A Family’s Unfair Preference Chapter 04
I felt a sudden urge to laugh.
“Because you never asked.”
My grades were still posted on that wall at the orphanage, and my suitcase still held the trophies I’d won over the years.
It was never that I wasn’t excellent enough; it was just that they turned a blind eye to my excellence.
After that day, Mom and Dad seemed to realize this too, and started making a conscious effort to understand my past life.
During meals, they would always ask how I had fared in the orphanage, whether studying was exhausting, and if things had been hard.
I gave lukewarm replies, while Elin, sitting nearby, always managed to find an opportunity to steer the conversation back to herself.
She had never liked it when Mom and Dad’s attention fell on me.
I was more than happy to watch her act spoiled and clingy, saving me the trouble of dealing with them.
Soon enough, the day of departure arrived.
Mom and Dad actually cleared their schedules for me, having the family chef prepare a huge feast to see me off.
“Zora, you’re heading to a strange new place alone. Come to us if you need anything at all.”
“That’s right, don’t let anyone push you around. Mom and Dad have your back.”
It was the first time they had ever said such things to me, and their tone was somewhat unnatural.
And my silence only made the atmosphere even more awkward.
Mom pushed a small dessert in front of me, trying to break the ice.
“Zora, try this. Mom made it herself!”
I looked at the dollop of mango jam on the dessert and said coldly, “No thanks, I’m allergic to mangoes.”
Mom looked a bit surprised. “No way, I remember you love eating…”
She swallowed the rest of her words.
She probably remembered that the one who loved mangoes was Elin, not me.
Dad coughed lightly. “Then eat the food, eat the food!
Weren’t you from New Orleans before? We specifically had the chef make these.”
Looking at the table full of red, Spicy Cajun Cuisine, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
“I’ve had stomach issues since I was a kid. I can’t eat spicy food.”
The atmosphere grew even stiffer.
Elin pursed her lips. “Sister, Mom and Dad mean well. You shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Just take a bite or two, it won’t hurt.”
Her sensibility earned her approving looks from Mom and Dad, making me seem even more cold-hearted in contrast.
Mom frowned and complained.
“Zora, look at how sensible Elin is. Why are you so hard to please?”
I didn’t argue. “You’re right, I am pretty hard to please. I’ll skip the meal, my ride is already here.”
Seeing my attitude, Dad tried his best to hold back, but his anger finally boiled over.
“Zora, we went out of our way to make this feast for you. Now that you’ve got someone influential backing you, you’ve grown so arrogant! I’ll cut off your monthly allowance if you keep this up!”
I didn’t stop walking until I reached the door, turning back to sneer at him.
“Cut it off, Dad. I’ve never received a single cent of allowance from you anyway.”
As the heavy villa doors slammed shut, I could still hear Dad asking Mom in confusion inside.
“Weren’t you the one giving her an allowance?”
“I don’t know, I thought you were taking care of that!”
“How can you be so careless with your own biological daughter?”
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Mr. Hart. Didn’t you forget too?”