Chapter 9

My mom glared at me with venom in her eyes. “Alex, you ungrateful child! After everything I’ve done for you all these years, how dare you treat me like this! You better explain things to your father, or I will never acknowledge you again!”

I gave a bitter smile. “Haven’t you already disowned me?”

I turned to William. “She didn’t cheat on you. I’m biologically your daughter.”

I held his confused gaze and said slowly, “To keep you around, my mom made me pretend to be a boy all these years.”

“Alex, you bastard! You’re trying to ruin me!” my mom wailed, breaking into hysterical sobs.

William’s grip on her arm slowly loosened, and she collapsed to the floor, cursing me furiously.

William looked at me, his eyes wide with disbelief, muttering to himself, “You’re my daughter… not my son…”

The atmosphere in the living room grew tense and surreal.

William seemed lost in thought and my mom sat on the floor hurling insults at me. I stood there quietly, feeling a deep, calm emptiness as I w