“Yes, Ashley, you can’t go back!” Susan
clutched my arm dramatically. “I can’t let you suffer what I went through. My adoptive
parents… they were monsters. Just… pretend you’re not their child. Don’t contact them.”
But when we were alone, Susan glared at me,
<
her eyes full of hatred. “Why are you being so
difficult? This isn’t your home. Don’t you get
it?”
“You’ve benefited from this lie for over twenty
years. Isn’t that enough?”
“Even if I leave, I’ll wait until the DNA results
are back.”
I didn’t want to explain myself, but she kept
pestering me, trying to provoke me into
leaving.
It was getting annoying.
Her little acts were too much.
<
When a package arrived for me, she’d say,
“Wow, Ashley, such great taste. That coat
must have been expensive. Not like me. I
don’t know how to spend money. Haven’t
bought new clothes in years.”
My mom, feeling sorry for her, bought her
several outfits, which Susan promptly
returned without even trying them on.
Then, with tears in her eyes, she’d declare,
“Mom and Dad, you work so hard. I don’t
need anything. Just being with you is
enough.”
To emphasize her frugality, she insisted on
saving leftover chicken bones to make soup
for us in the morning.
She’d deliberately provoke me on the stairs,
then, when my mom appeared, “accidentally”
fall, grabbing my hand as she went down.
Then she’d cry out, “Ashley, why did you push
me?”
“I know you hate me for taking Mom and Dad’s attention, but it’s not my fault! I just
want my parents. I want to be with them. Is that so wrong?”
I ignored her, heading back to my room.
My mom yelled, “Stop! Apologize to Susan!
く
Ask for her forgiveness!”
“I fed you, clothed you, raised you. Even after
finding out you weren’t my real daughter, I
didn’t kick you out! Don’t you have any
gratitude?”
“I’m not letting you stay here to bully Susan!”
“This is outrageous! You will apologize, or I’ll
kick you out, even if your dad disagrees!”
My mom’s unwavering support made Susan
smug.
She lifted her chin, eyes gleaming with
triumph.
I
<
I was speechless. Beyond speechless.
“Mom,” I said, “Susan’s new here, so maybe
she doesn’t know, but you do. This house has
security cameras everywhere.”
“Want to go check the footage?”
My mom smacked her forehead. “I forgot
about those.”
She turned to comfort a suddenly pale Susan.
“Don’t worry, sweetie. We’ll try a different
scene next time. And maybe a different
persona too. A little too… dumb. I don’t really
like it.”
く
“The fragile, innocent little flower you were
when you first arrived, that was good. I prefer
that.”
Her tone was conversational, but it clearly
rattled Susan.
“Mom… what are you saying? You think I was faking it? That I was framing Ashley?”
“No, no, honey, that’s not what I meant.”
“Then why didn’t you stop me, knowing there
were cameras? You let me make a fool of
myself. Do you think I’m some kind of circus monkey?”
Her outburst, raw and accusatory, left my
mom stunned.
“So… should I have thought that… or not?”
My mom asked cautiously, gauging Susan’s
reaction.
Susan completely lost it, sobbing and running
to her room.
