"Are you insane? All that money—you couldn’t fight for it? You couldn’t cause a scene?!"
Margaret’s expression twisted, the earlier friendliness gone.
"Are you stupid? Go back right now and ask them for more money before you come back! Otherwise, you can die out there for all I care!"
Her last sentence stabbed me right in the heart.
Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at her quietly.
"Mom… are you not happy I came back? Is money the only reason you’d want to see me? And… was I really taken by human traffickers back then?"
She didn’t even flinch, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the door.
"Get out! I thought I could get something out of you—wasted a whole meal on you for nothing!"
I stumbled after her, trying to pull back.
"Mom, it’s already dark out. I really have nowhere to go."
"Not my problem!" She spat the words at me.
"You think you can keep freeloading here? Get out and stay out!"
Rachel and my two younger sisters rushed over, crying and begging Margaret not to throw me out.
But Robert picked up the wooden stick again, and they fell silent, red-eyed but unable to help.
My gaze swept over them, then fixed on my parents’ twisted faces.