Chapter 27
As I turned around. I saw Ruben standing right behind me.
His face was cold, and his eyes were fixed on the suitcase I had just packed.
Mason. leaning against the bedroom door, also looked at me with the same cold expression.
Lacey, who followed in, quietly stared at my suitcase.
She was still young, and the anticipation in her eyes was hard to hide.
For a moment. I almost wanted to tell the truth.
But then I remembered what Ruben said impatiently, “There’s no need to tell us these things.”
Suddenly. I felt afraid to speak up.
At least when I left. I could comfort myself by thinking that they didn’t know, not that they didn’t care.
I slipped my hands into the pockets of my coat, and my knuckles hurt from clenching them so hard.
I put on a casual tone and said, “I’m just moving some stuff to another room. We agreed that the master bedroom would go to Lacey.”
Ruben’s expression softened a little bit.
But then he said in a serious tone, “Lacey won’t be staying here.
“Just a few days ago, you pushed her down the stairs. Do you really think we’d trust you to live under the same roof with her?”
Without thinking. I blurted out. “I’ll move and stay at school then.”
The momentary relief on Ruben’s face vanished, and he looked even more upset.
I didn’t mean to make him angry.
I just didn’t want to cause them any more trouble before I left.
Lacey looked innocent. “This is your room, Grace. I can’t stay here.”
I replied in a calm voice. “Don’t worry. Once I leave, I won’t be coming back.”
Lacey couldn’t help but smile, but then she realized it was inappropriate and quickly lowered her head, feeling guilty.
Ruben snapped, “Who are you threatening?”
Mason sneered, “Move out if you want to. No one forces you to stay here anyway.”
I didn’t say anything more. I just kept packing my things.
I had lived in this house for over twenty years, and there were too many things.
I couldn’t take everything with me, so I only picked the important things and the items my parents had given me before they passed away.
I filled two suitcases and pushed them out the door.
Ruben shouted in anger, “If you’ve got the nerve, then don’t ever come
back!”
I struggled to drag my suitcases down the stairs and out the front door.
From behind. Ruben’s voice was full of anger and sarcasm.
“After all this fuss for years, we can finally have some peace.
“Don’t come back whining in less than three days!”
I had wanted to grab an umbrella.
But after hearing what Ruben said, I got all choked up and walked right into the heavy rain.
The rain was so strong that it soaked me through in just a few moments.
As I left the front yard, the rain blurred my vision.
Ruben’s loud voice kept going behind me.
“From now on, anyone who lets her in will be kicked out along with her!”