Three Jobs for Me, Millions for Her? Fine, I Quit This Family Chapter 03
I walked into my academic advisor’s office and placed a signed form on her desk.
“Mrs. Gable, I want to register for the National Physics Championship.”
Mrs. Gable blinked in surprise, then smiled warmly.
Claire? You finally changed your mind?”
“I was hoping you would.”
“I actually held onto the registration list for two extra days,
hoping you would come in.”
She took the form and scanned it.
Are you absolutely sure this time?”
“Yes,” I said, looking down at the document.
The National Physics Championship was a prestigious,
joint–university competition.
A top placement meant a massive cash prize and an
immediate invitation to an elite fully funded research
exchange program abroad.
Previously, I had hesitated because I was worried about
leaving my mother alone.
Now, I had no reason to hold back.
I threw myself into preparation.
I reverted to my high school routine, studying day and night, barely sleeping.
Until my mother, whom I hadn’t contacted in a long time, called me.
Claire, how are things at school?”
“I heard from someone that you registered for a national physics competition?”
I gave a quiet affirmation.
Her voice was full of excitement, as if she were genuinely happy for me.
“My girl is so smart!”
Just do your best, okay? Don’t put too much pressure on
yourself. Just being selected to participate is already an honor.”
Do you have enough money?”
“Let me send you some.”
“You need to buy a nice outfit for the presentation.”
‘We can’t let the other students look down on you.”
As she spoke, she began to cough violently, as if she were
about to hack up a lung.
Right then, a neighbor’s voice drifted through the receiver.
“Claire? Is that you?”
“Your mother’s cough has been getting worse.”
“She is coughing up blood now.”
“You need to come home and take her to the hospital!”
My mother immediately barked at the neighbor.
“Be quiet! I’m fine!”
Then she spoke softly into the microphone.
Claire, don’t listen to her. I’m perfectly fine. You focus on
your competition. Don’t worry about me.”
Her coughing fits continued, loud and agonizing, echoing
through the speaker.
I listened to the carefully orchestrated performance.
She was trying to force me to back out again.
She wanted me to feel guilty, to abandon the exam, and to
rush back to her side.
But Mom, for Sophie’s sake, do you really not care about me at all?
I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and kept my voice perfectly flat.
“Mom, I’m not giving up this opportunity.”
The line went dead silent.
After a long pause, my mother spoke, her voice devoid of its
previous warmth.
“I know you can win, Claire.”
For the next few days, I blocked out everything and focused
entirely on my mock exams.
The day before the official competition, Mrs. Gable ran into
the study hall, holding my practice paper.
Claire! Look at this score!”
An eighty–nine! that’s ten points higher than the national
winning score from last year!”
If you perform like this tomorrow, you will easily take first place!”
I stared at the red ink on the paper, my heart pounding with hope.
On the morning of the competition, I arrived at the campus plaza early,
waiting for the university shuttle to take us to the convention center.
Sophie Reed was already standing near the bus, watching me
with a smug, knowing smile.
An icy dread settled in my stomach.
A moment later, Mrs. Gable stepped off the bus. She looked at
me, her expression incredibly complex and heavy with disappointment.
“Claire, you cannot board the bus.”
“You’re disqualified from today’s competition.”