The Nine-Year-Old Terror: How a Scratched Car Exposed a Toxic Family Chapter 2

My mom exploded instantly.

"What do you mean, malicious?! You never have a good word to say! He's just a little boy, how could he have any bad intentions?"

"He's nine years old! He's not going to be a kid forever! If you don't discipline him now, when he enters the real world, he's going to cause an even bigger disaster and suffer much worse consequences!"

"I don't want to hear your twisted logic! Every time you see him, all you do is scold him, always saying he's doing this wrong or that wrong. There is no aunt in the world like you."

Every time I brought up the issue of Leo's discipline, my mom always twisted it into me being biased against him.

Seeing me silenced, a smug snort escaped from Leo's nose.

My temper flared up.

I lifted my foot and started walking toward the apartment. "I paid for part of this house too. Why shouldn't I go in?"

Leo flew into a helpless rage.

He threw himself onto the ground, kicking and screaming, throwing a massive tantrum.

"Don't let her go! Don't let her go! My mom said she's coming to steal our house! Steal our house!"

My mom hurriedly tried to coax him. "Leo, my sweet grandson, Grandma won't let her go, I won't let her go!"

After she finished, she looked a bit awkward. "Don't take what a kid says to heart. Your sister-in-law didn't mean it like that. Leo is throwing a fit, so why don't you just leave for now?"

In that moment, it would be a lie to say I wasn't hurt.

Since I was little, because I was a girl, my parents didn't value me. They dumped me with my grandparents to be raised.

They always said daughters would eventually marry into other families, and they would have to rely on their son to take care of them in their old age.

So, I worked twice as hard, trying to win their approval.

After starting my career, my salary kept increasing. Last year, I married Liam, who came from a good family, which finally made my parents happy.

Meanwhile, my brother lounged around all day doing nothing. He had zero income all year and relied entirely on my parents.

My parents' food and expenses for the entire year were all paid for by me.

But even so, in their eyes, I was still inferior to the "male heir."

After being hurt time and time again, even I get tired.

I remained silent for a long time.

I don't know what I finally gave up on, but suddenly, my body and mind felt incredibly light. I didn't want to deal with this anymore, and I didn't care anymore.

My mom seemed to sense something was different. She said in a slightly fawning tone, "Chloe, in a few days Mom will make your favorite pickled vegetable pancakes, and I'll call you to come home."

Actually, I didn't like pickled vegetable pancakes.

When I was little, I was often hungry. The elderly neighbor, Mrs. Smith, would occasionally give me a pickled vegetable pancake to eat. My mom just assumed I was greedy and asked for them myself.

I gave her one look and said flatly.

"I don't like pickled vegetables. I like king crab. If there's no emergency in the future, you don't need to call me to come over. I'm busy with work."

After saying that, I didn't care what she thought, I just turned and left.

The $40,000 I provided to buy this apartment could be considered compensation for my parents raising me for the first twenty years of my life.

Didn't they want to rely on their son for their old age?

Then for the rest of their lives, I won't be participating.

After that unpleasant parting, I actually enjoyed a period of peace and quiet.

The next time I heard news about Leo, it was that he had been beaten and sent to the hospital.

My mom choked back sobs. "Leo got beaten up, he's in the hospital!"

Me: "Oh."

My mom wailed, "That goddamn monster, a six-foot-tall grown man! One slap, and the kid got a concussion."

Me: "...What did Leo do?"

Over the phone, my mom hemmed and hawed, refusing to say.

I was a bit curious, so I went to the hospital.