Chapter 4
I hung up.
Maybe the word “used” get to him because
T
<
Maybe the word “used” got to him because
he called me over and over.
When I didn’t answer, he texted me.
I ignored him.
I was marrying Sam in ten days.
These people would be a memory.
I wanted to spend the last few days with them
in peace, but Tiffany broke my dad’s urn.
The ashes scattered across the floor.
She wasn’t even sorry. She let her cat pee on
them.
Then she gave me this look like she was
L
having the. time of her life.
“Look, Chloe, you can use the ashes as kitty
litter!”
All the pain and anger I’d been holding in
burst out.
I grabbed a baseball bat and started hitting
Tiffany.
She screamed and ran away.
“Chloe! You’re going to pay for that! You hit
your own sister!”
My mom was here.
Tiffany ran to her.
<
She said, “Mom, I’m scared. She’s trying to
kill me!”
My mom stood in front of her and yelled at
me, “I usually don’t care when you pick on
your sister, but this is too much.”
She was my mom, but she was always on
Tiffany’s side.
There was nothing sadder than that.
I looked at my mom with tears in my eyes.
“She broke Dad’s urn!”
“That’s Dad! That’s my dad! Why?”
Why did she have to ruin the last piece of
Dad I had?
<
Why didn’t my mom love me?
Chapter 5
Tiffany immediately dropped to her knees and
started pleading.
“Mom, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do it, I
swear! Oh, Mom, if Chloe doesn’t forgive me,
I might as well just die!”
Tiffany was putting on the waterworks.
“Tiffany, don’t you dare-”
“Smack!”
Before I could finish, my mom slapped me
across the face.
“Enough!”
“It’s just ashes, okay? The guy’s dead! Are
ashes more important than a living person?”
“If you keep bullying Tiffany, get out of my
house.”
That slap completely wiped away any
lingering affection I had for her.
Maybe it was for the best.
Now I could leave without any regrets.
I didn’t look at my mom as she stood there in
shock. I wiped the blood from the corner of
my mouth, turned, and went upstairs.
Since my mom thought I was such a problem.
<
And Tiffany had already taken over my room.
Instead of living in a house where I didn’t
belong, I should move out.
I quickly packed a few clothes.
I didn’t take anything else, whether it was a
gift from my mom or some expensive thing
Ryan had given me.
I burned all the old photos with them.
I wasn’t going to drag anything out.
If I was going to go, I’d go clean.
As I was dragging my suitcase downstairs, my
mom was putting ointment on Tiffany.
<
She looked at me and said, “I say one thing,
and you’re running away? You’re so
dramatic.”
“Fine. It’ll be quieter around here without
you.”
“Just come back when you and Ryan get
married!”
I didn’t say anything. I just glanced at my
mom.
I wasn’t going to tell her that I’d changed
grooms.
And that my wedding was in ten days.
Because she wasn’t someone I could be close
to anymore.
く
And I didn’t want her, Tiffany, or Ryan
showing up at my wedding and making a
scene.
I called a rideshare on my phone. While I was
waiting, Ryan pulled up in his car.
“Chloe, what are you doing with that
suitcase?”
“Moving out.”
Ryan frowned. “Why? Where are you going? I already gave the house to Tiffany, so don’t
make things difficult for her.”
“I’m looking for a new place. Wait until I find
one before you move, okay?”
I didn’t say anything. I just walked past his
Ryan grabbed my arm. “Chloe, do you really
want to make things difficult? Can’t we just
go back to being happy?”
