Chapter 44

Bryan pushed himself up from the bed, his heart racing as he hastily stuffed a handful of clothes into a small bag. "Mom, please, just let me go," he pleaded, his voice strained with emotion. "Wherever I end up, I'll be okay." He paused, taking a deep, shaky breath.

Claudia shook her head in disappointment, her tone firm. "No, Bryan, you're not going anywhere. Haven't you caused us enough trouble already? You really need to get it together!" She exclaimed, her frustration evident.

Unfortunately, Mr. Markson wasn't home when all of this unfolded, leaving Claudia to deal with the situation alone. She did her best, but Bryan was being particularly challenging. "Do you even care how your dad would react to this?" Claudia exclaimed, her voice laced with frustration and anger.

"I don't care, Mom! And besides, he's not even my real dad!" Bryan interrupted, his tone disrespectful. Claudia's frustration boiled over, and she slapped him. "How dare you, Bryan? How dare you raise your voice at me