دو
Alex flinched, hiding under the covers.
“As long as he has our last name, he’s your
brother!”
I pulled out my acceptance letter. “Mom, did
you know? I got into the best program at the
NDU. I won’t even need to come home more
than once a year. Aren’t you happy?”
She seemed to realize what was coming. Her
lip trembled, and she reached for me.
“After I graduate, I’ll apply for an overseas
position. You’ll never have to see me again.
You can dote on Alex all you want. Perfect,
isn’t it? No one to compete with him.
anymore.”
“Noah, that’s not what I meant! Give me
another chance, next time, next time…‘
دو
“There is no next time.” My voice was cold.
“You abandoned me at the amusement park
on my birthday because of Alex. You forgot
when I was coming home for summer break
because you were too busy with Alex. You
forced me to live alone at twelve. When I
came home, my room was gone, and I wasn’t
even in the family photos. And on my birthday
this year, Alex almost killed me.”
Mom swayed, but I felt nothing. “How many
more chances do you want, Mom? How many
more?!”
“I won’t give you another opportunity to hurt
me.”
“Noah, you’re my son! My baby! You can’t…
you can’t leave me…” she begged, clutching
my sleeve. “I knew…I realized…I wanted to fix
it…but somehow…”
“Somehow, Alex always managed to ruin
everything, and you all bought his pathetic
act, choosing him over me, again and again.‘
I looked at her like she was a stranger.
وو
“This is your punishment, Mom. I don’t want
to be a ‘Reed‘ anymore.”
I turned to my silent father and dropped my
final bombshell. “Do you know why Dad
brought Alex home?”
“Alex’s mother…was your first love, wasn’t
she, Dad?”
Mom’s shriek echoed behind me. I walked
