Rebirth of the Unwanted Daughter

Naturally, my family wouldn’t let her go and pleaded with her to stay, their hearts aching for her.

I stood off to the side, lost in thought.

Shane suddenly turned to me and snapped, "You made a mistake and don’t even know how to show any remorse? Honestly, you should be the one moving out. There’s only room for Leila in this house!"

His words jolted me awake. No wonder my parents always looked at me as if they had something to say but held back.

It turned out they wanted me to leave on my own.

It felt like a slap of reality, finally shaking me out of the naïve, late-blooming girl I used to be.

I moved out, forced to leave my family behind.

I lived in that rented apartment for two whole years.

…

Bringing my thoughts back to the present, I went upstairs to pack my things.

I was moving out early just as they wanted.

…

I rented a small apartment near Shaw City High instead of living on campus.

Only a housekeeper came by to help organize things.

She looked puzzled and asked me quietly, "Miss, are Mr. and Mrs. Lowe really okay with you living here alone? Why haven’t they come by?"

Of course, they wouldn’t come.

Leila wasn’t in a good mood again, and they were busy comforting her.

Seeing I didn’t respond, the housekeeper awkwardly tried to console me. "Maybe they’re just busy. I’m sure they’ll come to see you once they’re free."

But she misjudged the situation.

My parents and brother never came to visit me.

The only thing my mom offered was a phone call. "Carol, have you settled in? Oh, I hate the idea of you living alone out there. It really worries me."

I told her I was fine.

She sighed a few more times but didn’t have much else to say.

See? Without even a shred of love, what words could they possibly offer?

After hanging up, I looked around at my small, private space and smiled a genuine, heartfelt smile.

Finally, I no longer had to be the intruder.

Life became much simpler after that.

Eat, sleep, study—the same routine every day, without having to think about my family.

They didn’t think about me either.

Over a month had passed since I moved out, and not a single phone call came from them.

It felt as though we were dead to each other.

…

One day, I ran into Leila.

On my way back to the apartment after school, I spotted her on a motorcycle, leading a noisy group through the streets. She cut through the alleys like she owned the place, exuding confidence.

I froze for a moment.

Leila was the heiress of a wealthy corporation. She shouldn’t be tearing through the streets on a motorcycle, acting like a rebellious gang leader.

If Mom and Dad saw this, she’d be scolded for sure.

She noticed me too. With a sharp rev of the engine, she pulled up right in front of me.

Before I could say a word, she took off her helmet and gave me a playful, assessing look. "Carol, long time no see."

I responded with a simple, "Yeah."

She flipped her hair, crossed her arms with an air of arrogance, and asked coolly, "So, Mom and Dad haven’t called you even once, have they?"

I nodded.

She smirked and asked if I wanted to know why.

I shook my head.

She carried on without waiting for a response. “Actually, they did want to call you. But every time they tried, I’d cry. To keep me happy, they just didn’t call.

"Of course, the real reason is that they resent you!"

I listened in silence.

Leila held back a laugh. “You’ve been back for quite a while, yet you’re not even close to Mom, Dad, or Shane. Don’t you think they’d hold a grudge against you for that?

"Honestly, I didn’t expect to win without even trying. I used to be so scared of you—terrified you’d come back and take my place.

“But in the end? You left on your own and handed everything over to me. So, thanks for that."

As she spoke, she carefully studied my expression, trying to gauge my reaction.

She wanted to know if I was naturally clueless or if I had stepped aside on purpose.

I felt like laughing.