They Chose Her, so I Chose to Cut Ties

I was stunned for a few seconds before I tapped into the person's account with trembling fingers.The newest photo showed Mom and Dad standing in front of Angelo Tower with a woman, who looked to be about the same age as me.The woman was dressed in Verisio's latest haute couture-style from head to toe. The bag she was carrying was worth a year of Mom's and Dad's supposed salary.Mom was looking at the camera with love overflowing from her eyes as she locked arms with the woman.Meanwhile, Dad, who always claimed that he was swamped with work, was making a heart sign with the woman.There were also a few shopping bags from luxury brands in the background of the photo.My fingertips felt ice cold as I scrolled back to the replies."I already brought my princess to Enora to celebrate her graduation last week."The person had also left a new reply under the previous one."But I still want to plan a surprise for her, so I booked the banquet hall on the top floor of the hotel to th

I looked up at Mom while clinging to one last thread of hope."I've never cared about the amount of money that you give me, Mom. I don't need a laptop, and I don't need a trip to Enora. I just want to experience the things that rightfully belong to me. Am I wrong for thinking that way?"I want to know without a doubt that you and Dad will always be my pillars of support during my 18th birthday."I wished that I could cut my heart from my chest and show her my inner thoughts. I wanted her to know that I had strived to be as mature as possible in the last 18 years—to know that I had always been understanding of their plights.But what about Mom? Why was she staying silent? Why wasn't she tripping over herself to give me an explanation and promise that she would compensate me?Why wasn't she crying while telling me that she had her reasons? Why wasn't she telling me that I was the only daughter that she loved?"Say something!" I shouted as I shoved her.Mom was shocked by my sudden

Melissa and I waited for Mom's response.The color drained from her face as she looked between both of us.In the end, she grit her teeth and approached me. She lowered her voice and asked pleadingly, "Can you go home for now, Ally? We can talk about this later. I'll definitely explain everything to you."Mom had made her choice. She chose to ask me to step back. She chose to ask me to leave—to continue being the daughter who never gave her any trouble.My heart felt cold and numb, but the pain had disappeared.As I looked at her anxious face, I felt nothing but exhaustion and a sense of ridiculousness."I'll leave."I ended up bumping into Dad right after I stepped through the door."I bought your favorite cake for you, Mel! I had to visit three different stores before I managed to get my hands on this limited edition—"The smile on his face stiffened when he saw me, his gleeful expression morphing into a bewildered one."A-Ally? What are you doing here? Your mother said…"

I ignored Mom's and Dad's attempts to convince me to stay and moved out of the house.My suitcase was barely half-full. Most of my belongings had memories that were related to my previous life, so I left them behind.Mom planted herself in the doorway and cried until she nearly passed out. Meanwhile, Dad told me over and over again about how I would always have a home with them with reddened eyes.I remained silent throughout the entire exchange and didn't spare a single glance back at them when I left.I could tell that their tears were genuine, and they truly wanted me to stay. However, my decision to leave was also real.It was impossible for them to smooth over the stress and injustice that I was forced to endure for the last 18 years with just some tears and a few weak words.I needed a space that completely belonged to me, so that I could lick my wounds and rediscover myself.…Mom called me when I applied to university. Her words were colored with a hint of hope as she s

The days flew by after I started university. I intentionally immersed myself in thoughts of the future.Mom and Dad never stopped sending me messages, asking me about my well-being."The temperature's dropping today. Remember to bundle up.""Does the food in the canteen suit your tastes? You should refrain from only eating spicy foods."I replied to all their messages with a short and simple, "Okay."Money was transferred into my account twice a month.The first transfer was the money that Mom and Dad said they owed me. It was usually a large sum.The second transfer was money for my daily expenses. I couldn't spend it all most of the time.Mom and Dad also freed up their schedules to visit me once a month without fail. It was as if they had somehow gotten their hands on a copy of my schedule since they would always show up when I didn't have class or during the weekend.Our meetings were always brief. They would give me some presents and chat with me for a short while befor