Chapter 102
Chapter 102
Between the lines of Serenity’s diary, a heavy weight of despair, anger, sadness, and helplessness was palpable. With tears brimming in her eyes, Serenity flipped through the pages, memories of the past flooding her mind.
Our families, both Dad’s and Mom’s, were tearing each other apart over the insurance money. Everyone was scrambling to secure a larger share, completely disregarding Serenity and me. No one even mentioned the possibility of adopting us or taking care of us. Mom and Dad were gone, yet all they could think about was the money. What about our feelings? Is this truly what family means?
Mom, Dad, please come home. Do you have any idea what your daughters are enduring right now? How could you leave Serenity and me behind?
It was raining outside. Was it God’s way of expressing sorrow for the loss my sister and I were facing? We no longer had our mom and dad. I cried for them, but they were beyond hearing my pleas. Looking at Serenity’s confused expression only made my heart ache more, and soon she was crying too.
Serenity kept asking me when Mom and Dad would return. She missed them dearly.
Holding my sister tightly, I wept alongside her. I had to tell her the painful truth: Mom and Dad would never come back. They had gone to Heaven and left us behind. We had become orphans—children without parents…
In a desperate bid for money, Granddad and Grandmom insisted that we wouldn’t owe them anything if we agreed to give them six hundred thousand dollars. They had other children who could assist with their retirement, after all.
It seemed all they cared about was money, money, money. Was money truly more important than family? Did they not value their granddaughters? The sum they demanded felt like blood money, a cruel exchange for the lives of their son and daughter-in-law. Did they lack any compassion for their lost children amidst all this financial turmoil? I guess they had forgotten about the deceased, now that Mom and Dad were gone.
In the end, they took the money. Granddad and Grandmom walked away with six hundred thousand dollars.
The issue of the life insurance money became a point of contention, with Mom’s side of the family eager to claim their share. They sought the remaining half of the insurance payout, and we were left wondering what would happen if they took all of Mom and Dad’s life insurance away from us.
The mayor, unable to bear the situation any longer, advocated for at least some of the funds to be set aside for our future and education. Ultimately, Mom’s parents ended up taking four hundred thousand dollars. They also declared that we wouldn’t have to take care of them anymore, just as they wouldn’t have to care for us—after all, Mom wasn’t their biological daughter. The money was labeled as compensation for raising her.
Things took a darker turn when Granddad and Grandmom chased Serenity and me away with a stick, claiming that now that Mom and Dad were gone, the house belonged to them. I tried to protest through my tears, reminding them that our parents had built that home. Why couldn’t Serenity and I live there anymore?
Though the townspeople felt sympathy for us, they were hesitant to confront Grandmom. My uncles and cousins stood firmly with my grandparents, and the locals were advised to stay out of the situation.
Our belongings were tossed onto the floor, and in their rage, they destroyed Mom’s photo frame. They even threatened to burn Mom and Dad’s pictures if we didn’t leave immediately.
As the heavy rain poured down once more, I held onto a photo of Mom and Dad, gripping Serenity’s hand tightly while we carried our minimal belongings. With heavy hearts, we trudged forward in the downpour, knowing we had no choice but to leave. After all, we were just kids—there was no way we could stand up to the adults.
I’m so sorry, Mom and Dad. Serenity and I feel powerless. We couldn’t even defend our home…
As readers delved into Liberty’s diary entries, the vividness of her situation struck a chord. Many expressed their sorrow and heartbreak in the comments section.
Several townsfolk rallied in support of Serenity and Liberty, condemning the Hunts for their actions. It finally dawned on the online community that they had been misled about the true nature of the grandparents, who had never actually raised the girls.
They also did not cover their educational expenses. In fact, the grandparents allocated a significant portion of the insurance payout they received following the tragic accident that claimed the lives of their son and daughter-in-law.