“Answer me,” I demanded, my hands shaking.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She sighed and finally met my eyes. “I lost my job. I couldn’t pay rent for three months. We got evicted.” She shrugged. “So, I decided that Kira and I would stay with you.”

My breath caught. “Are you insane?! You didn’t even ask me!” My voice echoed through the house.

My mother waved a hand like I was overreacting. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Kira smirked. “There are only two bedrooms, so you’ll have to stay somewhere else for now.”

“This is ridiculous! Why don’t you go to Alexa’s?!” I shouted.

“Alexa has a husband and kids. It would be too crowded,” my mother said.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I stared at them in disbelief. “You are not staying in my house!”

Kira rolled her eyes. “Well, you can sleep on the couch if you don’t want to move.”

Something inside me snapped. “This is my house! I will sleep in my bed! You are leaving right now!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

My mother jumped up, her face twisted with rage. “How dare you?! I raised you! I gave you everything!”

“Raised me?” I scoffed. “You treated me like a servant! I bought my own groceries! I even paid you rent!”

“You had a job,” she said defensively.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I shook my head. “In the short time I’ve known my real father, he has done more for me than you ever did!”

Her face darkened. “If you don’t let us stay here, I will sue you for this house!”

“You have no legal right to it! Either you leave now, or I’m calling the police.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

My mother’s expression changed instantly. She forced a smile. “Olivia, sweetheart. You’re my daughter. I’ve always loved you. Let us stay.”

For a moment, doubt crept in. Then, I remembered everything.

“No,” I said firmly.

“Ungrateful!” she shrieked. “But we are not leaving!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

They were confident—smirking, standing their ground—until I grabbed my phone.

The second I started speaking to the officer, panic flashed in my mother’s eyes. Kira’s mouth opened, then shut. Neither of them expected me to follow through.

Without another word, they bolted out of my house. I watched them leave, my heart pounding.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

When the door slammed shut behind them, I exhaled deeply and sank onto the couch. My entire body felt drained.

It hurt knowing that my own mother only remembered me when she needed something. She never cared about me, only what I could give her.

But this moment made one thing clear—I had to cut them out of my life. I changed the locks. I blocked their numbers. That was the last time I saw them. And I had never felt so free.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

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