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Chapter 5

Author: Luna Samson
The moment it touched my tongue, I realized…

It was bitter.

Chocolate is bitter. Cream is sweet. The bitterness weighed heavy, the sweetness clung like grease.

I never looked forward to my birthday, never spoke of it, deliberately erased it from my mind. No one ever remembered. No one ever celebrated. If I mentioned it, I'd only expose myself to more humiliation.

I waited outside the door until the guests had all left. Just as I was about to step in, I heard Fiona complaining to Mom.

"Mom, why haven't you coaxed Jolene back yet? You probably weren't serious when you apologized last time. It's such a hassle without her. No one to cook, no one to clean. Your cooking is awful, and you never clean as well as she does."

I stopped in my tracks.

So that was it. Their sudden warmth back then wasn't real. They just wanted me back as a housemaid.

I kicked the door open.

No pleasantries. No hesitation. I looked straight at my dad and said, "Grandma is sick. She needs to be hospitalize
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