- 4.
I followed Ethan to the party. Chloe, on Ethan’s mother’s arm, looked every bit the lady of the house. My appearance drew stares. The scandal had been too public.
Seeing my attire, their gazes turned scornful
and mocking. Ethan’s mother, however,
rushed towards me, her eyes welling up.
“Amelia! You’re back! You left for school
without a word. I was so worried!”
Ethan shot me a warning look. So that was
why my usually loving adopted mother had. been silent. Chloe chimed in, “Aunt Margaret, you’ve been so worried your hair’s gone gray.” Dressed in a simple, elegant dress, Chloe was radiant. Beside her, I felt like a dull, ugly duckling. With a single sentence, she painted me as a selfish, ungrateful daughter who’d abandoned her family. Ethan’s mother held my arm, lamenting her worry. Chloe, like a devoted daughter,
comforted her. I couldn’t shed a single tear.
I’d cried them all already.
wwwwwwwwwwww
Ethan cut in, his voice cold. “Enough. Let’s eat.” Ethan’s mother wiped her tears, pulling me to sit beside her, piling food on my plate. But the sight of the delicacies made my stomach churn. I felt like throwing up. Still, I forced myself to eat, like a robot, shoving the food down. I instinctively reached for the food with my hands, only to be stopped by Ethan. In rehab, we were given only leftovers, mixed together like slop and served in a single dish. We had to eat with our hands. If we didn’t eat everything, the dish would be overturned, and we’d be forced to lick it clean off the floor. I couldn’t tell if I was eating food or dirt. Now,
<
looking at the food in front of me, all I could
picture was it scattered on the floor.
Whether to show familial affection or for
some other reason, Ethan unexpectedly put some food on my plate. Fighting nausea, I forced it down. But the revulsion
overwhelmed me. I vomited in front of
everyone. I felt as disgusting as the mess on the floor. Everyone stared, stunned. Panic seized me. I knelt, crawling to Ethan, begging, “I’m sorry! I’m wrong! Please don’t send me
back!” Ethan’s face was grim. He had someone take me away to clean up.
