After I Severed the Kinship Bond, My Whole Family Regretted It Chapter 09

After I Severed the Kinship Bond, My Whole Family Regretted It Chapter 09

with parents like you dragging me down? Why don’t you both just die?”

Clara stared at her in disbelief. Those words had come from the daughter she’d spent more than twenty years doting on. Then she covered her face and sobbed.

After graduate school, I landed a good job. I worked relentlessly and started a social–media channel documenting everyday werewolf life.

Once I’d saved enough, I bought a home and had Mom and Dad move in with me.

That Christmas, the three of us were getting dinner ready when someone knocked. I opened the door and

found Marcus and Clara standing outside.

It had been years. Their hair was almost completely white, and they looked like any other aging human couple. Marcus was more stooped than I remembered. He carried several large shopping bags while Clara

held out a beautifully wrapped box and smiled too eagerly.

“Elara, Merry Christmas. I brought you a present. We’re not here to ask for anything. We just wanted to see

how you’re doing.”

I felt nothing. “I’m fine. You can go.”

A severed bond stayed severed.

I had nothing left for them.

I put the gift box back in Clara’s hands. Panic flashed across her face. “Elara, didn’t you always want Christmas presents? I picked this out just for you. Is it not enough?”

She pointed to the other bags. “I remember you used to love snacks. You could never get enough. There are clothes and skincare in here too. I was wrong before. I spent all my attention on Lyra and ignored you.

Please, just take them.”

I looked at her.

She was right about one thing. When I was a kid, I’d wanted a Christmas present more than anything.