I hope this money helps you become the veterinarian you’ve always dreamed of being. I saw those brochures in your room. I know how much you want to help animals.
You deserved better from me, Lucy. I hope someday you can forgive a foolish old man who didn’t know how to love properly.
Take care of yourself.
Mark.”My chest clenched like I’d been holding my breath for years. I ran my fingers over his signature, then read it again. And again. I needed to be sure I hadn’t imagined it.
I met Mom and Ava that evening and told them everything.
“What does the letter say?” She demanded.
I looked up at her. Her face was twisted with anger, not grief. Ava was glaring at me like I’d personally stolen something from her.
“He knew about the affair,” I revealed.
Mom’s face went white.
“Mom, Ava’s not his daughter, right?”
The explosion was immediate.
“You lying little…” Ava yelled.
“How did he…? He never said anything!” Mom interrupted.
“He says right here that you both treated him like a wallet. That I was the only one who treated him like family.”
Mom reached for the letter. But I pulled it back.
“Give me that!”
“No.”
“This is ridiculous!” Ava screamed. “You manipulated him somehow! You probably filled his head with lies about us!”
“What lies?” I stood up slowly. “That you crashed three cars and he paid for all of them? That you dropped out of college twice and he still sent you money? That Mom spent his credit cards on shopping trips while complaining he didn’t buy her enough jewelry?”
“That’s different!” Mom snapped. “We’re his real family!”
“Are you?” I held up the letter. “Because according to this, Ava isn’t his daughter either. So what makes you more real than me?”
Ava’s face crumpled. “You’re lying! Tell her she’s lying, Mom!”
Mom’s silence said everything.
“Oh my God,” Ava whispered. “It’s true, isn’t it?”
“Ava, honey…”
“Don’t!” Ava spun around. “Don’t you dare! You let me believe my whole life that he was my father!”
“He was your father in every way that mattered!”
“Then why did he leave everything to her?” Ava pointed at me like I was poison.
I felt powerful for the first time in my life.
“Maybe because I never asked for anything from him. Not once. Can you say the same?”