Chapter 11
After we arrived at the police station, my parents immediately erupted, yelling at me and demanding that the officers
arrest me.
I didn’t argue.
I simply pulled out my phone and showed the officers my purchase history.
“Officer,” I said evenly. “Every item that was damaged here–I can provide the purchase records and payment receipts. All
of it is my personal property.”
“I was dealing with my own belongings. What law did I break?”
The facts were clear.
Ownership was indisputable.
Once the officers understood the situation, there was no legal basis to penalize me for disposing of my own property.
Samy
Seeing their plan collapse, my parents shook with rage. My mother pointed straight at my face and screamed,
“You ungrateful daughter! We raised you for nothing!”
“Get out! Just get out!”
“We’ll pretend we never had a daughter like you!”
I looked at them coldly, brushed the dust off my clothes, and replied,
“Fine.”
“Then I’ll give you exactly what you want.”
“From today on, I’ll consider myself an orphan.”
“And you can pretend you never gave birth to me.”
With that, I walked out of the police station, hailed a taxi, and didn’t look back.
Once inside the car, I collapsed into the seat, drained to the bone.
My parents favored Ryan over me, in both their eyes and their hearts. I wasn’t learning this for the first time.
I’d just been foolish enough to cling to a shred of hope.
Now the truth was out, the pretense ripped away. And that was fine. At last, I could say a clean, final goodbye to
Chapter 11
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something once called family.
Leaning against the car window, I spoke softly to the version of myself inside-
battered, scarred, yet stubbornly unbroken.
“Hey… Penny.”
“You’re really… incredibly brave.”
Just then, my phone rang.
It was my best friend.
“Penny!” Chloe’s voice was bright and full of energy.
“Wanna go hiking tonight? We’ll catch the city lights, then watch the sunrise tomorrow! The light this season is insane-
– perfect for photos!”
“I’m in.”
I agreed without a second thought.
I needed a full–bodied escape.
I needed to stand somewhere high and look far, far ahead.
After hanging up. I checked the time on my phone.
The County Clerk’s Office…was still open.
A fierce impulse surged through me.
“Excuse me,” I said, straightening up.
‘forget the previous address. Please turn the car around.”
Right now, there was still time to get divorced.
