But she did not discard the painting alone that day, but also my hope for our family to be connected.
"Don’t dwell on these things," Mom said, patting my shoulder. "Your father and I will always stand by you."
The cold metal of her new sapphire ring dug into my skin, and I couldn't help but manage a bitter smile.
She threw away the painting that took me six months to finish without a second thought.
But a ring Jed bought with the family's wealth? She treasured it like a priceless heirloom.
It took me a long time to understand.
They never loved me.
Maybe they never saw me as their child. To them, Jed would always be their one and only son.
Cade's POV
To them, I was nothing but an obstacle.
If that was the case, there was no reason for me to stay in this house any longer.
Mom had little patience for me. After a few half-hearted words telling me to cheer up, she made an excuse and left. Outside, I could faintly hear Jed suggesting they go shopping for luxury brands. As expected, Mom gleefully agreed and the two of them excitedly left hand-in-hand.
I let out a bitter laugh. I might be blind, but I wasn’t deaf.
I knew Jed was doing this on purpose, trying to provoke me into storming out and making a scene. He wanted me labeled as unstable so they could have me locked away in a psychiatric ward.
But I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
Surrounded by darkness, I whispered, “Hey, Siri, call Mr. Ward.”
As soon as the line connected, I spoke calmly. “Stop all financing. And get me a private flight out of the country. Immediately.”
Suddenly, I heard a cheerful female voice. "Auntie and Jed aren't here?" It was my girlfriend.
She must've come to visit me.
She didn’t know the truth about my parents or Jed. Right now, she was probably downstairs chatting with my dad. Just as I was about to call her up, I heard my father whispered, "They went shopping. I'll have the driver take you to them right away."
Then he added, "When are you breaking up with Cade? Jed is the perfect match for you. You two belong together."
My hands quickly clenched into fists. I never imagined my own father could be so biased.
Polly Clayton, my girlfriend, and I had been together for eight years. We met back when I was still in school. She never knew my true identity, only that I was an orphan, and she never cared. A year ago, when I reunited with my birth family, I came clean and introduced her to my parents.