Still, Mom thought they were good people. To her, they were family.
And me? I was like an outsider.
Mom could spend my money without a hint of guilt. No matter how much I gave or sacrificed, in her eyes, it was always something I ought to do.
When she saw that I had no intention of apologizing, she clutched her chest and pretended to faint, collapsing dramatically onto the floor.
It was her usual trick, one she’d used countless times to make me back down. But not this time.
Buck barked at me in a panic. “Look at what you’ve done! You’ve made Mom faint! Hurry and take her to the hospital!”
I threw him a cold glance. “This time, it’s your turn to take care of her.”
With that, I turned and walked away.
Behind me, Ethel shouted, “I’ve never seen anyone as heartless as you! Ignoring your own mother?! Do you even have a conscience?”
A sudden gust of wind swept through the yard. Though the sun still blazed high above, I felt a chill crawling up my spine.
No matter how harshly the sunlight beat down on me, the cold in my chest wouldn’t fade. The sadness was so deep that not even the summer heat could warm it.