I Thought Love Had to Be Earned Through Chores, They Hugged Me Chapter 08

I Thought Love Had to Be Earned Through Chores, They Hugged Me Chapter 08

She actually showed up. Brought three other people who’d once bought me. They blocked the hospital entrance with banners: “Wealthy heiress casts aside the benefactors who raised her for thirteen years.” Reporters swarmed.

The diner owner spotted me and dropped straight to the pavement, wailing at full volume. “Marnie, I raised you! I fed you, I clothed you-and now you’re rich and you won’t even acknowledge your own mother?!”

I looked down at her. “Name one diaper you ever changed.”

She choked.

The pig farm owner jumped in. “Without us, you would’ve starved to death!”

“I was five years old, feeding your pigs. You fed me slop mixed with rice.”

“That’s still food!” He said it like he was proud.

The reporters’ expressions started shifting. Cole moved to step in. I stopped him. This job was

mine.

The owner switched tactics on the spot. “You stole from my shop! Three thousand dollars vanished from the register when you were twelve!”

I nodded. “That’s right. Three thousand did go missing.” Her eyes lit up. “You admit it!” “And I called the police.”

I pulled out my phone and played a recording. Back then, terrified of being blamed, I’d bought a hidden recorder with the little money I had. The tape played her own son, crying, confessing he’d stolen the money for an arcade. Her voice followed, telling me to take the fall–because I

had no ID, no family, no one to fight for me.

The crowd went utterly silent.

Then I pulled out a worn ledger. Every person who’d bought me. How much they paid. How many hours I worked each day. How many times I was beaten. How many meals were withheld. I’d kept it all-not for revenge. Just in case, when I died, the universe asked what I’d done with my life and I had nothing to say,

Police stepped through the crowd. The owner’s face twisted with panic. “This is a family matter! Cops don’t interfere in family matters!”

“Buying and selling children is not a family matter.”

The four of them tried to run. Didn’t make it ten meters before they were pinned to the ground. As they were being forced into the squad car, the owner twisted back and screamed at me. “Ungrateful wretch! You think the Grant family will keep you for nothing?! The second you’re useless, they’ll throw you out like trash!”

My fingers snapped into a fist. Cole crouched in front of me. “Marnie. You didn’t do a single chore today.” I looked at him. He flicked my forehead. “Didn’t we still come to pick you up?”

My nose burned. I looked down and muttered, “I did do something. I cussed someone out.”

He cracked a smile. “Good job. Bonus when we get home.”