The worth of family

Evelyn remained rooted on the spot, she lost words to argue with the wicked woman who unfortunately was her mother.

But Evelyn refused to shed a single tear now. There’s no point in hitting your head against a wall.

Mr. Clarke glanced at his daughter. He was equally guilty when he noticed the dejected look on her face. The girl was heartbroken.

He softly grabbed her left hand and squeezed it gently. Evelyn looked at him. She closed her eyes when he wiped a lone tear that escaped her eye and caressed her face.

“Don’t waste your time on this obnoxious woman, Evie. I am happy that you have moved on and got the parental love that we failed to give you. But don’t stay here anymore, child because the more you stay here, the more you will be trapped in dirt. It’s better you leave, Princess.”

He made her understand but Evelyn could see how he was fighting with his emotions and was trying to act tough. His eyes were begging her to stay but for her sake and to save her from her mother, he was trying to make her leave.

“NO WAY!!”

Mrs. Clarke suddenly screamed and gripped Evelyn’s arm. She then pulled her forward and glared into her eyes. Evelyn hissed in pain when her nails pierced into her skin.

“No, you can’t leave me now. I am your mother and I need you. Can’t you see how badly we are suffering? The wealth and fame you earned today, it’s all because of me. I invested my money in you and provided you with the best schooling and now when it’s time to repay, you forget about me? You even opened your company in that bitch’s name when it should have been under my name.” She started shouting like a mad woman.

“MOM!!” Evelyn growled and snatched her hand away before pushing her back. Mrs. Clarke stumbled back. She was shocked as Evelyn had never raised her voice at her.

But Evelyn was too furious to notice it. She pinned her mother down with her glare and seethed.

“Don’t you dare call my mother a bitch!!”

Mrs. Clarke’s eyes turned teary.

“She is not your mother, I am your MOM!!” She shouted while her chin wobbled.

Evelyn was amused.

“Mother?“, she snickered and sized her up and down.

“Do you even know what a mother is Mom? You only said that I was your investment, not your daughter. You sold me to a sick bastard even after knowing that he has a girlfriend and even when I begged you to take me home, told me how he assaulted me yet you stayed mum and let that beast abuse your daughter. Do you know Dylan and Mrs. Black threatened me multiple times with your lives? I stepped on my pride, brace every torture only to save you. Remained their puppet because I was scared for you two that if I object, Dylan would pull out his shares from the company and you will come on the streets. I tolerated everything Mom but you never care to give me a call, not even for once to try to know how I am surviving in that hellhole. You exchanged your own blood to earn the luxury and even after so many years, you have the audacity to defend yourself.”

She shouted and the next moment her face was swung to the right.

“OLIVIA!!” Mr. Black shouted and quickly leaped to help Evelyn but she raised her palm and stopped him.

If cutting ties was the only option then she was ready to do it but not before getting her answers.

“Every daughter sacrifices herself for her parents, you aren’t the only one but they don’t go on complaining. It’s your fault that your marriage failed but didn’t Dylan fall for you in the last then why did you leave? Don’t accuse everyone because of your mistakes. You achieved what you always wanted, didn’t you? Then why are you hell-bent on bringing the past?” Mrs. Clarke yelled.

Grabbing her shoulders, she shook Evelyn violently and gave her a murderous glare.

“Forget it and take us with you too, hmm. It’s final, we are going to live together but not here. In San Francisco.” Evelyn could see the deranged glint in her eyes. Mrs. Clarke looked desperate and she continued staring at her, hoping for a response but when she got none, she started crying.

“I can’t live like this anymore, Evie.” Mrs. Clarke gripped her hands and spoke while sobbing loudly.

“We both have grown old and there is no one to run our company. We have been living hand-to-mouth for the past two years. Your father’s medicines are too costly and I can’t afford it. It’s becoming difficult to survive. I don’t care what happened in the past but take me with you. Throw that bitch out of your house and take in your parents. You have to do this.” She continued imploring but soon stepped to threaten her.

Evelyn simply stared at her mother. She wasn’t angry instead pitied her.

Mrs. Clarke had become so obsessed with living a life full of money and luxury that family matters nothing to her. Like a drug addict, her mother was addicted to money that she loses her mind if it is snatched from her and goes to any length to have it back. Then be it trading her daughter to a rich lunatic or threatening her to give her money.

Evelyn waited for her mother to simmer down. Mrs. Clarke eventually stopped and panted heavily after her extremely wild outburst. She wasn’t in her senses. Moreover, she wasn’t even willing to listen.

After Evelyn left, Dylan was kicked out by Mr. Black who then handed him to the police as he considered himself equally responsible for ruining an innocent girl’s life but that only increased Mrs. Black’s hatred for Evelyn ten folds. And the best way she could think of getting back at her was to punish her family.

Mrs. Black was the one who pulled off the shares causing Evelyn’s father’s company to collapse in a day.

Mrs. Clarke was devastated. She snubbed Mr. Clarke by blaming him for everything. The poor man took in all her complaints because he wanted to protect his daughter. Mrs. Clarke tried multiple times to reach Evelyn but he never let her succeed. He didn’t want to let her ruin Evelyn’s life anymore.

The daily fights, anger, grief, and guilt impacted his health and debilitated him. Mrs. Clarke refused to spend money and provided him with mediocre treatment because she didn’t want to spend her days in poverty.

And after seeing Evelyn, all her pent-up emotions surfaced. Mrs. Clarke just wanted a way to get on her tail so that she can get her life back. And Evelyn finally understood it.

Taking a deep breath, she moved back and held Mr. Clarke before turning to her mother.

“I am sorry Mrs. Clarke but I refuse to respect you as a mother because you don’t deserve it. You want money, I will give you. Joseph will deliver the money to your bank account daily and I will even send some extra bucks. Just drop him a message. But other than that, don’t expect anything. Never call me or Dad again because you don’t want us. We were never important to you, neither in the past nor in the present. So, finally today I liberate you from this burden because just like you, you also hold no significance in our lives.”

Her voice was stern this time the coldness in her eyes made Mrs. Clarke’s heart sink to the pit.

For the first time in her life, she heard her conscience. There was a voice deep down which was hating her for ruining her daughter’s life. The way Evelyn looked at her with a cold and distant gaze with no warmth finally sparked the flame of guilt.

Tears sprang in her eyes realizing how much she had pushed her daughter away only because of her greed for money. God gave her a chance today to erase that chasm and get her back just like her husband but she was too blind to understand the worth of family.

Mrs. Clarke shook her head, fat dollops of tears rolled down her cheeks but Evelyn wasn’t even a bit moved. She remained impassive.

Mr. Clarke didn’t say anything because he knew that if Evelyn decides something, then changing her mind is nearly impossible.

Evelyn along with her father walked past Mrs. Clarke who was continuously crying but the burden of guilt was so heavy that left her tongue-tied. She couldn’t find words to stop her because she knew that even if she tries today, Evelyn is not going to stop.

She left her, once and for all.