Chapter 6
My father roared-not at me, but at Elowen.
Before she could react, his hand cracked across her cheek.
“You refuse marriage, delay graduation, disgrace your family! What’s the point of studying if all you do is waste my money?”
My mother shrieked and lunged, clawing at Elowen’s dress.
“This gown-one thousand dollars at least! Where did you get the money? We’re starving at home, and you strut around in jewels? Who are you trying to impress?”
She tore at the necklace around Elowen’s neck. Pearls scattered across the stage.
“Poor-mouthing us while you spend like a queen-shameless!”
The hall erupted. Cameras flashed, whispers turned to shouts.
Elowen lost all pretense of gentleness, screaming and thrashing.
“Let me go! You’re not even my real parents! You have no right to control me! Get out!”
Her words struck like sparks to gasoline.
My father’s face contorted.
“Not your parents? We’ve fed you, clothed you, educated you since you were seven! And now you deny us? You ungrateful wretch!”
My mother collapsed to the ground, pounding her chest, wailing as though the heavens had betrayed her.
Dazed from the blows, Elowen’s fury boiled over.
“You raised me? Don’t pretend it was out of kindness! You killed my father-you adopted me only to cover your guilt! I was young and naive then, but I’m grown now. You’ll never control me again!”
The revelation left the teachers and students gaping.
Caius finally snapped out of his shock. He charged onto the stage, shielding Elowen behind him. “What are you doing!” he barked at my parents. “Stop it! Elowen is your adopted daughter! Serene is your biological one! You’ve mistaken the person!”
He was desperate to shove the blame onto me.
My parents traded a glance, then spat in unison-so close their spit nearly hit his cheek. “Adopted or biological-what’s the difference? You think children are ranked? That we can just throw one away?”
My father jutted his chin, voice booming.
“We didn’t pay a single cent for our real daughter’s college! She worked, she borrowed, she scraped by herself-and look at her now!”
“Thirty thousand a year!” he counted on his fingers. “Twelve thousand of that spent on her for four years straight! And now that she’s got money, she dares to turn her back on us? Is that how
this works?”
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The hall rippled with murmurs.
Elowen shrank behind Caius, tears streaking her cheeks.
“I don’t have money… I’m just a student… where would I…”
Her trembling fingers clutched the corner of his shirt.
Caius’ heart ached visibly. He cupped her shoulder, anxious to clear her name.
“You’ve misunderstood! The dress, the necklace-I bought them for her! She’s the host today, she needed to look presentable! She doesn’t have a dime of her own!”
Then his eyes cut toward me, tinged with envy.
“If anyone’s rich, it’s Serene! She just received a twenty-five-thousand scholarship as an outstanding graduate!”
A smile tugged at my lips.
“Funny,” I said lightly. “If memory serves, didn’t that scholarship go toward paying Elowen’s thirty-thousand loan just last week?”
I tilted my head, feigning innocence.
“Caius… your memory seems a little fuzzy.”
His mouth dropped open, stunned speechless.
I didn’t spare him another glance. Instead, I turned to Elowen, my tone calm and deliberate.
“Sister, I know you’re hurting. But… no matter how wrong our parents are, they raised us. Everyone makes mistakes. Forgive them when you can. Don’t stay angry. Right?”
Word for word-the very lines she once recited to me when I lay bandaged from slitting my
wrists.
Now, I returned them intact.
My parents leapt on it instantly.
“See? We always treated you better than her. And what happened? She’s more sensible than you! We raised you sixteen years, and this is the grudge you hold?”
Elowen froze, her perfect script unraveling before her eyes.
Caíus, panicked, clamped my wrist hard enough to hurt.
“What did you do? When did you bribe them? How much did you pay to turn them against us?”
I winced, pulling weakly. My voice was soft, bewildered,
“Caius, what are you even saying? They’re my parents. Why would they need a bribe to attend my graduation? Unless…” My eyes narrowed, just slightly. “…you expected them to perform on stage?”
His face blanched-he’d given himself away.
But desperation burned through his shame. He jabbed a finger at me.
“Stop pretending! You hate them! They’ve beaten and cursed you since you were small. You’ve been hospitalized more than once. Your back and arms are still scarred!”
His voice cracked as he shouted the unspeakable.
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“Two years ago, they tried to sell you to that fifty-year-old man for a bride price. They drugged you-he nearly raped you! You slit your wrists because of them!”
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