I Thought 'Home' Meant Warmth Nope, Just a Doghouse... Till I'm the HEIR, And It's novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ever since I came back, the house felt different.

Heavy. Suffocating. Like the air Itself had gone thick with things no one knew how to say

Jax found out everything Started trying to be nice..

He kept hanging by the door. Peeking through the crack.

You’re older. Guess I’ll call you sis.”

Sis… ever play with a pinwheel? You run and it spins. Pretty cool.”

Sis, fruit trees out back are ripe. Wanna go pick some with me?”

Sis… talk to me. Please? I know I was a jerk. I’ll do better…”

ight years taught me-obey. Please people.

n my memories, no sweet fruit. No warm bed. No happiness. No excitement. All this now just makes me scared. Lost.

started going quiet. All day curled in the corner. Like only cold, heavy walls made me feel safe for a second.

Dad saw it all. Just watched. Hurting. Helpless.

Vanted to give me love. But eight years of ignoring me-forgot how to show it.

he care I used to crave-now just felt like pain and fear.

Jowl after bowl of soup I loved as a kid-smashed. Over and over.

very time it touched my lips, I remembered that bottle of pills shoved down my throat.

Mom… don’t want medicine.”

Swallow it. How else are you gonna die?”

shoved Mom away. Crawled under the bed.

Mom’s eyes-desperate. Sad. Sat there awhile. Finally just cleaned up the mess alone.

ad wouldn’t give up. Sat at the table again. Dead serious.

You’re my daughter. From now on-no kneeling. No eating outside on the ground.”

sit here. I’ll teach you how to use a spoon.”

fom looked at me-complicated. Handed me the spoon.

old metal touched my hand. I freaked. Thrashed. Knocked over the whole table.

remembered that table.

emembered Mom holding a spoon-dragging the edge across my arm, slow and deliberate, carving lines into every inch of skin.

lot soup splashed everywhere. Jax yelped, clutching his arm, face twisted in pain.

le whipped around, ready to tear into me-but stopped.

was on my knees. Face contorted. Shaking.

His expression shifted. He rushed over.

What’s wrong?”

Blood… Oh God, she’s bleeding again!”

Not long after, was back in the hospital.

Cold metal tools slid across my skin. White wats everywhere-too many faces to count.

“Poor kid How’d she lose an eye?”

“Whose kid is this? So young and already suffering. Where were the parents?”

God. Look at those scars. Was she abused?”

People whispered. Pointed. Stared.

Dad’s face flushed. Wanted to snap at them. But couldn’t. He had no right.

Every scar on me-their fault.

Mom stayed silent. Just watched. Tears streaming from her swollen eyes.

Doctor glanced at me. Looked surprised.

“Thought you gave up on treatment?”

“Why bring her back now?”

Dad froze. Bad feeling crept in.

“What do you mean?”

Doctor waved him off. Pulled him aside.

“This little girl… doesn’t have much time.”

Dad’s body jerked. Grabbed the doctor’s collar. Screamed. “What kind of doctor ARE you?! You don’t just tell someone their kid’s dying!”

“You won’t treat her? Then get the hell OUT!”

Shouting drew every eye in the hall.

Doctor frowned. Face went cold. “I’m busy. No time for this. We gave you the results ages ago. Even handed the report to your daughter. Malignant tumor. By now it’s probably spread everywhere…”

“WHAT?!”

Dad swayed on his feet.

“I didn’t know. When? WHEN did this happen?!”

He stumbled back to the room. Searched me frantically. Finally pulled out a crumpled paper.

Words on it shattered him. Dropped to the floor.

Mom’s shaking hands took the report. Eyes rolled back. Collapsed.

Dad’s broken sobs tore through the room. Lost it completely. Threw himself over me crying. “Why? WHY didn’t you tell me?”

“You’re gonna die! You’re gonna DIE! Don’t you get that?!”

Already couldn’t breathe. Face bright red. But still lifted my arm weakly.

“Dad… it’s okay.”

“Didn’t want to bother you.”

Whole room erupted.

Everyone’s faces went dark. Cursed Dad out loud. Said he wasn’t human. Didn’t deserve to be a father.

“Can’t raise a kid? Then don’t have one!”

“She’s so little. Been through more hell than most adults, Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

“Someone call the cops, Lock this psycho up.”

Doctor walked over. Voter pained. Angry. “Little girl ate so much moldy food-her liver’s falling.”

Did you people EVER actually care about her?”

Mom suddenly screamed. Wailed. Dropped to her knees in front of me, slapped herself over and over.

It’s my fault! I destroyed my daughter!”

“If I hadn’t tortured her, if I’d just accepted it-she wouldn’t be like this…”

“I’m a monster! A MONSTER!”

Soon Mom’s face swelled up. Blood dripped from her mouth. Pooled on the floor.

Dad’s heart bled. Eyes red. Looked at the doctor. “There’s gotta be a way. Right? PLEASE save her!”

He pressed his forehead to the ground. Begged desperately. “You can do something. Please…”

By the end, he couldn’t control the sobs.

Doctor shook his head. “Move her to ICU. We’ll try our best.”

“But you need to prepare… for the worst.”