All Chapters of The Daughter They Never Chose: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The next day, Mom and Dad solemnly called everyone into the living room. Then Mom pushed two envelopes toward Riley and me.Riley opened hers first. A key slid into her palm, and she looked at Mom, confused.Mom and Dad exchanged a glance before smiling and pressing the envelope into Riley's hands. When she opened it, she found the deed to a 2,000-square-feet apartment, registered in her name.Mom patted the back of Riley's hand. "We hadn't planned on giving this to you so soon, but before we knew it, you'd reached the age where you'd start dating. This is a gift from your dad and me, and it's also something we want you to have so you'll always feel secure."Riley threw herself into their arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Mom, Dad, why are you both so good to me?"Mom affectionately pinched her nose. "Because you're our precious girl."Riley wiped away her tears and looked at me. "Jenna, what did Mom and Dad give you?"I opened my envelope. It held a stack of cash. I counted it, an

The next day, a large number of relatives came over to the house. They had all heard that Riley had a boyfriend and had specifically come to help Mom and Dad figure out how to handle things.Scott was in the living room, too, chatting with everyone. Only I was in the kitchen. The thermostat was set to 77 degrees, yet I was sweating through my clothes.…By the time the last dish was served, I stood motionless beside the dining table.Mom frowned and looked at me. "Sit down and eat. Why are you standing there like an idiot?"I glanced around the table before asking expressionlessly, "What am I supposed to eat?""There's still plenty of mashed potatoes, isn't there? Just mix it with some gravy."Dad reached out and placed the last shrimp onto Riley's plate, casually criticizing me as he did. "Your sister is prone to low blood sugar. Get the food out faster next time."My fingers tightened around my apron, trembling slightly.I made 12 dishes for 10 people in one hour. Was that s

Upstairs, Riley stood in front of Mom and Dad with her arm linked through her boyfriend's, her voice bright with excitement. "Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Eli Lowe. He just graduated this year, and he's from Sangoria—not even out of the city!"Mom sized him up.Eli was tall and well-built, with striking, defined features. And he wore a well-tailored suit, which made him look even more polished and distinguished.Mom nodded in satisfaction. Even Dad, whose brows had been tightly furrowed all evening, finally relaxed a little, a pleased expression slowly spreading across his face.Before either of them could say anything, my aunt, who had been invited over, was already praising him. "Lewis, Riley certainly has good taste! Just look at him. A young man like this is more than good enough for our precious girl."Dad beckoned Eli over and gestured for him to sit, though he continued speaking politely. "They're still young. They've only just started dating, so there's no need to talk

After the call ended, the entire room fell into deathly silence.Dad cursed angrily. "Has she gone mad? How dare she? We're her parents!"With that, he called back. But this time, the call went unanswered. After the long, monotonous ringing, there was still no response.Mom had already gone pale. She nudged Scott. "Jenna adored you the most. She'll definitely answer your call."Scott hurriedly pulled out his phone. He called her again and again, but there was still no answer.My aunt stepped forward as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she merely let out a long sigh before leaving.Riley stood rooted to the spot, completely at a loss.After the people who had gathered to watch the spectacle finally dispersed, Mom's legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. She murmured to herself, "Did I drive away my own daughter? How could this have happened?"…After hanging up, Isaac looked at me with undisguised heartache. But he said nothing. He simply pul

With that, I turned and walked away.My hand had barely touched the doorknob when I heard a loud thud behind me. I spun around and saw Mom sprawled on the floor, one hand still stubbornly reaching toward me. "Jenna, please. I'm begging you."She begged with such pitiful, humbling desperation, yet even then, it was still for Riley.I smiled, turned around, and walked straight toward my husband. "I'll pay your medical bills. But anything else, you can forget about it."I had barely stepped out of the hospital when Scott came toward me.It had not even been a year, yet his once-black hair had already turned noticeably gray.He hesitated several times before finally speaking. "You still came…""Yeah. Is this what you wanted me to see? Or do you want me to help Riley, too?"Scott shook his head. "No. I wanted to tell you not to go soft on them."I froze where I stood.Then, I heard his voice beside me. "This past year, while you were gone, I finally realized that the way they love