful brat?"

My head was slapped to the side. I then glared at him.

Before coming back for Christmas, I had specifically told them I would arrive a day or two early to spend the holiday season with them, but none of them came to pick me up from the station. They said that they were busy at home and couldn't get to me.

However, Vivian had posted multiple Instagram stories of her out Christmas shopping with Mom and Dad that very same day.

Her captions read, "It feels so good being spoiled and pampered at home! I told Mom and Dad that they didn't have to come with me, but they insisted. I guess it can't be helped that I mean the world to them!"

I had felt upset about it and questioned Mom and Dad at once. However, they got mad at me instead and chided, "Viv was the one busying herself taking care of your dad while he was hospitalized! It's only right that we accompany her out on a shopping spree!

"So what if we never picked you up? How could you be so jealous and petty over such a tiny thing?"

They had completely forgotten that I was the one who paid for Dad's entire hospital bill. I'd even purposely taken a whole week off work to come back and care for him.

Yet Vivian only showed up at the hospital for a few days, and suddenly she was the one "busy taking care of Dad" instead.

I'd stood at the station in the frigid cold, tears rolling down my cheeks as I waited for nearly two hours before I finally got an Uber.

Things like this have been happening ever since Vivian arrived in this household. Every time Mom and Dad were displeased about something, they would immediately blame it on me.

They blamed me for moving away from them after marrying Kevin and told me that Vivian was the only one keeping them company. They called me an ingrate and a jealous bitch.

And now that I thought of it, I had indeed been demanding too much of them as an outsider after all.

Dad got goosebumps as I kept staring at him. He cleared his throat.

"You only said all those things because you wanted us to pay more attention to you, didn't you? But you're never home. Viv's the one who's been with us the entire time.

"And yet, you come home and make a huge fuss about it because of your jealousy and pettiness. Is that what your mom and I taught you when you were young?

"You'd better put that attitude away while you're back. Stop making the entire family awkward and upset during the holiday season. And don't do this again. You're being exceptionally rude. Now go out and help your mom with dinner!"

I glanced out the door and saw Vivian sitting comfortably on the couch, munching away on a fruit platter, and Mom busying herself in the kitchen alone.

I thought about the past when Mom and Dad used to spoil and baby me, putting me first in everything they did.

They would still wake up early on winter mornings to send me to school, even when they were ill or feeling under the weather. They would also take half a day off work just to pick me up from the station whenever I came home for the holidays during my college years.

I told them that I was already an adult and could do things by myself, but they refused to listen and told me, "It doesn't matter how old you get, Rene. You'll always be our precious baby daughter."