Unloved Daughter
From a young age, Sophie felt she might have been adopted. One day, when she was home alone, she began sifting through various documents, hoping to find some proof of it. All she discovered, however, was her birth certificate stating clearly that her parents were indeed her biological mother and father.
One would assume this news would bring joy, but instead, it left her more confused. She couldn’t understand why she felt so different.
Sophie was the eldest child in her family. Three years after her birth, her parents welcomed a baby girl, Emma. Naturally, Sophie remembered little from before her sister’s arrival, but her memories post-Emma’s birth were vivid.
All attention seemed to go to Emma. She always received the best clothes and toys, while Sophie often inherited worn-out clothes from her cousin. At school, if Sophie brought home a poor grade, she was scolded and punished by having privileges like TV or outings with friends taken away. Yet, if Emma came home with a bad grade, their mother comforted her, saying grades weren’t everything.
Sophie dreaded the phrase “Emma’s younger.” It was always followed by something like, “give her the toy” or “let her have the last sweet.”
As they grew, Emma also noticed the uneven distribution of affection and started exploiting it. She became a real actress. She could cry on cue or flatter their parents when needed. Sophie, on the other hand, lacked such skills and would simply slam the door in frustration during acts of perceived injustice.
When Sophie didn’t get into a university on a scholarship, she had to attend a community college. Her parents claimed they couldn’t afford her tuition since they were spending all they had on Emma’s tutors and university fund.
After the first year, Sophie found a job, rented a room with her paycheck, and moved out. Living with her parents and Emma became unbearable.
Emma eventually stopped caring about her education entirely, knowing full well her university fees would be covered. Why put in effort unnecessarily?
Moreover, before Sophie left, Emma would take her clothes and makeup without asking and once even lied about a pack of cigarettes found by her parents, claiming they were Sophie’s. Predictably, their parents took Emma’s word for it.
Eventually, Sophie moved out. But the resentment lingered. She minimized contact with her family, as every visit led to Emma being praised and Sophie being blamed. The complaints against her were always baseless, just like the praises showered on Emma.
After finishing college, Sophie secured a good job and began earning a respectable income. She upgraded her living situation to a spacious apartment, met a wonderful man named Charles, and started therapy. She realized her childhood issues were affecting her happiness. Determined to build a loving family, Sophie resolved to have just one child. Despite therapy, the fear of repeating her parents’ behavior didn’t completely vanish.
Soon, Charles proposed, and they married quietly, without a grand wedding and importantly, without Sophie’s parents. However, Sophie shared a great relationship with Charles’s mother, who, upon hearing about the family dynamics, assured Sophie, “It’s not your fault. Some people have endless love to give, and others have just a limited amount. Your parents are the latter. Their mistake isn’t yours. You’re family now.”
Gradually, things fell into place for Sophie and Charles. They got a mortgage on a new flat, adopted a cat, and embraced their new life. Occasionally, Sophie would check in with her parents, just to make sure they were okay. But with Emma, she had no contact, knowing only that her sister was in her third year at university.
One evening, while Sophie and Charles were watching a series, her mother called – an unusual occurrence, as Sophie was usually the one to reach out. Her parents seldom thought of her.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, pausing the show.
“Darling! It’s a disaster!” her mother shouted.
“Is it Dad?” Sophie asked anxiously. No matter their flaws, they had raised her, and she did care for them, albeit in a complicated way.
“No, it’s Emma.”
Toward Emma, Sophie felt nothing but anger and resentment. If Emma had behaved differently, perhaps she wouldn’t have noticed the disparity in their parents’ affection as much. But Emma always took advantage of it and often got Sophie into trouble, knowing she’d be believed over her older sister.
“What happened?” Sophie asked out of politeness.
“There’s a bit of a murky situation…” her mother muttered.
Sophie was curious. She assumed Emma was in the hospital or had been expelled. But a murky situation…
“Apparently, Emma hit someone with a car.”
“Emma has a license and a car?” Sophie asked in surprise. Though, she wouldn’t be shocked if her parents had bought Emma a car on a whim.
“No,” her mother answered after a pause. “It seems it was a friend’s car. But I refuse to believe Emma is at fault.”
Sophie chuckled softly. Of course, Emma could do no wrong.
“And?”
“They said she was drunk, and the person is in the hospital. It’s a nightmare! She could go to jail! Or be expelled. Something must be done, Soph.”
Sophie wanted to retort that their failure to raise her properly meant the world would now teach her its lessons. It was only right that Emma face the consequences of her actions. But Sophie knew her mother wouldn’t appreciate the sentiment. So, she simply asked:
“What do you want me to do, Mum?”
“We’ve decided to bribe the police and pay the injured person not to press charges.”
For a split second, Sophie thought she’d misheard.
“Do you realize what you’re suggesting?” she asked calmly. “You’re choosing to break the law knowing your daughter hit someone while drunk and unlicensed?”
“She made a mistake,” her mother said sharply. “But we must forgive mistakes. We overlooked yours.”
Sophie laughed bitterly.
“What mistakes? Losing my house keys? Forgetting to buy bread?”
“That’s not the point,” her mother interrupted. “We need to pool resources. You mentioned saving for a car. You must put that money towards helping your sister. You can save for a car again, but her life is on the line.”
In that moment, Sophie realized she no longer wanted anything to do with her family. She had found a new, loving family with her husband and his mother. And they were enough for her.
“I’m not giving up my money. And I would be relieved if Emma faces justice. I believe she deserves it.”
“How could you say that?!” her mother yelled. “That’s not how we raised you!”
“No, it isn’t. You raised me to feel second-rate. I can’t recall ever feeling loved by you. Yet, you let the younger one get away with everything. Now you’re seeing the results. While your eldest has no desire to know you.”
With that, Sophie hung up. Charles, having heard the conversation, hugged his distraught wife as she broke down in tears on his shoulder. After she cried it out, Sophie felt liberated. She truly didn’t need her parents anymore. She wouldn’t seek their approval or try to prove her worth.
Some time passed, and Sophie learned from relatives that Emma got a short sentence. Either their parents couldn’t gather the money, or their bribe attempt failed.
Before long, Sophie was pregnant. Holding her wonderful daughter after giving birth, she found herself wanting another child. Over time, she understood she wouldn’t become like her parents, thanks to the constant support and love from her husband and mother-in-law who reassured her of her abilities as a mother.
Driven by maternal instincts, Sophie eventually informed her parents they had become grandparents, only to be met with a curt response: they had but one daughter now, one who wouldn’t turn her back on family.
Surprisingly, that declaration brought Sophie peace. She had offered them a chance, and they hadn’t taken it. Now, there was no guilt about depriving her child of grandparents. And it strangely made things easier for everyone.
