Chapter 13
The laughter of the boys died abruptly. Seeing me cry so hard, probably afraid of attracting a teacher, they scattered in all directions.
Only Ethan, with his cold expression, and Chloe, still wearing her look of disdain, remained.
The more I cried, the sadder I became, and the harder it was to stop.
In my rush to lost a shoe, I had truly believed that he wanted to see my certificate.
That for once, someone actually wanted to see something I had achieved. That someone might actually want to see me.
I just… I just…couldn’t help but hope that someone would finally the notice of me.
I cried until I was gasping for breath.
Until Ethan coldly stared at me and said, “It’s because you got first place that Mom fell ill.”
Through my tears, I looked up at him, bewildered. Only then did I understand what had happened–Mom had found out about my exa
results.
The housekeeper, meaning to comfort her, had said something like, “What could those ignorant men from the Appalachian Hills possibly know? She must have inherited her intelligence from you, Miss Laura.”
“It’s just that she inherited Miss Laura’sintelligence…”
But those words made Mom break down again. “She didn’t inherit anything from me!”
“I… I don’t have a child like that! She can’t have gotten it from me!”
She became so emotionally upset that she fell ill once more.
Over the past six months, her mental state had been extremely fragile.
Even the slightest provocation could make her collapse quickly.
Having spent eight years in the Appalachian Hills, she had almost numbed herself completely.
Now that she was back, her emotions had crumbled instead.
I listened blankly to Ethan’s words. Tears pooled in my eyes, but I could no longer cry.
It seemed I was always to blame. Even excelling was a mistake.
Ethan tared at me with disgust, yet his eyes were red.
Gradually, a trace of confusion appeared in his gaze. “I want my Mom back.”
“She’s like the teacher said–gentle as the moon, beautiful as the sun.”
“Emily, where… have you hidden her?”
I opened my moth, but couldn’t say a word.
Ethan said to me, his voice filled with sorrow. “Give my Mom back to me.”
“I’ll put your certificate back together and give it back to you, okay?”
I lowered my eyes, no longer daring to look at him.
For a long time, a long time, I watched his clean, handsome sneakers gradually disappear from my sight. Along with Chloe’s pretty princess dress.
When Ilooked up again, he was already walking toward the school gates.
All I could manage to say, softly, was, “I’m sorry.”
Chapter 13
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You think I’m gonna fall for an illusion?
I thought, I’m always at fault. Always at fault.
Lost in my thoughts, I wandered back to the dorm. But the dorm supervisor came in and said, “What are you still doing here?”
“The dorm is closing; you can’t stay anymore.”
Then I remembered the final exams were over. The school was already about to start the winter holiday.
Flustered, I hurriedly packed my schoolbag. Carrying it on my back, I walked out of the dorm building.
I had nowhereto go, wandering aimlessly across the campus.
When I reached the school gate, the old guard shouted at me. “Which class are you in, little one? Hasn’t your parent come?
“The gates are about to close!”
I stared at him vacantly and kept walking out of the gate with my backpack on.
The guard moved to stop me. “Little one, whre are your parents?”
A teacher beside him plled him aside and spoke quietly.”
I vaguely heard a few words. “That girl… don’t worry about her…”
Chapter 13
