Changing My Flight, I Canceled the Toxic Family Forever Chapter 08

Changing My Flight, I Canceled the Toxic Family Forever Chapter 08

After my parents found out I had ranked sixth statewide, they tried to contact me again.

They couldn’t get through to my phone.

So they asked my classmates to call me instead.

But the second I heard their voices, I hung up.

I also refused to come back for the college acceptance party they wanted to throw for me.

For those few days, the atmosphere at home was freezing.

In the end, Chloe was the one who made a suggestion. “Even if Emma won’t come back, we can still celebrate for her.”

She suggested holding the party as planned.

As for why I wouldn’t be there, they could say Charleston University had invited top freshmen to an early honors orientation.

My parents agreed without hesitation.

After all, what family wouldn’t want to show off a daughter who had become a top student?

For the sake of appearances, they canceled the modest hotel they had originally booked for Chloe.

Instead, they moved the party to the most luxurious five-star hotel in town.

They even had Ethan go to a print shop and order a huge thirty-foot banner.

The wording was supposed to read:

[Congratulations to our beloved daughter, Emma Brooks, for ranking sixth statewide on her standardized exams!]

My parents personally delivered invitations to every relative and family friend.

Soon, the day of the party arrived.

Sarah and David got dressed up and arrived at the hotel early.

They were ready to receive everyone’s congratulations.

But the second David stepped into the ballroom, his face fell.

He pointed at the banner and turned to Chloe, who had been in charge of printing it. “Why does it have your name on it instead of Emma’s?”

Chloe answered guiltily, “M-Maybe the print shop made a mistake. Should we just change it with a pen?”

With the guests about to arrive, Sarah and David had no choice but to take the pen from Chloe.

They crossed out “Chloe Brooks” by hand and changed it to “Emma Brooks.”

Then they hurried off to greet the guests.

Neither of them noticed what happened the moment they turned away.

The fresh ink slowly faded, revealing Chloe Brooks’s name on the banner again.

Even though I didn’t come home for the party, my parents had asked Ethan to edit a childhood montage for me.

Part of it was meant to make up for all the years they had ignored me.

Part of it was meant to show the outside world how responsible and loving they were as parents.

But when the big screen lit up, the ballroom erupted into chaos.