The Divorced Heiress Is Entering a New Marriage

When Logan and I finally made it to their table, we, and my mother, sat down.

“So what is this all about?” I asked before even looking at the menu.

“We’re making amends,” Mom said, “But there’s no need to rush. Order something. Let’s eat. We have all

lunch.”

As if on cue, the waiter saddled up to our table. “Can I start you folks off with something to drink?”

“We’re ready to order our meals,” Dad said.

Scrambling, I grabbed the menu. Logan openly frowned at Dad.

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Regulars here, Mom and Dad of course knew what they wanted right away. For Logan and mo longer to decide. I pointed to the first thing on the menu, not wanting to take up too much of the waiter’s time. Logan ordered what my Dad was having.

I wasn’t even hungry; I’m far too nervous for that. But I panicked under pressure, immediately shifting back into the little girl who was just happy to be included in her parents‘ plans.

-If this was a sign of things to come, it didn’t bode well,

I glanced at Logan, feeling slightly overwhelmed. He calmly slipped his hand around the back of the chair.

People at nearby tables subtly lifted their phones now and then to take candid photos of us. My mother preened every time she noticed. Dad didn’t seem to cafe as much, though I noticed he had recently shaved and was wearing one of his nicer plaid shirts today.

‘I doubted those changes were for me.

“Darling,” Mom said, looking back at me. “Your father and I have been talking it over for days and days. We’ve really changed. We can admit we were… unkind in the past, but if you give us a second chance, you’ll be surprised and happy by how we are now.”

“We want you back in the family, Hazel,” Dad added.

Strange, I didn’t remember ever being officially out of it. As far as I could tell, we all stopped talking to each other, since our relationships had seemed completed. I had enough money to not need their support anymore. They were happy to focus entirely on Natalie

“I’m sure Natalie would be more receptive to your offer,” I said.

“Natalie is a terrible, cruel child,” Mom said, her lips twisting downward into a harsh frown. “She never really appreciated us, or the many things we did for her. And of course when our friends found out that she wasn’t even ours…”

She put on a fake voice, “Why do you put up with such a brat who isn’t even your flesh and blood?”

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Her voice back to normal, she added, “We really couldn’t argue with that logic.”

Except, they could have. They should have. Natalie was most definitely a brat, and cruel, and terrible, but she was still one of the two daughters they adopted. By adopting us, Mom and Dad had taken on the responsibility of loving us unconditionally.

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“I… It’s. That’s… Ah…”

Logan gave me a small, supportive smile, encouraging me.

Suddenly, with him beside me, I felt the flood gates open and years of repressed truths started pouring

out of me. This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - ©.

“You’ve always treated me like trash,” I told them. “On good days, you ignored me. On bad days, you made me Natalie’s servant. You never supported anything I did. I had to drop out of soccer because you refused to drive me to practice or pay for my uniform.”

“We’re not made of money,” Mom said. “You should have paid for it yourself.”

“I was six,” I countered.

“You are making excuses,” Mom said. “If you wanted to play soccer so badly, you would have found a way to get there on your own.”

God, they really hadn’t changed at all.

“Growing up, you locked me in my room for days, only sliding candy bars under the door.”

“Milk chocolate has milk in it,” Mom said.

“You constantly berated me, calling me ugly and useless.”

“We made you strong,” Dad said.

“No,” I snapped. “You pushed me down again and again, making me believe that I belonged in the dirt. That your table scraps were all I could ever hope for in life. Thanks to you, I didn’t think I’d ever find “someone who truly loved and appreciated me. I didn’t even know what that felt like!”

Those phones were facing our table once again. This time, I suspected, they were recording.

I didn’t care.

“I will never want back into your family,” I said with finality. Looking at Logan and the pride in his face, I added, “I already have one of my own.”

For a moment, Mom and Dad were speechless, expressions reflecting their shock.

Then, Mom’s brow lowered. Her upper lip curled. When she spoke, venom dripped from her words, “You ungrateful bitch.”