When I saw Grandma’s troubled face, I felt only jealousy.
Back when I was young, other kids had grandparents who picked them up, who always loved their grandchildren.
When I was little, I felt sad and ran to Grandma for comfort, but her eyes showed no warmth.
“Your Mom is my daughter. Because you’re her child, you’re my granddaughter.”
“But in my heart, my daughter will always come first. You made her suffer and I’ll never forgive you, even if you’re her child.”
At that moment, besides feeling sad, I also felt very jealous.
So, my mom’s mother really loved her, but why did my mom not love me?
Mom’s soft voice came again. “I don’t want to go back to that house. Just seeing her makes me upset. Let’s go back to our small villa outside the city.”
“Hurry up and ask someone to send her back to school!”
Dad gave Mom the peeled apple. “Alright, whatever you want.”
With the doctor's approval, Dad drove Mom, Grandpa and Grandma home.
However, it wasn’t the home I was going back to. When I saw the new villa, I felt confused and lost.
In the big house, there were large wedding photos of my parents and family pictures with Grandpa and Grandma, but there were none for me.
Mom sat comfortably on the sofa. “It feels so good here. This is my real home.”
Grandma gently picked up a blanket and placed it over Mom’s legs.
"Every time you don’t want to see her, you say Kevin is on a business trip and stayed here. You’re still the same after all these years, such a child.”
Grandma’s words were gentle, but they hit me hard.
Ever since I was little, Dad has often gone on business trips. Whenever he was away, Grandpa and Grandma took Mom back to the countryside.
They didn’t come home until Dad’s trip was over, sometimes two weeks, sometimes a month, or even longer.
Those business trips were really just excuses for all of them to stay away from me.
Dad sat silently, staring at his phone.
On the screen was our chat.
[Hazel, Mom and Dad can’t come home tonight. Remember to lock the door.]
[Hazel, are you asleep?]
I didn’t reply. That had never happened before.
Any message from Dad, no matter what it was, no matter what I was doing, I always replied immediately.
Maybe Dad didn’t even realize it, but his hand was shaking as he held the phone. He stood up, walked to the balcony and called his secretary.
“Go to my house right now and check.”
“Is my daughter at home?”
As soon as the call ended, Mom appeared behind him.
“Who are you calling?”
“Was it that brat, Hazel?”
Dad quickly put his phone away and forced a smile. “It’s the secretary.”
“Didn’t you ask me to send her back to school soon? I told my secretary to handle it tomorrow. Don't overthink it.
After hearing Dad’s explanation, Mom looked much happier. "That's better."
Dad let out a relieved sigh and helped Mom to the sofa to sit. After a moment, his phone rang.
He answered, only to hear the secretary's trembling voice.
“Mr. Vargas, Miss Hazel… is dead.”
