A Family’s Unfair Preference Chapter 07
A year and a half had passed since I moved south.
Seeing them standing at the gate of my workplace after my shift, I almost turned on my heel and left.
Mom quickly called out to me.
“Zora, don’t walk away.”
I bit the bullet and turned around.
In my memory, the times they sought me out in my previous life could be counted on one hand — and almost all of them were to vent their anger on behalf of Elin.
Now that they had shown up out of the blue, I only felt irritated.
“Why are you here so suddenly?”
Catching my impatience, Mom’s expression froze for a second before she forced a smile.
“It’s been so long since we last saw you. We were just worried about how you were doing.
“Zora, have you been skipping meals at work? You’ve gotten so thin. And why are you wearing these worn-out clothes? Let me take you shopping for new ones, alright?”
She reached out, as if to grab my arm.
When I instinctively dodged, a flash of hurt crossed her eyes.
“Zora, it’s been so long. Are you still mad at Mom and Dad?”
I told the truth: “No, I’m not mad. I’m just not used to physical contact with people.
“Besides, I’m doing perfectly fine here. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Mom just couldn’t understand: “I’m your mother. How could I not worry about you?”
I just stood there, looking at her in silence.
Suddenly, she seemed to break down.
“Zora, don’t stare at me like that, alright?”
She tugged the quiet Dad beside her.
“Hurry and apologize to your daughter.”
A flash of awkwardness crossed Dad’s face.
He rubbed his nose and spoke.
“Zora, I was too harsh before. That was my fault.
“You’ve always felt we were playing favorites, but during the twenty years you were gone, Elin was the one by our side.
“We simply didn’t know how to get close to you. We do love you. Could you really hate us enough to cut us off entirely?”
Did I hate them?
I certainly had.
When I died all alone in that hospital bed, while they were all by Elin’s side in my final moments.
When I threw away my own future, only to become the stepping stone they used to pave the way for Elin.
When everyone pointed their fingers at me, calling me unreasonable.
Deep down, they knew the truth perfectly well.
I wasn’t throwing a tantrum; I just wanted a little fairness.
Emotions churned in my chest, spilling out as the absolute truth.
“When you think about how Elin kept you company for twenty years, did you ever stop to wonder what my twenty years in the orphanage were like?
“While she was living in the lap of luxury, I was fighting hundreds of other kids just to get a bite to eat.
“She got the best education at an elite prep school, learning horseback riding, dancing, and painting. Meanwhile, the notebooks I used for my homework were nothing but trash thrown away by other students.
“I suffered so much. Can you please tell me why Elin is the one your hearts bleed for?”
My relentless questions drained the color from my parents’ faces, leaving them deathly pale.
Worse still, they couldn’t come up with a single excuse to defend themselves.
Only now did they realize that the little things they had brushed off as trivial had actually cut me so deeply.
Dad’s straight back seemed to hunch over in an instant.
“It’s our fault. It’s all our fault.
“But Zora, that’s still your home after all…”
I cut him off.
“No, that’s not my home. That’s your home with Elin.
“I’ve never felt the slightest sense of belonging with you. I’m perfectly happy with my life right now. We just weren’t meant to be family in this lifetime. Let’s just leave it at that. Don’t bother me anymore.”
I turned on my heel and walked away, not sparing another glance at my stunned parents. I didn’t care if watching my resolute back made them regret not treating me better when they had the chance.
After all, it was far too late for regrets.
I was no longer the foolish Zora who sat around waiting for their love.