April Fools “Surprise” Husband Divorcing Me For His “Pure” Girl novel Chapter 100

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I picked up the photo again.

Seventeen-year-old me, standing under the pomegranate tree, grinning like I’d already won.

Back then, I thought hard work could change everything.

Back then. I thought Mom and Dad didn’t let me go to college because we were actually broke.

But then what?

The year Jake got into college, they didn’t just pay tuition-they bought him a laptop.

This was 2008. A laptop cost four or five grand.

I’d been working at the garment factory for five years by then. My monthly paycheck? Barely over a thousand bucks.

The year Jake finished his master’s, Mom and Dad handed him a down payment for a condo in the city.

Twenty grand. My money-years of sending paychecks home-plus whatever they’d scraped together.

At the time. I thought, Oh, things are better now. They’ve got some breathing room. Good for Jake.

Sever occurred to me how much of that money was mine. My blood. My sweat.

Now I get it.

Dad never planned to send me to college.

Not because we were broke.

Because I was a daughter.

Why the hell does a girl need college?”

He said it so calmly. Like it was obvious.

Jaughters make room for sons.

Jaughters sacrifice for brothers.

Yaughters get married and pop out babies.

That was his logic

And a lot of people’s logic.

I stared down at the photo.

Emma, crush those exams.”

Ha

That was the full extent of Dad’s expectations for me.

Four words.

Crush those exams.

12-36

Chapter 4

And then?

Then he told me not to go.

I set the photo on the coffee table, stood up, and went to the kitchen for water.

Outside, the sky had gone dark. Rain started up again.

thought back to five years ago.

ake called me that day. Said Dad had a stroke and was in the hospital.

Emma, the doctor says it’s bad. Can you come home?”

took the overnight train back.

When I got to the hospital, Dad was lying in bed, half his body paralyzed.

Mom sat beside him, eyes swollen from crying.

laire?

n Paris.

he called, said she “really couldn’t get time off.” told Mom to “hang in there.”

ake?

acing outside the room on his phone, voice tight with panic.

edged closer and caught a few words-

The mortgage is due next month. With Dad like this, I just-I can’t cover it…

hat night, the doctor called us into his office.

Your father’s condition isn’t great. He’ll need long-term rehab. You need to decide who’s going to take care of him.”

looked at Mom. Sixty-something, frail as paper.

ooked at Jake. Newlywed. Wife pregnant with their first kid.

laire was in Paris. Obviously not an option.

I’ll do it.”

didn’t hesitate when I said it.

lecause I knew. There was no one else.

My whole life, whenever this family needed someone to step up, it was always me.

What about your job back home?” Jake asked.

I’ll quit

But-

No buts.” I cut him off. “You take care of your family. Mom’s too old. Claire’s not coming back. I’ll handle Dad.”

ake opened his mouth. Said nothing

Chapter 4

Mom grabbed my hand and started crying.

Emma. I’m so sorry.”

‘Mom. I’m your daughter. Taking care of Dad-isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?”

actually believed that when I said it.

Now? It’s fucking laughable.

Taking care of Dad was “supposed to be my job,” but when it came to his will? Where the hell was my share?

ive years.

Over 1,800 days.

turned him over in bed. Bathed him. Fed him. Ran him through physical therapy.

took him to checkups, rehab sessions, picked up prescriptions, stayed with him through hospital stays.

woke up every two or three hours to make sure he hadn’t kicked off his blankets or knocked loose his catheter.

didn’t sleep through a single night.

didn’t take a single trip.

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