I Paid for Mom’s Mistake Chapter 04
Maybe because I no longer had any hope left, I actually found myself in the mood to tease Death a little.
“See? After she found out the truth, she was just glad that Bernette was saved. That’s all she’s ever going to feel. I won!”
Death refused to leave it at that. Using certain techniques, he spoke through Bernette, “Mom, what’s wrong?”
Smiling, Mom said, “I had a dream. In that dream, you were the one who drank the disinfectant instead. Then, Dahlia made a deal with Death to exchange her life for yours. The dream was so terrifyingly real that even now I’m still getting chills just thinking about it.”
Bernette asked monotonously, “Does that mean Dahlia died in my place?”
Mom immediately comforted her. “That’s not how things work. Everyone has their own fate, after all. I was so worried that the dream would become reality when I woke up. If it were real, I don’t know how I’d spend the rest of my life with Dahlia. Why does she get to live while you’re just… gone?”
I had already known that as a fact, but when Mom actually said it, I still felt my heart breaking.
Once more, there was a flash of white light. I found myself back on top of the building.
This time, I backed away.
Since I wasn’t the one who killed Bernette and Mom had never loved me anyway, I didn’t owe anybody anything. There was nothing left in this home worth holding onto, either. From now on, I would only live for myself!
I rushed home, changed my clothes, then headed outside.
Mom stopped me. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Putting on my shoes, I said, “I’m going to a gathering with my classmates!”
We had planned to hold a gathering after graduation. It might be the last time our entire class would ever be in one place.
Actually, I told Mom about the gathering a few days ago.
Back then, Morn said, “Your sister didn’t even get to go to school. How could you enjoy yourself and not feel guilty about your sister? Shouldn’t you be grateful just to have an education? And you think you’re entitled to fun parties
as well?”
I insisted on going.
So, Mom lit a candle to ask for Bernette’s permission.
After that, she snatched my phone and informed the class rep that I wouldn’t be attending the gathering.
Now, Mom had a foul look on her face, “You already asked your sister about that, didn’t you? She didn’t give you permission to go! Don’t even think about leaving this house today while I’m still around. No one can go against your sister’s will!”
The resentment that had accumulated over the past 13 years finally turned into anger boiling within me.
I screamed, “You’re the one who doesn’t deserve to live a happy life! You’re the one who should be lighting candles and asking for Bernette’s permission!”
A hint of guilt flashed across Mom’s face. “What nonsense are you saying?”
Shoving her away, I walked right through the door. “You know very well who filled that juice bottle with disinfectant. I never wronged anyone!”
My classmates were excited to see me. “We were just talking about how you’re the only one who couldn’t make it. You’re finally here!”
That night, we chatted about everything, from our present lives to our dreams of the future.
I felt a sense of ease unlike anything I’d ever felt before.
For the first time in 13 years, I truly felt alive.
I went home very late at night.
The lights were still on in Mom’s room, but she didn’t rush out to yell at me as I had expected.
I didn’t mind it, either. I went to bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, I was woken up by noisy chatter.
Mom was saying, “That brat is getting out of hand. She went out with a group of boys last night, and she only came home just before dawn. She was reeking of alcohol! She has always been a handful, you know. Back then, she … killed her own sister. Who knows what she might do in the future?
“I tried to stop her from going out last night, but she pushed me away! She even claimed that I was the reason Bernette died back then. What on earth am I going to do with her?”
By the looks of it, she was worried that I might expose what she did, so she made the first move by accusing me instead.
When I opened the door, everyone turned to look at me as if they were demanding an explanation.
Uncle Solomon was the first to speak up. “Dahlia, your mom is just worried about you. How can you be so violent with her? Do you know how worried she was when you went out last night? She has worked so hard to raise you on her own, but look at how furious she is because of you! Come on, apologize to her now.”
Since I had made up my mind, I was no longer afraid of anyone at all. “Mom, I’m your daughter. I know you don’t like me, but was it really necessary to put it that way? What do you mean, I went out with a group of boys?”
I turned to look at our relatives. “I just went to a gathering with my classmates! Also, Mom didn’t forbid me from going out because she was worried. She did it because Bernette didn’t agree to it.”
Some relatives who hadn’t stayed in touch stared at me in bewilderment.
After briefly explaining the reason and how Mom went about it, I added, “But the candle never went out! So, all these years, I never got to wear new clothes, never tasted cake, and never went to an amusement park. Also, none of my illnesses were ever treated, because Bernette never allowed me to go to the hospital.”
Everyone at the scene had a look of disbelief on their face.
Mom’s cousin, Aunt Penny, hesitantly said to Mom, “Tessa, I know Dahlia made a mistake when she was young, but don’t you think you’re taking it too far?”
I had always been one to just suffer in silence.
