“It has nothing to do with material things. I…I don’t know how to explain it to you, but I just need some space to breathe. Away from here, away from Peter, and away from you.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. “You’re smothering me, and I can’t take it.”

My mother laughed, but the sound was not jovial in any way.

“You were always a daddy’s girl. I shouldn’t be surprised that you’d run to him when things got a little uncomfortable or too real for you. It’s what you’ve always done, and he always allows you to get away with it. You’re never going to grow up, and I’m sick of seeing you throw your life away. So, if you decide to do this, then I’m not funding the rest of your school.”

I shook my head at the blatant stupidity. “Do you even hear yourself when you speak? Because that was the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say.”

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I’m still your mother. Show some respect.”

She pressed the knuckles of her fist into the table, and I stared at her hand, which used to have a wedding ring on it. There used to be a lot of things that were different, but she ruined all of them. She chose her ambition and career over her family time and again. She chose to have an affair rather than be faithful to her husband. She chose to treat me like an annoying parasite rather than her child. I needed to stop thinking that this was somehow my fault when I told dad about her affair.

“Respect is not given just because you’re my mother, it must be earned, and you lost all my respect the day you couldn’t tell me who my father was,” I snarled.

It was as if I’d smacked a dragon. Her nostrils flared, and she sucked in a deep breath like she was going to blow fire at me. She probably would’ve if it weren’t for a man I didn’t recognize walking into the room.

“Is everything alright in here,” the man asked as he stared between my mother and me.

“Yeah, I was just leaving.”

“We’re not done talking about this,” my mother called after me as I made my way out the door.