Chapter 4

The young woman, who was in the middle of changing clothes, yelped indignantly and covered her body when the door swung open.

"Are you part of the housekeeping crew? What are you doing? I already told you I don't need your services. How dare you barge in of your own volition?"

The woman's makeup was exquisite, and she was wearing a gown that was worth at least 1,000 dollars.

Meanwhile, Mom stood behind her like her personal guard.

Silence descended upon the room as we made eye contact with each other.

I stared at the diamond-studded high heels that the woman was wearing, each diamond sparkling radiantly.

Last month, I had found the same pair of high heels in Mom's closet and assumed that they were my birthday presents.

I had secretly tried them on, thinking that they looked incredibly classy. I had also felt ecstatic that Mom was finally willing to spend a bit more money to buy a presentable birthday gift for me.

However, the high heels disappeared the next day.

When I asked Mom about them, she stammered about how she had returned them because they were too expensive.

It turned out that the high heels were actually meant for the woman before me.

I suppressed the bitter sensation spreading through me and stormed into the room, ignoring the woman's shocked expression.

The whole room was decorated with the woman's photos, showcasing her growth from a baby to an 18-year-old. There were so many photos that they covered every inch of available wall space.

I had never set foot into a photo studio since I was born. I didn't have a single presentable photo to my name.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

I remembered how my school held an award ceremony after the high school entrance exams were over. Outstanding students were allowed to drop by the photography department to have their photos taken for free.

I was over the moon with joy when I had my photos taken, but in the end, Mom forbade me from buying the photos because I had to pay an extra 10 dollars for them.

"You can buy two pounds of pork ribs for 10 dollars. Isn't it better to spend the money on that instead?"

The photos of the woman were like a slap across my face, reminding me of that unfair treatment that I had been unwittingly forced to endure.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! I can't believe that this hotel has such abysmal security. If you don't get out right now, I'm going to lodge a complaint about you for trespassing!" the woman shrieked.

"Wait, Melissa," Mom said in a rush.

She then turned to me and said, "Listen to me, Ally—"

"Why?" I demanded as I turned to glare at her. "Are you going to explain to me that you've been treating your own daughter like trash while cherishing another's daughter like a precious treasure? Are you going to cry to me about how poor you are while showering her with money? Well? Say something!"

My voice echoed around the spacious presidential suite.

Melissa seemed to finally understand what was going on. She loosened her grip and stared at Mom with a complicated look in her eyes.

"Mom? Didn't you tell me that I'm the only daughter that you'll ever have? Who is she? Am I not your biological daughter?"

Mom's face turned a ruddy red. A long time passed, but she couldn't string a proper sentence together.

I barked out a self-deprecating laugh.

I had been desperate for an answer before I followed Mom to the hotel.

The answer was painfully obvious now.

I never existed in the life that Mom presented to the outside world. She had shown me how she behaved toward a daughter whom she actually loved. She would shower her with her time, money, and love.

She gave Melissa everything that she wanted while neglecting my basic needs. She would rather save money than give me milk.

Melissa was allowed to enroll in an international school. Meanwhile, I waited 18 years just for her to tell me that I had to be understanding because our family was poor.

I laughed until tears pricked at my eyes. My hand was shaking when I pointed at Melissa and asked a question that I already had the answer to.

"Who is she?"

Mom was wearing an unreadable expression. She opened her mouth, but she didn't say a word. A long time passed before a wonky smile stretched across her face.

"You already know, don't you? You don't need to ask me this."

I lost it when I heard how broken she sounded.

I dashed forward and tore down the colorful streamers in the room. I then ripped the posters and photos to shreds. I didn't bat an eye when I swept the expensive makeup products off the table, sending them clattering all over the floor.

Melissa shrieked and tried to stop me, but I just shoved her aside, sending her stumbling to the floor.

Mom immediately pounced on me, berating me for raising my hand against another person.

I laughed, my hysteria giving way to anguished hopelessness.

The answer that I had been looking for was thrust in my face again and again, but I didn't care how many times I was forced to face it.

"So, is she your biological daughter?"

I needed to have all the answers. I needed to hear the unbearable truth with my own two ears.

I could only be reborn after my heart died.

I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I couldn't torture myself while clinging to false hope.

I had to cut ties with Mom completely.