Chapter 5

Dad snatched my journal off the coffee table, tore out a blank page furiously, and pulled a pen from his pocket:

"Good! Today we're signing a disownment paper. I'm cutting you off. As far as I'm concerned, I never had a daughter like you!"

Grandma Evelyn rushed forward, trying to grab the paper: "You can't sign that... Please, don't..."

I scoffed, looking at her: "Save the act. I'm leaving today, one way or another."

Mom still wanted to argue, but I'd already quickly signed the paper and tossed it back.

Uncle Mark stamped his foot: "You little brat! What a daughter!"

"I'll pack my stuff and get out." I turned toward my room.

Grandma Evelyn stumbled, grabbing my hand, voice trembling: "My sweet girl... We're family. You can't do this..."

I shook off her hand and looked at her coldly: "Family? I don't have a family like you.

Mom also cried, grabbing me: "You weren't like this as a kid… Whatever you wanted, Grandma found a way to get it for you. Your dad and I didn't have money back then, and your grandma did collect recyclables…"

"But every time she brought something home, you'd hug it tight and never let go. You even called your friends to show off that Grandma bought you a new fairy tale book…"

"Karen, don't waste your breath," Aunt Lisa scoffed from the side.

"Look at her. Does she look like she's listening?"

Dad turned his face away, eyes red too.

I noticed a relative filming with their phone, muttering: "Disrespectful, ungrateful. Let her company see this. How could someone like this get hired there?"

I frowned, then smiled instead: "Go ahead, film all you want. Today I'll show everyone exactly what kind of person Grandma really is!"

I straightened my clothes and walked into my room, then dragged out box after box of stuff.

Old clothes, old books, old toys—piled up on the floor.

Everyone fell silent, stunned.

Grandma Evelyn's face went pale, voice trembling: "Sarah… What are you doing? These are all the things I gave you when you were little… Didn't you say you'd keep them forever?"

I kicked the pile: "Why would I keep this garbage?"

"Wait a minute…" Aunt Lisa suddenly knelt down and picked up a faded child's jacket.

"This jacket…"

Other relatives crowded around too, picking up items and examining them closely: "This doesn't make sense…"

"These things look like they're…"

Grandma Evelyn frantically tried to pull me away: "Sarah, stop making a scene…"

Mom and Dad also frowned, staring at the pile of stuff on the floor.

I pulled the used tablet out from under the coffee table.

"Grandma," I said, looking at her pale face, enunciating each word clearly.

"You've hidden this for all these years, thinking I'd never find out, didn't you? I was too young to realize before, but now I see right through you."

"So what if it's a little old?" Dad was still arguing.

"If you don't want to be here, just leave. Stop with the drama!"

I didn't say anything. I just turned the tablet screen toward everyone.

In that instant, the room went deathly quiet.

Mom's scolding expression froze on her face.

Dad's mouth hung open, no sound coming out. He just looked up suddenly, his gaze extremely complicated as he looked from Grandma to me, my face set.

Everyone crowded around, and when they clearly saw the used tablet in my hand, everyone gasped.