Chapter 4
The doctor’s words sent Mom into tears. I wiped her face and told her it was Dad who had hit me.[]
“Mom, I don’t want to live with them anymore. I want to go with you. I don’t care if I have to sleep on the floor!]
My crying broke Mom’s heart. When we got back home, we found Dad and Casey eating dinner like nothing had happened.]
Mom went straight to the bedroom and discovered there was no longer a place for me there. My “bed” was just wooden boards set up in the living room.[]
Mom trembled with rage. She walked over and flipped the entire dinner table, then slapped Dad hard across the face!
“Dave, Let’s get divorced!“]
Dad’s face turned ugly. “Jenna, have you lost your mind?”
“Yes, I have! Riley has lost hearing in her right ear because you hit her. You’ve been abusing my child. You don’t deserve to be a father!“]
Dad was stunned. “What did you say?”
“That’s impossible. She must be faking it“]
Their shouting attracted the neighbors, who gathered around our door.
Hearing my parents‘ argument, they started speaking up one after another.]
“You don’t know the half of it. Mrs. Chen. When you’re gone, her dad often doesn’t feed Riley. All the good stuff goes to Casey!”
“The poor girl has to beg for scraps from different neighbors. It’s so heartbreaking.”
“Kids need their mothers. Look what’s happened to her in such a short time.”
Hearing the neighbors‘ accusations, Mom became even more furious. “Dave, either you divorce me today, or I’m going straight to the police station to report you for child abuse!”
Dad looked at me without a hint of remorse.[]
way to her.“]
“Casey is our only princess. Riley needs to learn to give way to
“They’re BOTH your children! Why should Riley always have to give way to Casey?!||
Dad turned to the neighbors crowding our doorway. “This is family business. Stay out of it“]
Everyone fell silent. Mom didn’t waste another word–she grabbed a kitchen knife and pointed it at him. “Divorce me or neither of us is walking out of here aliver“]
Dad was fuming too. “Fine! Let’s get divorced”
“But Riley stays with me!“]
He wanted custody of me?]
No way! I looked desperately at Mom. She let out a cold laugh and swung the knife right at him!]]
Dad barely dodged–the blade whizzed past his temple and embedded itself in the cabinet behind him, leaving him speechless. with shock.]
Mom barked at him: “If you dare try to take Riley from me, I will end your life!
Mom packed our things right away and took me with her. “We’re not keeping this broken piece of junk!” she said, referring to my makeshift bed
She shot Dad one last glare before leading me out the door.
Unfortunately, her work assignment kept her extremely busy. She dropped me off at Grandma’s house and had to rush back.
Grandma took one look at my choppy hair and carefully trimmed it into a cute bob. She got me new clothes, and when she learned about my hearing loss in my right ear, she wiped away tears:[]
“My poor little darling. Your father has lost his mind. Don’t pay him any attention from now on. That bastard–I won’t even call him my son anymore.”
I wiped away Grandma’s tears, thinking to myself that Dad would never hit me again. And now that even Grandma had disowned him, he was the real poor one.
A few weeks later, Mom came back with a few hundred dollars in her hand.
She smiled at me and said, “Your dad is still living in the house I bought. Since he refuses to leave, I made him sign a rental agreement. He has to pay monthly rent now, or he’s out on the street.”
Mom was so clever! She gave the money to Grandma to take care of me, as she still needed to continue her work assignment at another city.
“Don’t worry, Riley. Once I get settled over there, I’ll bring you to live with me. We’ll be together again!”
I nodded. As long as I didn’t have to live with Dad, Casey couldn’t bully me anymore.[]
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