Chapter 6
I stayed with the Millers. Together with Mom, Uncle David, and Ethan, I went to Riverside City.
The Miller house was enormous–like a castle from a storybook.
In the living room, several framed photos were displayed. Each showed the same beautiful woman. She was playing the piano or
painting.
Beside the photos stood rows of trophies and medals. In one picture, she was holding a toddler boy in her arms.
Beside her stood a man, his gaze lowered, watching her and the child with gentle warmth. That man was just as handsome as Uncle
David.
I stared at the woman in the photos, who seemed to be smiling back at me. Her smile was radiant, as if she had captured the sunlight
itself in her face.
Her skin was porcelain fair, her smile radiant like a shining sun–more dazzling than the television stars I had secretly glimpsed once
in the village head’s home.
She looked so much like Mom, and yet not at all.
Mom’s face and hands were the same as mine–sallow, rough, covered in scars.
But the woman in the photos was nothing like that. I couldn’t help but stare at her a little longer.
Just then I heard Mom’s muffled sobs.
Uncle David spoke sharply to the housekeeper, and soon all those photos were taken away.
By evening, the man from the photos arrived.
When he came, Uncle David was eating with Mom, and Ethan was sitting on the couch playing video games.
I was in the kitchen scrubbing the floor when I heard agitated voice from the other room.
It was Mom’s voice, trembling with uncontrollable sobs.
I peeked my head out carefully. Then I saw her snatch up a porcelain bowl and hurl it hard at the man’s forehead.
Blood trickled down his brow, his eyes turning red.
He looked at Mom with grief and said, “Laura, no matter what you’ve been through, no matter what you’ve become…I’ve always been your husband.”
“And Ethan has always been our son.”
Mom tried to strike him again, tried to drive him away, but Uncle David held her back.
Her eyes wide with fury, she shook her head wildly and shouted, “No! No! I have nothing to do with you anymore. Leave!
Ethan was crying so hard his tears streamed uncontrollably.
He threw his arms around her, crying uncontrollably. “Mom, Dad and I have been waiting for you all this time!”
“Don’t drive Dad away! Please don’t drive him away!”
Mom’s body shook harder and harder, her expression twisting into something frantic, almost distorted.
e!gb!”
Dr. Hayes, the psychiatrist Uncle David had found for her, hurried forward, urging, “Miss Miller’s emotions are unstable right now.”
“Mr. Carter, it would be best if you came back another time.”
Michael’s eyes were full of sorrow. In the end, he had no choice but to leave.
Chapter 6
W
WebNovel
4.3 FREE
Google Play
OPEN
You think I’m gonna fall for an illusion?
26.09%
As he walked away, his steps faltered, his boy swayed, as it he could barely stand.
Mom’seves followed his retreating figure, and at last, a tear slid down her cheek
Dr. Haves called Uncle David to help, and together they led her upstairs to rest.
The living room was left with Ethan alone, sobbing until he was gasping for breath.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. He whipped around and caught sight of me crouched at the kitchen doorway
Startled, I ducked back quickly, squatting down and tumbling with the rag in my hands.
But Ethan stormed into the kitchen, snatched the rag from me, and thung it into the trash.
Then, gritting his teeth, he shoved me hard.
I crashed to the ground, my head striking the edge of the cabinet. The buzzing roar returned to my skull.
Above the buzzing in my ears, I heard Ethan’s voice, thick with tears and rage. “It’s your fault! It’s all your fault!”
“Mom used to love me the most. She loved Dad the most!”
“Now she doesn’t want Dad anymore–and she doesn’t love me either!”
He took a few quick steps toward me, crouched down, his eyes bloodshot.
His hands shot out and closed tightly around my neck “My sister should be like Chloe! Not disgusting like you!”
“Why don’t you just die? Why don’t youand that man both just die!”
3
