My Family Chose My Sister Over My Love And I Disappeared Chapter 09
I turned and started up the stairs.
The next second, Ethan grabbed my wrist.
“Sloane, don’t do this.”
“I know I was wrong. Hit me, curse me out, whatever you want. Just don’t pretend you don’t know us. Please.”
Diana got frantic.
“Sloane, why are you being like this?”
“Do you have any idea how much money we spent finding you?”
I laughed.
They put on such a pitiful show, and here she was still bitter about the money.
“Right. Sure. I’m the difficult one.”
“I should have pretended I didn’t notice when my boyfriend was sleeping with my own sister.”
“I should have pretended I saw nothing when all of you teamed up to lie to me.”
“That’s what being a good daughter looks like. That’s what would have made you happy. Right?”
Richard raised his voice.
“You’re talking nonsense. You’re just angry.”
“Look at you. You’re fine. Why keep dragging up old business?”
“Come home. We’ll make it up to you.”
That made me laugh harder.
“Home?”
“Home for what? So I can keep being your blood bag?”
I paused. A cold smile crept out of me.
“Fine. You want me to come home? Sure.”
“Then what are you planning to do about the baby in Sienna’s belly?”
The question landed, and they all looked at each other, fumbling around for an answer.
Finally, Richard spoke first.
“That’s a life we’re talking about. Of course it has to be born.”
Julian nodded along.
“The baby’s innocent. And an abortion wouldn’t be good for Sienna’s body, either.”
Every word hit like a needle I’d felt a hundred times before.
Ethan grabbed my wrist.
“Sloane, Sienna has some medical issues. The doctor said this might be her only chance to have a child.”
“I can’t take being a mother away from her…”
“But I promise, I’ll make it up to you. Anything you want, I’ll give you.”
“Money. A house. Whatever.”
Slap.
I brought my hand up and struck him across the face.
“Get out.”
“You think what you did to me can be wiped clean with any of this?”
“I will never forgive any of you. Ever.”
“I’m giving you one last chance. Walk out of here right now, and I’ll let you leave with some dignity.”
“If any of you come near me again, I’ll file for a restraining order and have immigration send you straight back home.”
When they didn’t move, I dialed 911.
The police came fast. They put every one of them on a flight back to the States that same day.
After that, they tried other angles.
Harassing my landlord. Sending letters to the front desk at my office.
I didn’t answer a single one.
Eventually, it all went quiet.
Three years later, in the fall, I got a raise, a promotion, and something that could pass for a real career.
The night of the celebration dinner, a friend from back home called me. That’s how I finally heard how they were doing.
Julian had racked up huge debts with loan sharks trading stocks. He’d mortgaged Richard and Diana’s old house. The whole family was crammed into a rental now.
Sienna’s baby had been born with a congenital heart defect and had burned through every dollar they had.
Ethan had disappeared three years ago. No one knew where he was.
Some said he’d hurt himself. Others said he’d gone back to his hometown.
I listened to all of it and didn’t feel much of anything. Just a small, faint smile.
I finished my drink, got up, went and poured another, and turned back to my coworkers laughing at the table.
After all. Hating a group of strangers is a strange thing to do.