My dad red at me and tried to p me, but I dodged.
He pointed at me, snapping, "I know you never liked Ashley, but how could you just stand by and do nothing..."
My mom also med me, "Grace, why didn''t you answer Ashley''s call? If you had, none of this would have happened."
My brother''s eyes were bloodshot. "Grace, are you too smug about getting into Nydoalind University? Can you really just go study after this? Maybe you should stay and redo senior year with her!"
Mom and Dad looked at my brother, relieved.
I was the one who was supposed to be the pride of the family, the one who got into Nydoalind University, but to them, I was nothingpared to Ashley, who only scored 400 points. I couldn''t stand their fake s "I wanted to give it to you at dinner, but I
guess you won''t miss me after this. Let''s sign the agreement, and we''ll be done with each other."
Ashley had once said that in my previous life, "If you die, all of your folks'' money will be mine, and your brother won''t fight me for it." Her eyes sparkled when I took out the agreement.
My parents were surprised by my determination and wavered. But it wasn''t about me. They were just reluctant to give up on the daughter who''d made it into Nydoalind University.
My brother sneered, "You think this will make Mom and Dad stop ming you? Grace, why have you be so heartless?"
My mom''s eyes were filled with tears. "We raised you all these years, and this is how you repay us? With a piece of paper? Are you really
trying to sever ties? Don''t you see us as your family anymore?"
Ashley suddenly lost it, shoving my mom aside. "You''re all horrible! I''m done with you. I''m going to find my real parents. Mom and Dad, I''ve been treated so badly."
My mom held Ashley close, crying her heart out after hearing this.
My brother''s grip on my hand was tight, his voice full of
rage. "Is this what you wanted? Look at what you''ve done to Ashley!"
My dad''s eyes were ice cold as he stared at us. Then he grabbed the agreement and signed it with a flourish. "You''re out of here. Ashley''s all we''ve got now!"
My mom was shell-shocked, but
with Ashley wailing in her arms, she clung to Ashley, trying to soothe away the pain. I scooped up the
paper and walked out, not once
looking back.
I never expected my folks to go for it, but Ashley''s nudge was the game-changer.
I managed sses and part-time jobs throughout my four years in college.
After I graduated from Nydoalind University, Liam started his own gamepany and offered me a job as a plot nner, but I said no.
Instead, I scored a great reporter job at Capital Central Station, traveling nationwide to cover stories.
In Mideway City, I ran into an old high school friend who told me my parents had been looking for me, and my brother had passed away,
Ashley, their adopted girl, hooked up with a real bad guy during her extra year in high school. After they split, he showed up to make trouble.
My brother stepped in to shield Ashley and got hurt, but she locked the door, ignoring his cries for help. He bled to death because of her.
It wasn''t until after my brother''s
funeral that my parents got the full
picture of Ashley''s thug ex. He''d
crossed the wrong people, and she''d
been used as payback.
Ashley tried to drag me into her mess, calling for me to be her fall guy, but I didn''t bite. Losing my brother sent my mom over the edge.
Eventually, Ashley got kicked out and her ex dragged her into some shady dealings.
My dad was juggling work and
looking after my mom. He had a lot
on his te, and that was when he
thought of me, the one he''d left behind. But I had no intention of meeting them.
Both my past self and my brother in this life suffered because of them. I used to feel small because I never got the love I needed from mom and dad.
It drove me to the edge.
I''d been through death once, and I was square with them.
From now on, it was just me, Grace, going solo. I wasn''t anybody''s kid. anymore.