You A Lesson

Chapter13

News of the coming–of–age ceremony spread in the family group.

Sofia could no longer rely on her looks to get whatever she wanted.

With Mila in the jail, Sofia had no choice but to stay with her unreliable father, whom she had never met before.

Her father was not only a thug but also a heavy drinker and gambler, and whenever things didn’t go his way, he would beat Sofia.

Having been pampered since childhood, she naturally couldn’t bear this.

She desperately came looking for me, her former mother.

As soon as I opened the door, she knelt at my feet.

When I stepped back, she crawled on her knees, clinging to the hem of my clothes, begging pitifully.

“I’m sorry, Mom. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have lied to you,” she pleaded.

She rolled up her sleeves, revealing scars crisscrossing her arms. “I was your daughter for nine years. Can you really abandon me?” she asked.

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Chapter13

“They say the bond from raising someone is greater than anything,”

she added.

“It was all that wretched Mila’s doing, threatening me. You were always the only mother in my heart,” she lied.

“If you don’t want me either, I’ll have no choice but to die,” she threatened.

Under her father’s beatings, Sofia had become more cunning and manipulative in her words and actions.

Seeing how easily Sofia switched her expressions, she no longer seemed like a nine–year–old child.

It seemed some traits were indeed genetic, like her ability to twist the truth and shirk responsibility.

When she had once tried to clear her name by pushing me to my death, the mix of love and hate had tormented me deeply.

When Mila told me that Sofia wasn’t really my daughter, hatred completely overshadowed any love I had left.

She was no longer my daughter but my enemy.

In my heart, I carried endless guilt and longing for my biological child.

As for Sofia, I had never wronged her during these past years.

I pulled the hem of my clothes from her hands, wiping the tears from Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Chapter3

her eyes. “Lying comes with a price,” I said.

“And you’re no exception,” I added.

“From the moment you left with Mila, full of pride, you were no longer my daughter,” I said.

Sofia’s face turned pale. “Mom, are you really this heartless?” she asked.

I opened the door, gesturing for her to leave.

Seeing that no one was around, Sofia couldn’t help but show her true colors. “You bitch, you think I wanted you as my mom?” she snapped.

“My mom told me my dad left money for me, but you stole it,” she accused.

“You bitch, watch out or I’ll kill you. Your money will be mine,” she threatened.

I pushed Sofia out the door. She pounded on it, screaming, “Open the door, you bitch!”

“If you don’t leave now, I’ll call the police and let them reunite you with your mom,” I warned.

The knocking stopped abruptly. After a moment, she hissed through gritted teeth, “You’ve got guts. Just wait, don’t regret it later.”

Then, I heard her footsteps rapidly retreating.

I looked up at the corner where I had installed a camera specifically

for Sofia.

After being her mother for nine years, I knew her too well.

She wouldn’t give up so easily.