I Will Love Myself Chapter 09
Suddenly, Rachel came from nowhere and rushed over.
Without a word, she slapped me hard in the face.
My face felt like it was burning up from pain, and my ears buzzed.
“Noelle, you heartless thug!”
Her chest heaved violently. Pointing at me, she shouted, “Do you know what Dad and Mom have been through these years?
“Don’t you see their hair has grayed and how much they’ve aged? You left to pursue your dream, but did you ever consider their feelings?”
My head tilted, I poked my hurting cheek with the tip of my tongue and turned to look at her face, which was distorted from anger.
Then, I smacked her face with all my might without hesitation.
“Rachel, you got all the benefits. What right do you have to blame me?
“Since childhood, whenever there’s something nice, you have it. And you get all of our parents’ attention, too. I’m always the one neglected.
“You enjoy all of these things and take them for granted. Now, you’re condemning me because I didn’t endure it in silence?
“How could you?”
Screaming and flailing, she darted at me to hit me.
However, this time, she couldn’t touch me.
Dad caught her arm from behind and said, “Rach, knock it off.”
Mom also said, “Rach, Elle is your sister. How could you be violent to her?”
For the first time, they took my side when Rachel and I fought.
For millions of times, I had dreamed of this scene. And yet, at this moment, standing there, I just wanted to laugh.
Check this out. The bullied daughter, who had been out of her parents’ favor for over ten years, finally showed her fangs and even fought back. The parents were defending her only because they sensed she was getting out of their control.
What a hoot! How ironic!
“I won’t go with you.
“So, drop this act.”
I took one step back and got into the car.
“Go home. Stay with your precious daughter. Don’t look for me again.”
With that, I rolled up the car window.
Mom ran to the car and slapped the window hard while yelling something. I didn’t turn my head.
Afterward, they came to me several more times, but I didn’t see them again.
Instead, I blocked their numbers, ignored their messages, and avoided them.
Gradually, they stopped looking for me.
And I didn’t think of them again and concentrated on work.
Thanks to my rich experience and outstanding resume, I was hired by a top domestic technological factory.
Through my hard work, the innovative projects I led did well. In a matter of several years, I was promoted from chief engineer to technical director and stood out among my peers.
In my spare time, I still stayed in the dance room, watching myself dancing.
Nowadays, I had a career I devoted myself to and a hobby I was enthusiastic about.
Then, on a weekend afternoon, in the corridor outside the dance room, I saw my parents again.
Several years had passed since we last met. They had aged more, both with a hump, and their hair had turned almost completely gray.
“Elle…
“I know I was wrong,” Mom began.
Dad echoed, “We’ve thought a lot these years.
“Your mom and I were confused and mistreated you.”
I just stared at them without a word.
Tearful, Mom continued, “Rach hasn’t been around for a long time.
“She hates us because we stopped her hitting you last time.
“She said your dad and I had changed and were biased in your favor. These years, she ignored our calls and didn’t visit even during the New Year holidays.”
I could hardly stifle my laughter.
Rachel was their treasure and the apple of their eye all her life.
Only that one time they didn’t give her what she wanted, and she cut ties with them and threw away their over ten years of one-way love.
What about me? Did I deserve the mistreatment?
Looking at my whimpering mom, I asked nonchalantly, “Oh? What does it have to do with me?
“She won’t come home. Shouldn’t you be looking for her? What are you doing here?”
I turned around and went downstairs.
When I got home, my apartment was unusually quiet. The 45-year-old Noelle was gone.
On the coffee table in the living room, she had left a note for me, which read, “Elle, I changed the way things were supposed to happen. So, I have to leave.
“Live well, and take good care of yourself.”
At the end, she had drawn a smiling face.
Looking at the note, I sat on the sofa. After a while, I nodded, “I will.”