The Other Daughter

Suri rolled her eyes dramatically. "Why don’t you get it? In Mom’s heart, you don’t mean shit, so anything you say doesn’t mean shit either!"

I lifted my chin and stood there, choking back tears in silence for a long time before forcing out what I imagined was a superior smile. Then I picked up my phone and called Mom.

"Mom, I’m transferring you $2,000. Buy some ribs and some shrimp for Suri, too."

This was the out I created for myself. Grocery shopping wasn’t a binary choice. As long as there was enough money, Mom would buy anything—ribs, shrimp, steak, even foie gras.

I kept reassuring myself. It was fine. $2,000 could buy a lot of food. Even if she spent $1,900 on seafood and only $100 on ribs, I wouldn’t lose.

However, when I saw Suri’s disdainful expression, I had to admit that I panicked and was terrified.

Those twenty minutes felt like hours. I prayed over and over in my head.

The moment I heard the door unlock, I jumped up and rushed over to help carry the groceries.

Unfortunately, the instant I saw what was inside the bags, my heart went cold.

Shrimp. Crab. Oysters. Cod.

Everything except the ribs I had specifically asked for.

Suri ran out of the room at that moment and threw her arms around Mom, beaming. "Wow, Mom, you love me so much! It’s all my favorite seafood!"

It felt like someone had grabbed my heart and squeezed until I couldn’t breathe.

My voice trembled. "Mom, where are the ribs I asked for?"

She looked up at me, annoyed. "You're so picky. With this much good food, you still want ribs? Does the whole world have to revolve around you?"

Sadly, what was delicious to her was deadly poison to me. I was allergic to seafood.

At last, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The final shred of hope inside me shattered into dust. I closed my eyes, and two streams of tears slipped down my face.

"I won’t be eating at home," I said slowly.

After a long pause, Mom replied casually, "Fine. You’ve already taken care of Suri’s school transfer anyway. If you’ve got nothing else to do, hurry back to your Halcyon City. If you don’t work, you don’t earn money. Don’t expect me to support you."

I snapped. Spinning around, I shouted, "Have you ever supported me?! From childhood until now, has the money you spent on me even reached a tenth of what you spent on Suri? It’s me. I'm the one who sends you $20,000 every month! The comfortable life you're enjoying now is all paid for by me!"

Smack!

Before I could react, a burning slap exploded across my face.

Mom frowned, her voice turning sharp and vicious.

"How did I not raise you? Without me, you wouldn’t even be alive to stand here talking back! Now I spend a little of your money, and you dare complain, you ungrateful brat. If I’d known, I should have strangled you at birth!

"If you’ve got the guts, then leave. I’ll pretend I never had a daughter like you!"

My face was already wounded, and the slap made the pain lance even deeper. Nevertheless, no physical pain could compare to the agony in my chest.

I nodded as if resigning myself to fate.

"Fine. I’ll leave. I’ll pretend I never had a mother like you. I’ll pretend this family never existed."

The resolve in my eyes made panic flicker across Mom’s face, but for the sake of pride, she didn’t try to stop me.

I walked out, face streaked with blood, and slammed the door behind me. As I went down the stairs, I canceled the automatic transfer from my salary account. Since she no longer had a daughter like me, my money shouldn’t go to strangers.

At the bottom of the building, I pulled out my phone and called my best friend at the Department of Education, Mira Solis.

"Bestie, don’t worry about Suri’s school anymore. From now on, anything related to the Voss family or Suri has nothing to do with me. I’m not getting involved."