BOOK3 Chapter11
And as soon as she returned, she swept away all of Charles and Aaron’s attention.
All those familial bonds I might have had and the love I had never received were taken from me without the slightest hesitation.
On Aaron’s birthday, she announced that she had prepared a grand surprise for him. Without a second thought, Aaron dashed toward her, leaving me behind.
Charles said Vanessa still didn’t like me, so he wouldn’t bring me along. He promised he’d bring Aaron back before sunset to celebrate my birthday with me.
But that day, they didn’t return.
Until midnight, Charles called to say that Aaron had played too hard and fallen asleep. He didn’t want to wake him, so they were resting outside.
In the stillness of the night, I sat at the window for what felt like an eternity.
I remembered Samantha’s last words, holding my hand with sadness, asking. “What will you do if no one treats you well in the future?”
Grandma, I no longer like celebrating my birthday.
Out of politeness, I let Charles and Aaron in and pour them some ice water.
Doris fetches a calendar from the cabinet and points to a date circled in red, “This is Mom’s birthday.”
Aaron looks at me, anxious and uncertain, his eyes glistening, wanting to speak but too afraid to do so.
The two of them, father and son, are so similar in every way, from their looks to
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their actions. I must have just contributed the womb, as Aaron doesn’t seem to
resemble me at all.
Charles put the gifts in an available corner and said, “I overlooked it this time;
next time-”
“Next time, you don’t need to prepare any of this,” I interrupt him. “Next time, you
don’t need to come at all.”
Charles turns his back to me, his body tense. After a long pause, he finally turns around, “I’m sorry. Can we talk privately?”
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