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"Emma,eat up!"
I took a bite and spat it out—salty beyond belief.
She'd found quack remedies claiming soy sauce boosted melanin,so she drowned dishes in it.She ate black foods like black beans for"like-brings-like"nonsense.
"Don't spit it out!I'm trying to help you.My brother's dead because of you—do something with your fate!What if you jinx me too?"
Me,jinx him?He drank,ignored my pleas,insisted on driving himself home in order to save money,and crashed into a river,drowning.
"I don't care—if you don't eat,don't go to work!"
When I couldn't stomach it,she piled my plate,threatening to stop me from going to work if I refused.
A lifetime ago,she would do anything to force whenever I didn’t do as she said—petty,disgusting tricks I couldn't predict.
After my husband died,leaving no kids,we became just familiar strangers.Normal families would part ways,but Lily's family,shameless,feared I'd sell the house I bought before marriage.Using funeral chaos as an excuse,they moved in and never left.
They ate my food,lived in my house,then strangled me to steal my house and money.
Kicking them out would be easy,but letting them get awaay with what they already did?Never.
I swallowed my urge to throttle her."Lily,you're not like your short-lived brother—you've got grand destiny ahead of you.How could a nobody like me affect you?But a Cupid mole would be nice though.Since your brother's gone,I'm lonely."
I acted desperate for romance,pretending to dig in.
Lily's eyes darted around my house,likely worried a new man would prevent her from getting it.
"Emma,you work all day—eat well for energy!"
I feigned gratitude,dropping my utensils."Lily,you're so kind and beautiful—you'll get everything you want!Keep at it!"
Keep torturing that mole—I'm waiting for the day it takes you down.
Instead,it was Margaret who landed in the hospital first.
At sixty-one,with high blood pressure,cholesterol,and kidney issues,the salty food spiked her BP,and the high-purine beans didn't help either.She collapsed.
Lily blocked me as I headed to surgery.
"Emma,get Mom a vacant hostipal bed!And pay the hospital fees—I'm broke."
I pushed past."I'm prepping for surgery.You're an adult—handle it yourself."
She threw a tantrum."How dare you!Your family's sick,and you're off helping strangers?Heartless!After all Mom's done for you,you ungrateful thing!"
