He hid all this from my mother, claiming it was to give me freedom and support me in pursuing true love.
Looking back now, he was truly rotten to the core.
Seeing my lack of enthusiasm, he looked down, nervous.
"I asked the sales assistant. They said this is the best model, and it wouldn't lag while playing games. Are you not satisfied?"
"It's okay," I replied casually.
In my previous life, I had jumped with joy.
If I didn't know the horrible ending that awaited me, I would've been moved to call him Dad right then and there.
Dinner time.
My mother rushed home after a long day.
After so many years of not seeing her, my emotions were a whirlwind.
I was no longer the ungrateful daughter I once was and now understood that she wasn't as tough as she appeared.
She worked tirelessly, day and night, managing her shop, all for the sake of her disappointing daughter.
But every time I tried to awkwardly mend our mother-daughter relationship, my stepfather would always interfere.
It wasn't until after her death that his true nature was revealed, telling me to rot and die outside and never return to disgrace the family.
The memories of those days were as clear as yesterday.