Mr. Fraser stared at me, his expression a mix of shock and anger, but it quickly settled into a calm demeanor. Various emotions swirled within him for a long time before he finally looked at me intently.
“I only have one question. Have you been well all these years?”
I stood frozen, taken aback by his complex expression, my heart mixed with emotions.
His question was simple yet profound as it unexpectedly brought to light the thoughts I had buried deep inside.
I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice steady and resolute. “These years, I haven’t been too good, but not too bad as well. Life has its ups and downs, but I’ve learned to be strong.”
I spoke slowly, my gaze fixed on his face. I could feel that behind Mr. Fraser’s words lay countless truths-truths he wanted to say but didn’t dare to voice.
“The only condition for my departure back then was that I hoped Jack would take good care of you. So, I’m eager to know if he has treated you well all these years.”
I almost laughed at the absurdity of his words. How could Jack possibly treat me well?
As my biological father, he had treated me like a commodity, eager to gain benefits from me at any chance he got.
His words landed like a heavy blow, striking my already fragile heart. I took a deep breath, struggling to keep the tears at bay, my voice trembling slightly.
“When I was little, I had no memory of my mother. Jack told me she was insane and got locked away in a mental hospital. Eventually, unable to bear the pressure of life, she took poison and ended her life.”
At that time, I thought my mother was a madwoman, so she disappeared from my world. Yet, I longed so desperately for a mother’s love.
“There was a happy time when I lived with my grandmother, but then Jack prospered and sent her away to the countryside.”
The reason why he brought me back home was also to make me a better asset for him, helping him gain more benefits.
“I thought that returning to this family would allow me to fit in, but I had a stepmother and a younger sister, and I felt like an outsider in my own home.”
Sometimes, feeling like you never
belonged in a family can make you
feel incredibly lonely, like a
fragmented island adrift in their It
was then that I realized I had no way out
“They were indifferent to me, even ignored me, making me feel like I was an outsider in this house.”
I continued, my voice tinged with barely perceptible bitterness. “But even so, I never gave up hope for
life. I studied hard to prove my worth and to escape that suffocating
home.”
He listened quietly, a flicker of pain and regret crossing his features.
“I should have seen this coming. I never expected him to treat you like this. I thought that as long as I brought him enough benefits, he would be good to you.”
His voice was low and heavy as if burdened by a thousand weights.
I shook my head, managing a bitter smile. “Benefits can never replace familial bonds, nor can they compensate for the love I’ve missed all these years. But I understand that none of this can change now, I can
only keep moving forward
He fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
After all these years, I have learned that the sweets you reach for often leave a bitter taste.
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