I never belonged in that house.
Not really, I suppose.
That's because I was the stepdaughter, the constant reminder of my father's lack of self-control. I was the evidence of his affair, the child with the wrong blood in her veins.
Despite all that, I thought I had a place in the mansion.
A chair at the table and at least a roof over my head, if not the warmth or love of my so-called family.
Unexpectedly, that night, my father's voice was like a knife that split my entire world apart. "You're nothing here, Natalie. Nothing... but a mistake. Get out and make sure not to come back." Those words were encrypted in my soul; they clung to me like a second skin.
His hands didn't tremble when he threw the envelope at my face that night. There was no money inside, only a piece of paper with a single word boldly written: Leave. I begged him, tears rolling down my face, but my plea fell on deaf ears. "Father, please, where do I go this late?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The event took me completely by surprise.
My Stepmother watched from the stairs the whole time. Her lips curved into a smile, a wicked smile.
My half-sisters stood behind her like shadows. They were perfect, dressed in silk, the jewels of the empire.
None of them spoke in my favor or tried to persuade my father to change his mind. "Father, please, I have nowhere to go," I begged like a child, "Please just let me stay here the night." I pleaded. He didn't utter a word; he didn't even look at me. "Get out, before I drag you out myself." He said, voice firm and unyielding."Please, just—" I couldn't finish, the door got slammed in my face. I could even hear the locks click, and just like that, I was erased from the family.
I stood outside the gates with a duffel bag full of clothes, and the rain soaked through my shoes. "Eighteen years old and already disposable.
" I didn't cry, not then. The tears came later when I reached my friend's apartment. Pity was the only thing I had left to hang on to. I told her I'd find a job and that my situation wasn't permanent.
But deep down, I knew the truth: I wasn't just thrown out, I was abandoned.