Chapter 383


    Dad, who had been silent the entire time, came to my side and knelt beside Mom.


    Thest perseverance in my heart crumbled at that moment. I felt as though I had fallen into a dark


    abyss, forever trapped in the dark, never able to see the bright sun again.


    “Dad, do you want me to take the me too for something that I did not do, just like Mom?”


    My face was as white as a sheet. My entire body was trembling. Even though I already knew the


    answer to my question, I refused to believe it. Am I not important to them at all?


    “Anna, we''re begging you. We''ve raised you to be who you are today. It wasn''t easy for us. Consider


    this thest thing you''re doing for us. I promise you that this will be thest time.” Mom squeezed my


    hand tightly.


    My entire body was shivering from the coldness surrounding my heart. I felt as though I was drowning


    in icy waters.


    I inhaled deeply to stop the tears from falling. I didn''t want to take the me, but my heart gave in to


    their pleas. Their actions that day had disappointed me greatly.


    “All right. I''ll promise you, but you will no longer be my parents after this incident. I don''t have heartless


    parents like both of you,” I screamed at them, then spun around and left.


    Unable to hold it back any longer, I let the tears of despair flow down my face once I turned around.


    I had never expected my family to be so cruel. I never thought they would sacrifice me to protect


    Steven regardless of how I felt.


    Why? Why are they doing this to me?


    I was unwilling to ept the truth. I wanted to turn back and scream at them and let them know that I


    was their daughter. How could they be so unsympathetic toward me? Wouldn''t their conscience hurt


    when they treated me like this?


    No matter how furious I was, I suppressed all of them down. I had known from the beginning that the


    oue would have been the same no matter how much I struggle or what I ask them. Their intention


    to protect Steven would never change.


    I walked mindlessly on the sidewalk, feeling so helpless, feeling as though I was forsaken by the entire


    world. Why didn''t anyone think about my feelings? About how I would feel? I wanted to know if they


    had ever loved me even a little.


    The minutes ticked by. My phone had been ringing the entire time, but I didn''t pick it up. I pretended to


    be deaf, not wanting to talk to anyone. All I wanted was to be alone.


    The phone rang and stopped, then rang again in an endless cycle. It went on for a long while. I finally


    reached for my phone and saw Michael''s name on the screen.


    My heart clenched when I saw that familiar name. Perhaps Michael was the only person who truly


    cared about and loved me.


    However, his love for me would be gone soon. I wasn''t sure how he would react after hearing me admit


    to hurting his mother. Would he hate me?


    I didn''t even dare to think about what would happen to my rtionship with Michael. The happiness


    that I had tried so hard to attain... Would it disappear like smoke?


    I clicked on a button to take the call, trembling. I didn''t want to face it, but I knew the problem wouldn''t


    go away with me running away. There was no escaping the inevitable.


    “Hello,” I said once the call connected, my voice choking with sobs, but I tried to endure it. I didn''t want


    Michael to hear that there was something wrong with me.


    “Where are you? Why didn''t you pick up my calls? I called you so many times?”


    Michael''s worried voice came from the other end. His tone was full of concern for me.


    I was in a dejected state, having faced the relentlessness of my family. Hearing his concern for me, I


    couldn''t stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.


    I covered my mouth, trying to hide my sobs. I didn''t want him to hear my cries, but he was smart and


    knew me so well. I couldn''t hide my emotion from him.


    “You''re crying? Where are you? I''lle and pick you up,” Michael asked anxiously. I could hear the


    panic in his voice.


    “I-I''m near Steven''s house.”


    I had intended to tell him that his mother got hurt because of me when I picked up his call, but I had


    cold feet and chickened out at thest minute. I didn''t want to spoil my rtionship with him.


    It was not easy for us to be together. I was the only one who knew that. I couldn''t bear to watch the


    happiness I strived so hard for slip away from my grasp.


    “Wait for me. I''lle and pick you up right away.”


    Michael hung up, shortening a thirty-minute drive to fifteen minutes.


    I was squatting down on the sidewalk with tears streaming down my face.


    Michael got out of the car and rushed to my side, wrapping his arms around me and looking worried.


    “What''s wrong? Tell me what happened.”


    Michael''s voice was gentle. I could feel the warmth from his body and breath as he held me.


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    “Michael...”


    I circled my arms around his waist. I couldn''t get any words out other than his name. There were too


    many things I wanted to tell him that I didn''t even know where to start.


    “What''s wrong? Did your family bully you?”


    Michael patted my back. I could hear his heart breaking for me in his voice.


    “No, they didn''t.”


    When I recalled how my parents had dropped to their knees to beg me to take the me on behalf of


    Steven, ice froze over my heart. I held no hope for that family anymore.


    This is thest time I''m helping them. They will no longer be my parents after this. I''m disowning them.


    From now on, they are strangers to me. They''ve smothered any remaining affection I had for them.


    “If nobody bullies you, then why are you crying? Tell me what happened. I''ll take care of it no matter


    what it is.”


    Michael tightened his arms around me. I could feel the determination in his tone. Every word he told me


    and every action he did made my heart ache even more.


    I missed his hugs and gentleness. I truly hoped we could be together like this forever.


    “Michael, bring me home. I have something to tell you,” I said softly, looking into his eyes. I didn''t want


    to tell him about my family affair.


    I have to tell him about his mother as soon as possible before I chicken out and change my mind.


    “All right. Let''s go home.”


    He didn''t continue pursuing the matter after hearing that I wanted to go home. He carried me bridal-


    style into the passenger seat of his car.


    After we both got in the car, he focused on driving while I turned my head toward the window, not


    wanting him to see the tears that kept dropping.