They Chose Her Over Me In Two Lives Chapter 07
My adoptive parents had been worried I wouldn’t adjust.
But in less than two weeks, I’d settled in completely.
That worried them too. They thought I was just too shy to say what I needed.
I had to explain. Because I’d been shuffled from one group home to another since I was little, I’d learned to adapt fast. You learn to read a room before you walk into it. You learn to smile at the right
moment. You learn to disappear.
My adoptive mother’s eyes welled up.
My adoptive father sighed, his face full of tenderness.
“We read your file. Plenty of families wanted to adopt you before. Why didn’t you ever accept?”
I was quiet for a long time. The question sat heavy in my chest.
Then I whispered, “Because I was waiting for my mom and dad.”
Ten years. I’d waited ten years. Watched friend after friend get adopted–carried out the front door
in someone’s arms, waving goodbye over their shoulder.
And when my family finally came, I barely had time to be happy before I had to accept that they
didn’t love me.
My adoptive parents didn’t push. They took me out to cheer me up.
We were having fun on the beach. The sun was warm, the waves slow. I let myself laugh out loud for
the first time in a long time.
I went to a small diner by the road to buy drinks.
Someone grabbed me.
It was Mom. She looked frantic. And angry,
“Lily?! What are you doing here?”
She seemed worked up. Her voice was shaking.
Her voice was loud. People turned to look.
I heard hurried footsteps. Dad, Ryan, and Jade.
They all looked like they were on vacation.
Jade’s face darkened the moment she saw me. Just a flicker. Then the mask slid back into place.
The bad memories flooded back.
I didn’t answer Mom. I just tried to pull away.
But she got angrier. Her voice went shrill, full of blame.
“You ran back to the group home without a word. You haven’t contacted us in weeks. Do you have
any idea how worried we’ve been?! And now you just show up here? Answer me!”
Ryan snorted.
“What else? She saw our Instagram story and followed us.
“I told you. She’s too calculating to ever leave us alone.”
Dad looked at me like I was a child throwing a tantrum. He pulled out his phone.
“I’ll book her a flight home right now. Lily, last time was just a lesson. Apologize to Jade and we’ll
forgive you.”
The anger and hurt I’d been holding back surged up.
I couldn’t help it. I shouted.
“Why should I apologize to her?! I don’t need your forgiveness! Let go of me! I don’t want you as my
family anymore!”
They didn’t take me seriously.
Mom raised her hand to slap me.
My adoptive parents ran over and shielded me.
My adoptive father stared them down, his voice cold.
“Lily is our child. What do you think you’re doing?”
When Mom heard that, she froze.
Then, as if something had clicked, she laughed coldly.
“I knew it. How could a ten–year–old get to another country on her own? You brought her here. Let me tell you something–no matter how much Lily begs you to play along, she’s our daughter. We’re the only ones she can rely on in this world.”
Ryan added coldly, still tending to Jade, “I’d stay away from her if I were you. She’s got a twisted mind. She hid someone’s medicine and nearly killed them.”
My eyes burned. I looked at my adoptive parents carefully.
“I didn’t. I really didn’t.”
My adoptive mother squeezed my hand. She didn’t say a word.
At her nod, my adoptive father pulled out the adoption petition.
“First, we’re not playing along. We adopted Lily legally. Second, Lily is our child now. If you keep
slandering her, don’t blame us for what happens next.‘
