oe
nd walked numbly up the stairs, each step f
n your room!" Freya's voice called after me. "Do
rried my steps, escaping back
her perfume and the stench of their sex still hung hea
sheets off the mattress, and shoved them into a trash bag. I wo
il I was sitting on the floor. I buried my face in my knee
ngs this family no longer wanted. It was a world away from my s
wall. They were one of the few splashes of color
ed for more than a decade. It felt mor
five when the Kowalskis ad
Until a year later, when she
e the center of their universe. I became
xpensive toys, the hugs and p
owns and a never-en
make Emma's breakfast on time. Freya had pointed a f
r reducer and walked away in silence. His cowa
ugh, if I was obedient enough, I cou
uldn't cost them a dime. I did all the
emanded I give them the money I earned fr
into the newest iP
s my college classmate. We were in love, e
. Emma would flirt with him openly. Freya would constant
y had stolen my fiancé and were now trying to sell my freedom, my very li
ity of my powerlessness choked me. I had no money, no degree yet, and absolutely no one to rely on. The
re illusions about this family, about this thing they called lo
ked to my desk, op
I started searching for "how to legally sever adoption t
ht still have a legal obligation to support them in the future. As for Blake, his medical records and
broke. Freya had sipho
uldn't even afford to rent the cheap
way seemed pathetic i
kened, the clouds heavy and op
e was hard, but at least no one looked at
my bed, his hand resting intimately on her bare thigh. The caption read: "Some people j
ery last bit of my weakness. I slammed the phone
arrived, I would seize the narrative. Freya thought she had me cornered,
/1/126969/coverbig.jpg?v=ae228d03b4b4efe1ac0fe29ff2c3f006&imageMogr2/format/webp)