Deception in Silicon Heights

Chapter 25: Betrayed by Blood

Emma stormed out of her room after her argument with Lily, her emotions boiling over as she rushed down the stairs and out of the house. She was furious with Lily for the things she'd said, unable to comprehend how her sister could be so blind to how hard things were. Emma believed she'd been trying her best, caught between two parents who were pulling her in different directions. And now, after everything, Lily was still blaming her for choosing their mom.

She hurried through the streets, her mind racing. Living with her mother after the divorce had been a difficult choice, but in the end, Emma had decided that Sophia was the one who understood her more. Her dad, Ethan, was distant, focused on his new executive role and seemingly detached from her pain. Her mom had always been the one who doted on her, giving her attention, affection, and the gifts she craved. That's what mattered, wasn't it? At least, that's what Emma had always told herself.

As she reached the apartment complex, Emma hesitated, her heart racing as she approached the door. She needed her mother right now, needed her to make sense of everything that had been going wrong in her life. She needed to be told she was right, that her choice to stay with her mother hadn't been a mistake.

She knocked on the door, and after a moment, Sophia opened it, dressed in her silk robe, a glass of wine in her hand. She looked at Emma with surprise, then quickly masked her expression with a more neutral one.

"Emma? What are you doing here?" Sophia asked, stepping aside to let her daughter in. The air inside was cool, perfumed with the scent of expensive candles, a stark contrast to the tension that seemed to cling to the air at home.

"I needed to talk to you," Emma said, her voice small as she stepped inside. The apartment, sleek and modern, felt cold to her now—unwelcoming in a way it hadn't before.

Sophia sighed, closing the door behind her. "About what?"

"Lily and I... we had a fight," Emma began, her voice trembling. "She keeps blaming me for the divorce, saying that I'm taking your side when I should be on Dad's. She said it's your fault, that you cheated, and that everything's ruined because of you."

Sophia's face hardened, her expression instantly cold. "And what exactly do you want me to say to that, Emma?"

Emma blinked, her stomach sinking at her mother's tone. "I—I just wanted to talk to you. I thought you'd understand. Lily's been so awful, and I don't know what to do. She doesn't get it. She doesn't understand how much I need you."

Sophia took another sip of her wine, her eyes narrowing. "You came here to whine about your sister? Really? Do you think I don't have enough to deal with already?"

Emma's heart plummeted. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I just needed someone to talk to."

"Talk about what?" Sophia snapped, her patience clearly wearing thin. "About how hard your life is? You think you've had it rough, Emma? You don't even know what rough is."

The words stung, and Emma took a step back, her voice faltering. "Mom, I just needed you—"

Before Emma could finish, her mother's hand lashed out, striking her hard across the face. The sharp crack of the slap echoed in the room, leaving Emma stunned. She stumbled back, her hand flying to her cheek, tears instantly springing to her eyes.

"You ungrateful little bitch," Sophia hissed, her eyes filled with contempt. "Do you have any idea what I've been through? You think I need you coming here, complaining about your sister like it's my problem? You're pathetic. You've been spoiled your whole life, and now you come crying to me about some argument with Lily?"

Emma's cheek burned from the slap, her tears falling freely now. She looked at her mother in disbelief, the woman she had chosen to live with, the one she had defended to her father and sister.

"I just wanted to be with you," Emma whispered, her voice cracking. "I thought we could—"

"You thought what? That I'd cuddle you? That I'd tell you everything's going to be okay? Life doesn't work that way, Emma. Grow up." Sophia glared at her, her voice dripping with disdain. "You're just like your father—weak, always needing someone to hold your hand."

The words cut deep, but before Emma could respond, she heard something that made her blood run cold. Sophia's phone rang from the kitchen, and she walked over, answering it without a second glance at Emma.

"Hey," Sophia said into the phone, her voice instantly softer. "No, she's just here whining about something again."

Emma froze, her heart pounding in her chest. The warmth in her mother's voice wasn't for her—it was for someone else. Her mother's new boyfriend, most likely.

"Yeah, I kept her here because of the child support," Sophia continued, her voice casual, like it was just another piece of conversation. "She's a brat, but it's good money, you know? I wouldn't have bothered otherwise."

Emma's breath caught in her throat, the words hitting her like a physical blow. Child support. That's why her mother had kept her—why she had convinced her to stay after the divorce. It wasn't love. It wasn't because she cared. It was all about the money.

Tears welled up in Emma's eyes, but she couldn't move. She stood there, rooted to the spot, listening as her mother laughed on the phone, oblivious to the fact that her daughter had just overheard her heartless confession.

"Yeah, I'll see you tonight," Sophia finished, hanging up the phone with a soft chuckle.

Emma felt like the ground had been ripped out from beneath her. She had defended her mother, stayed with her, chosen her, all because she thought she was the one who truly loved her. But now, standing there in the cold, impersonal apartment, Emma realised she had been nothing more than a pawn in her mother's game.

Without a word, Emma turned and fled the apartment, tears blurring her vision as she ran. The chill of the night air hit her face as she stumbled out onto the street, her cheek still stinging from the slap, but the pain in her heart was far worse.

Her mother didn't love her. She never had.