Chapter 8
Layla cried as she went to her room.
Dad turned and glanced at me.
That look on his face said everything.
Sometimes parents can destroy their kids with just one look.
Disappointed.
Disgusted.
Suarded.
He didn’t need to say a word to condemn me.
Chloe, you really need to change this attitude. You can’t be so selfish, so ungrateful.”
Your grandma barely paid attention to Layla all these years, but she was her grandma too.”
What about you and mom? Did you pay attention to me all these years?”
Or are you not my parents–just hers?”
Dad sighed. “You’re completely unreasonable.”
Then he went to Layla’s room to comfort her.
This wasn’t even the same house from ten years ago.
They’d bought this place three years ago. It was my first time walking in.
And just like that, I was left alone in the living room.
wanted to run away, to get as far as possible.
But I couldn’t stand it.
Why should I be the one to leave so they could play happy family?
Wasn’t I their kid too?
When Mom came back from grocery shopping, I was still sitting on the couch.
“Why didn’t you change into slippers?”
“Look, your sister picked these out just for you. Do you like them?”
What a duo this couple were.
One desperately trying to paint me as the villain.
The other desperately trying to tell me how wonderful Layla was.
I couldn’t even say what I was hurting over.
When I didn’t respond, Mom sighed.
As she set down those new slippers, I could clearly read “ungrateful” written all over her face.
“Have you seen your room? We were short on time, but your sister put a lot of thought into decorating it for you.”
“Go take a look first. If there’s anything you don’t like, we can change it.”
22.25
From ‘Rolex
RIIDAE اسم لمميم يملللسلسلالسعصلا تلبيسالسيط
36.09
Chapter 8
Right then, Layla came out after changing clothes.
I don’t know how Dad had comforted her, but her eyes were still red, yet she wore the smile of a victor.
Like the person who’d just cried and run off had nothing to do with her.
“Chloe, come see your room!”
“I’m telling you, I put so much thought into decorating it for you.”
She pointed to a row of dolls on the bed, all grinning with creepy smiles.
“Look at these! They’re like, the most popular toys right now! They are Fugglers!”
“I’ve always wanted them, but Mom and Dad wouldn’t buy them for me. Said I was wasting money.”
“But the second I said they were for you, they gave me the money without question. They didn’t even mind paying scalpers extra.”
“Hmph. playing favorites!”
Layla grabbed my arm. pouting at Dad and lifting her chin.
Dad looked at her with a smile that was almost pleading.
That was an adoring look I’d never seen before.
A smile I’d never seen either.
Was this the same person who’d made me deaf and still insisted I apologize?
