I’m not sure what to feel anymore. Six month ago, I was living my life, avoiding my mother, working toward the biggest competition of my life. Something I’ve accomplished and can’t even enjoy because my mother chose today, of all days, to crash into my life once again and destroy every sliver of happiness I find.
“Why?” I ask her, my voice breaking on that one simple word. A question seemingly so innocent but heavy with implications.
I don’t know what does it, if it’s the presence of my father or the desperation to understand in my voice, but she snaps and all the ugliness I knew she was hiding comes pouring out. “You don’t deserve to be fucking happy,” she shrieks, her eyes wild, madness lurking inside of them. “I should have never had you, killed you while I had the chance.”
It’s nothing I haven’t heard before, but I can feel the tension in the room rising. Veronika, though, seems oblivious, finally giving me her twisted reason why she always hated me so much. “I was going to leave. I had the chance to become a star. I was in love with this amazing man, who was going to make me famous, and then you came along and ruined everything. You should have been his and everything would have been perfect. He might have left his wife for me, but no, you weren’t.”
I’m shocked at the words coming out of her mouth. I don’t know what to think anymore, so many secrets and lies told over decades.
“You’re the reason he left me and went back to his ugly wife,” she keeps going, the words getting fouler. “If it wasn’t for you, we could have left that place together and lived the life we deserved. Like we planned. But then you came along and destroyed everything. You’re the reason he changed his mind, changed his mind about me. Once he found out you weren’t his he told me he wasn’t going to raise another man’s bastard child.”
“What?” Dad and I ask in unison.
A bitter laugh escapes her as she looks between us. “Don’t worry, Wayne, she’s all yours. Derek did a DNA test behind my back, and when he found out she wasn’t his he disappeared and left me behind with a child I didn’t want in the first place. She ruined it all, he was supposed to be mine,” her voice rises until she says the last part on a shout.
In the back of my mind I wonder if someone is about to call for security because of all the commotion.
“What the fuck, Veronika?” Dad asks her, having lost all patience. “Are you insane? Montana was an innocent child in all of this. It’s not her fault that guy left you, or that you got pregnant. Fuck, I knew you were crazy after that phone call, but this takes it to a whole other level.”
“If it wasn’t for—”
“No,” he tells her firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. “I don’t know what happened to make you this messed up, and I don’t give a fuck. I can’t believe this is what I let my daughter grow up with.” He shakes his head in disbelief.
I stare at her in disbelief. “You abused me for most of my life because some guy left you?” I always wondered why she treated me the way she did, and on some fucked-up level this makes sense. Her selfishness knows no bounds, I knew that. It shouldn’t come as a surprise she’d blame me for all that’s gone wrong in her life.
“He wouldn’t have if not for you! I should have aborted you like I planned, and he would have—”
“He would have still left you,” Kade interjects calmly. “You’re unhinged if you think otherwise. He was never going to leave his wife, or he wouldn’t have done that DNA test. You were a quick fling, and he saw this as the perfect reason to leave you, right?”
“No,” she says, digging in her heels. “She’s—”
“Enough,” I shout. I’ve heard enough. For years, I wanted to know what I could have done differently, what I did to make her hate me this much, but learning just being born was the reason is too much. It hurts too much, and I can’t take it anymore.
“I’m done,” my voice is steady, not betraying any of the emotions swirling inside of me. “I’m done with you, your fucking lies, your bullshit. You’re an addict. Go get help because clearly, whatever you’re taking besides alcohol is making you a schizophrenic, or paranoid, or whatever. But I’m done dealing with it.” I take a deep breath, letting go years of hurt and feelings of worthlessness. “I don’t want you in my life. I don’t want your drama; I don’t want your messes. And if you come anywhere near me again, I swear I’ll go to the police and make sure you end up behind bars. I’ll find a way.”
I watch her eyes grow wide in shock. I’ve never spoken to her like this, the finality of my voice letting her know I’m not playing her game anymore. “I don’t need you, I found people who love me for me, and I should have realized this a lot sooner.”
“You don’t get to—”
“I get to do whatever the fuck I want. Now get out before I call for security. I’d like to celebrate winning Olympic gold with the people who actually matter.”
Her eyes dart around the room, bouncing off each person. I’m not sure what’s she’s looking for, but I know she’s not going to find it here.
“You’re going to regret this.”
“I doubt it. I’m not scared of you anymore. Go to the press, go to whoever will listen, and tell your lies. I don’t care.” I shrug, letting her
