I almost forgot my own birthday.
After they adopted Riley, I found out that her
birthday was the day before mine.
Daniel and Liam were happy.
They said we could make the family very
excited.
They celebrated Riley’s birthday first, then mine.
But they forgot mine.
I hadn’t celebrated my birthday in years.
7:36
Mom put a birthday hat on my head.
I burst into tears.
No one had been this nice to me.
Mom, Dad, and Peter asked me what was
wrong.
66
I told them everything that happened after Riley
came.
Mom was furious.
“That old jerk! I knew I couldn’t trust him.”
“And your brother! He doesn’t know family from
strangers. He’s a jerk.”
“I’m so mad!”
Alex rubbed her back.
<
୮
“Don’t worry. I’ll beat them up.”
Peter said, “I’ll do it myself.”
The reactions made me laugh.
I hugged Mom.
“It’s okay. It’s over. I’m not sad anymore.”
“I’m happy with you.”
It wasn’t cold.
My birthday cake tasted great.
But someone interrupted us.
- 15.
“Charlotte, we agreed I’d have Ashley!”
7:36
“Why did you take her?” Daniel stormed in,
yelling at my mom.
Liam looked at my mom.
“How could you hide Ashley from us?”
Mom slapped Liam.
“I told you to protect your sister! This is how
you do it?”
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Mom glared at Riley, who was standing behind
Liam.
“You guys helped this fake person. I’m taking
Ashley.”
Peter and Alex stood in front of me.
“Yeah! You don’t deserve Ashley!”
111 A/
7:36
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“We are happy to have a daughter.”
Daniel yelled, “Alex, you stole my wife and now
my daughter!”
Alex laughed.
“You’re always partial.”
“Ashley is my daughter. Nobody hurts her.”
“You don’t know Ashley doesn’t want you.”
Daniel looked at me hopefully.
“Ashley, you don’t think that, right?”
He pulled Riley and forced her on her knees.
“I’m sorry Ashley. I know she was lying.”
“That day, she was always in pain, she was
7:37
<
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hurting and her allergies weren’t caused by the seafood, and she’d bought pollen and put it on herself.”
“We found it later in her drawer.”
“Ashley, they are always out to get each other
as sisters.”
“Now we know she framed you. It’s our fault.
“If you come home, we’ll send her away, okay?”
Daniel and Liam looked at me.
I shook my head.
Daniel would send Riley away.
I waited to hear that.
It was what I needed.
<
7:37
“I’m sorry, Ashley. But the decision is yours.”
“I’m happy here.”
“Alex and Peter are great.”
“I’m not going back.”
Liam cried, “They aren’t your real family!”
“Come home with us, okay?”
“We kicked Riley out of your room. We won’t
make you leave again.”
I said, “It doesn’t matter.”
“I have my own room here.”
“It’s bigger and better, and no one will take it
from me.”
“Data” inn’t m.. hanthar
