The Second Chance Wolf Chapter 02

The Second Chance Wolf Chapter 02

I returned to my room and quietly began packing my suitcase.

When I opened the closet, dozens of clothes hung neatly inside. After sorting through them, I realized only three or four faded T-shirts actually belonged to me.

Mom had always said, “You’re sisters. You can share the same clothes.”

But my skin was sensitive. Anything that wasn’t pure cotton gave me painful rashes.

They had never believed me.

Maybe, deep down, I already knew that even if they found out I had been accepted into Royal Fang Academy, they still wouldn’t love me.

I stared at the clothes in my hands for a long moment before putting them back. Instead, I grabbed a few random necessities and tossed them into my suitcase.

Just then, my phone rang.

It was Mom.

“Hope, come downstairs. We’re going out for dinner. It wasn’t easy for your sister to find the courage to apply again next year. We should encourage her.”

I opened my bedroom door. The packhouse living room was empty.

I stood alone at the entrance.

The four of us could have gone to the restaurant together. But once again… they had forgotten about me.

The words I don’t want to go rose to my lips. Then I remembered these would be my last few days with them.

“…Okay,” I replied quietly.

When I arrived at the restaurant, a small table had already been filled with all of Anna’s favorite dishes.

Ribeye steak. Lobster rolls. Oysters Rockefeller.

Just as I expected.

Anna loved seafood, so our family dinners had always revolved around it.

Even though I was allergic to seafood, they had never believed me.

“You’re twins. If she isn’t allergic, why would you be?”

“If you don’t want to eat it, then don’t. That just means your sister gets more.”

Maybe I had gotten used to it. It didn’t hurt as much anymore.

I pulled out a chair and sat down.

In front of Anna was a plate piled high with shrimp Mom had already peeled for her.

In front of me… there wasn’t even a plate or a set of silverware.

Dad poured orange juice for Anna while the three of them laughed happily together.

I sat there like a complete outsider.

Anna grinned, “Dad, how much spending money did you transfer to me?”

“I got ten thousand dollars. Sis, when you start college, you’ll probably get even more than I did, right?”

I glanced at the notification on my phone.

One hundred dollars had just been deposited into my account.

I said nothing.

Mom placed another shrimp onto Anna’s plate.

“Your sister is an adult now. She needs to earn her own spending money.”

Anna snuggled into Mom’s arms and pouted.

“What? Mom, adults have to pay for themselves? Then I don’t want to grow up.”

Mom stroked her hair affectionately.

“Don’t worry. Just enjoy spending that ten thousand dollars. Right now, your only job is preparing for Royal Fang Academy. If you run out, just ask me for more.”

“Then I want another forty thousand! Mom, I want to go to Las Vegas before school starts!”

Anna continued acting spoiled.

Without hesitation, Mom transferred another fifty thousand dollars.

I had imagined moments like this countless times.

What would it feel like to curl up in Mom’s arms? To have someone clean up my mistakes? To ask for something and have the money transferred immediately?

But reality was different.

After my exams, I had asked Mom for one thousand dollars to buy a new phone.

She refused, “If you put as much effort into studying as you did asking for money, maybe you wouldn’t always fall behind your sister.”

Dad tapped the table in front of me, “Why aren’t you eating?”

I answered honestly, “I don’t have a plate or any silverware.”

“If you don’t have them, ask a waiter. Are you some kind of princess? Do we have to serve everything right in front of you?”

I lowered my head.

I wasn’t a princess. But Anna’s plate was already filled with peeled shrimp. Wasn’t that exactly what they were doing for her?

After the waiter finally brought me a plate and silverware, Mom placed a shrimp onto my plate.

“I gave some to your sister, so I gave one to you too. That way you can’t complain we’re playing favorites again.”

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain. Before I could speak, Dad cut me off.

“Your mother served you food, and you’re still making that face? Eat.”

I picked up the shrimp. I hesitated for a long time before forcing it down.

A sharp burning sensation spread through my throat.

Dad smiled.

“See? She can eat it just fine. I told you she was only pretending she couldn’t eat seafood. You never believed me.”

They continued chatting and laughing as though nothing had happened.

So this was what it meant to be the unwanted child. Even your life could be brushed aside like it meant nothing.

At that moment, I finally accepted the truth.

No matter what I did… Mom and Dad would never love me.

I forced myself to my feet, “I’m full.”

I turned and walked away from the table.

“Wait, Hope!”