Heartless parents
Chapter 1
My parents, filthy rich, worried my sister,
Ashley, and I would become spoiled brats.
So, they stuck us working at the bottom,
making us fly the worst routes.
Then, on a flight to Cambodia, a riot broke
out.
All return flights got canceled.
I called my parents, begging them to send a
private jet.
They just coldly told me, “Staying calm is part
of being a flight attendant, don’t run from
your job.”
<
“Wait for that plane to return, then come
back with it.”
We had no choice but to scramble, pulling
every string we had to buy two tickets back
to the States.
But on the day of the flight, my phone
showed our tickets had been refunded.
I was about to call the airline when my
parents rang.
“Everyone else can handle it, why should you
get special treatment?”
“I already canceled those tickets, you’re not
getting home any other way than on that
flight!”
く
They blocked us from buying any tickets
back, anywhere.
Eventually, everyone stranded got picked up,
except Ashley and me.
Ashley was killed in the riot.
I was barely alive when the embassy rescued
- me.
I was numb, making arrangements for Ashley
when I saw our adopted sister, Tiffany, post
something online.
“Thank you to the best parents in the world,
they were worried about me being overseas
so they sent ten planes to bring me home!”
<
This time, I didn’t freak out like I usually
would have.
I just calmly liked the post.
Then I commented, “Your parents really love
you, I hope you three stay happy forever.”
- 1.
The air in the funeral home was freezing, like
it was seeping into my bones.
I took the tissue the worker handed me, going
through the motions of planning Ashley’s
funeral.
A shrill ring cut through the silence.
The screen flashed “Dad“.
<
The accusations started the second I
answered.
“Brooke, what the hell do you think you’re
doing?! Tiffany had a panic attack because of
that comment, now she won’t eat!”
I gave a bitter laugh, sadder than tears.
“I was just telling the truth, Tiffany is more
like your real daughter than Ashley and I ever
were.”
There was a short pause on the other end.
Then Mom’s voice came through.
“Honey, the countries near where Tiffany was
studying are a little unstable right now. We
worried, so we sent a plane to get her.”
She paused, then continued, trying to sound
reasonable.
“As the older sister, you should be
understanding, don’t keep picking on Tiffany.”
“Picking on her?” I asked, full of self–disgust,
my throat feeling like it was full of cotton.
“Like I have that right.”
Dad’s rough voice cut in again.
“Don’t explain anything to her! Do I need her
permission to bring my daughter home?”
“You can stay in Cambodia forever, the riots
are happening there. Maybe you can just die
there!”
Hearing those cruel words, I started crying.
く
So, they knew there was a riot, that people
were dying.
And they still left Ashley and me there.
My parents had always done this.
If Tiffany felt even a little hurt, they would
blame us.
Then they would use whatever they could to
force us to apologize.
In their eyes, Tiffany was smart and kind,
Ashley and I were evil and selfish.
They worried Ashley and I would “abuse our
power” in the company.
L
So, they hid our family ties and put us on the
toughest routes, made us start at the very
bottom.
We finally got to fly, but they always sent us
to the most dangerous places.
This flight to Cambodia was on the news.
My parents knew it was dangerous, that we
might not come back.
Ashley and I didn’t want to go.
They started yelling, calling us “spoiled” and
saying we were “acting like princesses.”
They used our debt to them as leverage, until
we gave in.
く
When the riot started, they not only ignored
our pleas, but they canceled our flight home.
Tiffany was studying in Europe, perfectly
safe.
But they panicked and sent ten planes with
bodyguards to get her back.
Ashley and I were their real daughters.
But they treated us like we were nothing.
Tiffany was just an adopted daughter.
And they gave her everything.
As she died, my sister kept defending them.
“Mom and Dad just don’t understand, that’s
く
why they won’t let us come back, don’t hate
them, keep living…”
Thinking about Ashley’s body falling apart, the
anger rose again.
“Apologize? Only if I’m dead! No way!”
“You killed Ashley! Are you happy now?”
“Parents like you deserve everything bad that
happens to you!”
I slammed the phone down, blocking their
shouts.
