Then, turning to the confused parents and
students, she added, “Sorry, everyone.
<
Then, turning to the confused parents and
students, she added, “Sorry, everyone.
Melissa’s father is our driver, and her mother is
our housekeeper. She’s always been a proud
child. She actually asked me to attend the
conference in their place, but I refused. I didn’t
think it was appropriate for me to stand in for
her parents, you know?”
Her words, spoken casually, painted me as a
spoiled brat ashamed of her parents‘ humble
jobs.
As expected, the room buzzed with judgment.
“How can she disown her own parents? Such an
ungrateful child.”
“I’d disown her if she were my daughter. Better
to raise a dog.”
It was the same scene from my past life.
Humiliated and shamed, I’d confronted my
く
It was the same scene from my past life.
Humiliated and shamed, I’d confronted my
mom, demanding to know why she was doing
this, reminding her that I was her real daughter. She’d shoved me aside, claiming I was crazy
and making things up.
If only I’d known then that she wasn’t my real
mother, I wouldn’t have been so distraught.
“Are you done?” I looked up, my gaze steady
and cold, devoid of the panic from my past life.
“Ms. Evans, as a public figure, you should be
aware of the impact your words can have. Can
you take responsibility for what you just said?”
“Of course.” My mom didn’t flinch.
She was in for a rude awakening. “Everything I
said is true. I pitied you before, so I turned a
blind eye to your pretending to be Bethany. But
I won’t tolerate your vanity anymore. I need to
く
said is true. I pitied you before, so I turned a
blind eye to your pretending to be Bethany. But
I won’t tolerate your vanity anymore. I need to
defend my Bethany’s true identity. She’s my
only daughter!”
“Oh? I wasn’t aware you had another daughter
out there.” A deep voice boomed from the
doorway.
My mom froze, her triumphant expression
crumbling as she turned to see my dad and
Grandma standing there, their faces grim.
“H–Honey,” she stammered. “What are you
doing here?”
My dad, impeccably dressed, entered the classroom, his presence immediately changing
the atmosphere. A parent who worked at Miller Corp. jumped to his feet. “Mr. Miller!”
My dad nodded at him and sat down next to me
<
“And you are…?” the teacher asked nervously.
“I’m Melissa Miller’s father. I’m here for my
daughter’s parent–teacher conference. My flight
was delayed. Apologies for being late.” My
dad’s voice was calm but carried an undeniable
authority.
“What’s going on here?” a confused parent
whispered. Everyone knew Carol Evans was
married to the CEO of Miller Corp. It had been
national news. And my dad’s face was familiar
from business magazines. There was no
mistaking him.
And everyone had heard my mom call him
“Honey.” The entire class was now watching
them, trying to figure out the situation. Why
was Mr. Miller claiming me as his daughter,
while his wife was claiming Bethany?
The teacher, flustered, cleared her throat and
started the conference. Unlike the livelv
<
9:29
65
atmosphere of the past life, this time it was
tense. My dad and Grandma sat with their arms
crossed, scrutinizing the teacher like she was
giving a business presentation.
The teacher, visibly nervous, started to sweat.
The tension finally broke when she began
announcing the midterm rankings. I was praised
for being number one and asked to share my
study habits. My dad was then asked to speak about his parenting style.
He paused, then gave me a soft, apologetic
look. “I haven’t been a good father. My work
keeps me away, and I haven’t spent enough
time with Melissa since she was born. But I’m
proud of her. She’s grown into an exceptional
young woman, exceeding even my own
accomplishments. I owe her an apology. I’m
sorry for the times I wasn’t there for her, for the
times she suffered when I should have been by
her side.”
く
Tears welled up in my eyes as I met his gaze.
My feelings were complex. I admired him,
understood him, but also resented him. I
admired his business success, understood his
responsibilities to his company and its
employees. But I also resented his absence, his
inability to be there for me when I craved a
parent’s love and attention, especially when I
envied other children with their present parents.
But all that resentment had vanished when he’d
boarded that fateful flight, rushing back for me.
“Dad, I don’t blame you,” I said, taking his hand.
His hand was warm and strong, a reassuring
presence. He’d always been my protector, my
provider.
Many parents were moved by this scene,
seemingly forgetting about my mom and
Bethany’s little act.
We returned to our seats, and the teacher
continued announcing the rankings. The
く
down the list.
Finally, she reached Bethany’s name. She
slammed the report card on the table.
“Bethany’s mother, is it?” she said, her gaze
fixed on my mom with barely concealed disdain.
Years of teaching had made her perceptive.
She’d seen through my mom’s charade. An
adult deliberately targeting a child was
despicable.
