Startseite / Emotional Realism Kurzgeschichte / Loyalty Quiz Night: I Exit the Family / Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 9

Alle Kapitel von Loyalty Quiz Night: I Exit the Family: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 9

9 Kapitel

Chapter 1

"Congratulations, Ms. Fraser!" the host announced. I looked at the nine lights glowing beside Megan Fraser, the girl my mom had adopted, and said flatly, "I guess there's no need to talk about officially acknowledging me as part of the family anymore."Megan froze for a moment before slipping her arm around my mom's. Her eyes quickly turned red."Don't be upset, Kathy. I've simply been with Mom longer. Maybe one day, when you truly get to know her, I'll let you wear this brooch," she sneered and deliberately emphasized the words "let you wear".My mom, Yvonne Nevill, gently patted Megan's hand and looked at me with disappointment."Kathy, just because you're my flesh and blood doesn't mean you really know me. When you learn to see us as your family, I'll officially acknowledge you as my daughter." My brother, Josh Fraser, stood off to the side with a deep frown."Kathy, you've been back for three years, and you didn't even know Mom hates taking medicine?" he said, his voice fu

Chapter 2

"Where's my gift?" I stood at the entrance of the storage room backstage, looking at the staff member in charge of the party.He pointed to a box in the corner and said awkwardly, "Ms. Stroud, your stuff is over there."I walked over and opened the box. Inside lay a beautifully bound volume of letters.I had spent half a year searching through second-hand bookstores, then worked with a professional restorer to piece together the letters my parents had exchanged when they were young.Tucked inside the first page was a dried white camellia. It was the first flower my dad had ever given my mom.Of course, I knew my mom's favorite flower, but I had written "lily" as my answer for that game.After my dad passed away, my mom would break down every time she saw a white camellia. The doctor advised her to avoid anything that could trigger an emotional reaction.For the past three years, the only flowers she kept in her study were lilies, which helped calm her and ease her insomnia."Wh

Chapter 3

The note was written in familiar handwriting. It read, "White camellia, the soup Josh makes, medium size, Queen of the Night…" I stared at the note as a cold realization crept over me."Ms. Stroud, have you seen a note?" The host hurried over from the other end of the hallway, sweating heavily.I clenched the paper in my palm and asked, "What note?""My backup note." The host wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Mrs. Fraser told me to follow that list in case anything went wrong on stage. I must have dropped it somewhere when I changed clothes."I slowly revealed what was in my hand and asked, "Is this it?"The host's eyes lit up. He reached for it, only to realize I wasn't letting go."Who gave you these questions and answers?" I asked again.The host froze, not expecting that question.He hesitated for a moment before answering honestly, "Ms. Fraser's assistant handed it over a week ago. Mrs. Fraser personally reviewed it afterward and said we should use this version.""And

Chapter 4

In the quiet of my apartment, I packed my belongings into a black suitcase.I didn't have many things of my own. There was only an old pocket watch my adoptive parents left me, a few clothes I wore regularly, and some work documents.I set aside everything the Frasers had given me, including the jewelry my mom had casually handed me, Josh's extra credit card, the designer gown for the birthday party, and the family trust papers I never signed.I sorted them out and placed them neatly on the coffee table.Beside them was a thick stack of medical records. They were the medical history files, follow-up appointment records, and medication notes I had organized for my mom over the past three years.I left them there so Peter could hand them over to the Frasers the next day.After I finished packing, I sat down on the couch, took out my phone, and called Josh.The phone rang for a long time before he answered. In the background, I could hear relatives offering congratulations and rais

Chapter 5

Three hours after I boarded the plane, my mom's stomach condition flared up.I didn't learn about it until later, from Peter.At her birthday party, my mom was in such a good mood that she had a few extra iced drinks, even though she knew they might upset her stomach.When she returned home, she was in so much pain that she lay in bed, drenched in a cold sweat.Megan stayed by her bedside, her eyes red as she instructed the housekeeper, "Quick, make some soup! Mom always likes the soup Josh makes when her stomach hurts!"Josh was called back from Riverside Apartments. Despite his frustration, he still went into the kitchen and made a pot of seafood soup.My mom endured the pain and ate it. But in less than half an hour, she began vomiting violently. There were even streaks of blood in it.Terrified, Josh rushed her to the ER at a private hospital in the middle of the night.When the doctor arrived and saw my mom's pale face, he frowned. "Has Mrs. Fraser been skipping her medica

Chapter 6

Josh opened the email. The attachment contained the complete chat history and revision records.The questions for the game had been finalized a week in advance.Megan's assistant had gone through the answers one by one, even highlighting the ones most likely to win over the relatives.As for my mom's reply, there was only one short sentence."Go with Megan's version. Leave the last question blank. I'll unveil that one myself."Josh stared at the screen, blood draining from his face.He had always thought that the birthday game was just a way to liven things up, and that I lost because I had never truly fit into the family.But now, the evidence was right in front of him. Only then did he realize that my mom and Megan had worked together to keep me from being recognized as a Fraser.At dawn, my mom finally woke up.Josh stood by the bed with the printed emails in his hand."Mom, why did you do this?" he demanded, tossing the papers onto the bed, his voice filled with anger. "D

Chapter 7

At a research center on a southern island, the air always carried the salty scent of the sea and the musty smell of old paper.Wearing a lab coat and gloves, I carefully cleaned a piece of century-old fabric with a pair of tweezers.A month had passed since my mom's birthday party.I had changed my phone number, cut off all contact with the Frasers, and devoted myself entirely to the art restoration work I loved.The old letters had been carefully preserved in a climate-controlled cabinet. The white camellia, too, belonged to the past now."Ms. Stroud, someone is here to see you." My assistant, Amy Henderson, hurried in, looking awkward. "They said they're your family."I kept working without looking up."I don't know them. Have security escort them out," I replied."But…" Amy said hesitantly. "The woman said if you won't see her, she'll wait outside until you do."I put down my tweezers and removed my gloves. When I walked out of the lab, I saw my mom and Josh standing in the

Chapter 8

My mom and Josh didn't leave the island. They checked into a hotel near the research center.Over the next few days, I learned from Amy that the Frasers had released an official statement online. They admitted that the birthday game was rigged and apologized to me.Josh even pulled strings to have the videos of me losing the game taken down from the internet.As for Megan, I heard that she had been asked to move out of Fraser Manor, and all her credit cards had been canceled.They tried to make amends, hoping these actions would prove that they had truly changed. But none of it changed my mind.When I left work on Friday, I saw Megan standing at the entrance of the research center.She no longer looked like the polished woman she used to be. She was dressed plainly, with dark circles under her eyes."Kathy," she called out, her voice hoarse.I looked at her without saying anything."I admit it. I helped set the questions beforehand," Megan said, biting her lip. "I was the one

Chapter 9

After leaving the island, life for the Frasers went downhill.Once I withdrew my company's support, Josh's overseas projects fell apart. One financial problem after another began to surface.To cover the losses, he was forced to sell off part of the family assets. He was drowning, barely keeping his head above water.The relatives who used to fawn over them quickly changed their attitude and distanced themselves from the Frasers.My mom's health continued to decline. Her chronic stomach problems kept flaring up, and years of insomnia worsened her migraines.Although Megan had been forced to move out of Fraser Manor, Josh was too tied up with the company's problems to care for my mom. He had no choice but to let Megan move back in to look after her.But Megan, who had been pampered her whole life, didn't have the slightest clue how to take care of anyone."Mom, the soup is a little burnt. Just have some anyway. I burned my hand making it and even got a blister.""Mom, if you don

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