“It’s not that you can’t be a good father, it’s
that you only care about Tiffany and her kid!”
Jake was speechless, his lips trembling. “You… you’re talking crazy. Tiffany’s your cousin.”
I didn’t bother sugarcoating it anymore. Might
as well lay it all out on the table. “I know about
you and my mom’s scheme!
<
9:12
“You guys are good. I was such an idiot!”
Jake went white as a ghost, and my mom looked like she was about to faint.
994
My mom sighed, her voice pleading. “Ashley, honey, don’t blame your mother. Your uncle spent so much money raising Tiffany. She’s their only hope.”
“If she marries well, our whole family benefits.”
“You’re smarter and tougher than she is. You don’t need to marry rich to make it in life.”
That was insane. A mother sacrificing her own daughter’s happiness for someone else’s
because I was strong? Because I can make it on my own?
“Right now, I’m a stay–at–home mom, living off of Jake’s paycheck. I’m stuck and miserable.
<
9:12
994
“And after I divorce him, I won’t have any
money to support you. You can ask Tiffany to take care of you.”
My mom panicked. “Ashley, you can’t abandon your mother! You’re my only daughter.”
“Your dad left us when you were five. I raised
you all by myself. I’ve had it so hard.”
“Just have a little pity on me and let Tiffany
have it. Is that too much to ask?”
My eyes welled up. “Mom, I always listen to you.
I give her everything, including you!”
I hung up, but the tears were already streaming down my face. I wiped them away. Never again. I would never be anyone’s doormat again. They weren’t worth it.
While I was at the recovery center, I used my free time to update my resume.
<
9:12
994
I’d been out of the workforce for three years. I was terrified that I’d be seen as obsolete.
I used to work in tech with Mark back in the day. He was a rich kid slumming it as a regular employee. We worked together for a year, fell in love, and then he told me his dad owned the company.
Luckily, I had enough experience to be competitive.
Thanks to Sarah, I was thinking about going
back to my old line of work, but there was no way I was going to work for Mark’s company.
Jake finally found me, waiting for me outside the office building. “Honey, come home. I was wrong to lie to you, but I really do love you.”
“My parents chewed me out and said I need to bring you back. Take it out on me! For our
<
9:12
I shook my head. “No.”
994
“I see you clearly now. For my daughters, I need to leave you!”
“Tiffany was going to take our daughter’s
cornea for her son. Did you agree to that?
You’re a freaking monster! You don’t deserve to be a father!”
Jake gaped at me, shocked that I knew. He
couldn’t find the words.
