Three Jobs for Me, Millions for Her? Fine, I Quit This Family Chapter 07
From that day on, my biological parents became a permanent fixture outside my life.
On the first day, Victoria bought a cup of coffee and sat on
the wooden bench across from the bakery, staring at me
through the glass window for six hours.
I ignored her.
On the second day, she brought Richard.
The two of them sat side by side on the bench, looking like two silent statues.
When my shift ended and I walked home, they followed me
from a distance, never approaching too close, but never losing sight of me.
I didn’t care.
I walked into my building and unlocked the door to my apartment.
The heavy, humid heat of the unconditioned hallway
followed me inside.
The apartment was barely four hundred square feet.
It had a single creaking metal frame bed, a plastic wardrobe,
and a small folding table.
The wallpaper was peeling, and the window frame was
warped, letting in the cold draft.
Victoria stood in the open doorway, her eyes scanning the
tiny, bleak room.
Her face crumpled.
She turned around and sobbed into Richard’s chest.
Richard’s eyes were red as he looked past her at me.
Claire, how can you live in a place like this?”
“Let me rent a proper apartment for you.”
Or I can buy you a townhouse nearby.”
Anywhere you want. Just please, let us talk to you.”
leaned against the doorframe, watching their emotional display with total detachment.
I lived in places exactly like this for eighteen years,” I said.
Victoria’s crying stopped instantly. Her body went rigid.
Richard opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
stepped back, gripped the handle, and shut the door in their faces.
The next morning, when I opened the door, a bag of warm
bagels, a hot coffee, and a brand–new electric fan were sitting on the doormat.
I left them untouched.
When I returned that evening, the items were gone, replaced
by a box of organic strawberries.
The landlord had also spent the afternoon installing a modern split–system air conditioner in my room.
ignored it all.
Over the next week, they rented an apartment on my floor.
They didn’t knock on my door, nor did they try to corner me.
They simply left food and groceries on my mat. Whenever I ran into them in the hallway, they would offer a fragile, timid smile, as if terrified of driving me away.
Their pathetic displays only made me feel disgusted.
Finally, as they were placing another box of food outside my
door, I threw it open.
What is wrong with you two?” I demanded, my hands. clenching the doorframe until my knuckles turned white.
“Do you honestly think this makes up for anything? It’s just annoying.”
I stared at them, my voice dripping with cold fury.
“You made your choice. You chose Sophie over me.”
“You should have stuck to it.”
You don’t get to ruin my life, throw me in the dirt, and then come back to play the role of loving, remorseful parents.”
Victoria stepped forward, her hand reaching out trembling,
before she pulled it back.
“No, Claire. Your father and I… we had a plan.”
“We were going to tell you everything once Sophie graduated.”
“We were going to fund your master’s degree, your doctorate,
whatever you wanted to do.”
“We were going to support you fully.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“We never thought you would find out early. We never
wanted you to run away. Please, believe us.”
Enough!” I barked. “What do you want?”
Victoria wiped her wet cheeks.
Claire, please. Come home with us.”
Home?” I let out a dry, hollow laugh.
“To do what? To keep hiding so I don’t ruin Sophie’s life? To
let you abuse me more?”
“No!” Victoria shook her head frantically.
Sophie is gone. We kicked her out three months ago.”
She sniffled, her voice cracking.
“We found out… we found out that the spiritual advisor was
hired by Sophie.”
“She paid him to tell us those lies.”
“She manipulated my guilt over her father’s death just to
push you out of the family.”
She took a step closer, her eyes pleading.
“I kicked her out of our lives, Claire. She is gone.”
“It’s just the three of us now. We can be a real family again.
Please.”
I looked at her desperate face. I looked at Richard, who had
lost weight and looked exhausted.
My heart felt absolutely nothing.
Seeing my silence, Victoria tried to grab my hand.
Claire, I don’t expect you to forgive us right away. But give us
a chance to make it up to you. You’re still young. You need
someone to take care of you.”
“No, I don’t,” I said, pulling my hand back.
“I already have a new family.”