All my life, I felt like an outsider in my own family. My mother adored my sisters but treated me like a burden. The reason? I looked too much like the man she wished to forget. When I finally discovered the truth about my real father, everything changed—but not in the way she expected.
My whole life, my mom HATED me. While my sisters got love and care, all I got was rejection. I didn’t look like her or my dad — that made her hate me even more. So, at 14, I finally saved up for a DNA test. Days later, I came downstairs and saw my dad holding an envelope.
“What’s THIS, and why is it in your name?” he said. I told him the truth. Before I could even look, he ripped it open and started reading. His face went pale, and his hands started shaking.
Then, he LOST IT. It was clear — he was NOT my real dad. After that, he just left us. I thought my mom couldn’t hate me more, but Dear Lord… It only got worse. After all, she told me I could ONLY EAT THE FOOD I BOUGHT myself (I had to get a job at 14). Then, she started charging me RENT to live in my own house!
“YOU RUINED OUR LIVES!” she said repeatedly.
Years passed. One day, I was done. I demanded the address of my bio dad. “He hates you as much as I do!” she said to me. But eventually, she gave up. Finally, I was near his house. So, I’m knocking on the door, all excited, hoping to finally get a family where I will be LOVED. Then this man opened the door. Is THIS my dad?
Me: “Hi, I’m…”
He, interrupting: “Wait, I know who you are. What are you doing here?”
Me: “I was hoping to find my family, my dad…”
Him: “Oh, wait. Did your mother forget to tell you?”
I followed him inside, my mind spinning. His home felt warm. Pictures lined the walls—family vacations, birthday parties, smiling faces. A life I had never been part of.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Why didn’t you try to contact me?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.
“I did,” he said. “I paid child support until you turned eighteen, but your mother told me you hated me. She said you wanted nothing to do with me.”
Shock rippled through me. “I never knew,” I whispered. “She told me you didn’t want me.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Rick’s jaw tightened. “That’s not true. You’re my daughter. Of course, I wanted you.”
Tears filled my eyes as he pulled me into a hug. His embrace was firm, real, safe. I had never felt anything like it. I let out a shaky breath and held on.
From that day on, we stayed in touch. He invited me over, introduced me to his wife and two sons.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
They welcomed me without hesitation. I had never been part of a family before.
One day, during a visit, Rick handed me a folder. “What’s this?” I asked.
“A house,” he said. “It’s yours.”
I gasped. “What?!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“It’s the least I can do,” he said. “For the years we lost.”
I threw my arms around him. No one had ever cared about me like this before. Now, I finally knew what love felt like.
I moved into the house my father had given me. For the first time in my life, I had my own space.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
No one could barge in, take my things, or tell me what to do. It felt safe. It felt like home.
One day, I ran into Kira at the store. I mentioned, almost without thinking, that I had my own house now.
The change in her expression was immediate. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes narrowed. She didn’t congratulate me. She just stared, her jealousy plain as day.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
A few days later, I left for a business trip. While I was away, my phone rang. My neighbor’s voice was urgent.
Two women had moved into my house. I rushed back. When I stepped inside, I found my mother and Kira living there.
“What are you doing here?!” I shouted.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
My mother sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine like she belonged there. Kira lounged beside her, legs stretched across the cushions.
“Oh, Olivia, you’re back,” my mother said without a trace of shame. She didn’t even look up.
“Answer me,” I demanded, my hands shaking.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She sighed and finally met my eyes. “I lost my job. I couldn’t pay rent for three months. We got evicted.” She shrugged. “So, I decided that Kira and I would stay with you.”
My breath caught. “Are you insane?! You didn’t even ask me!” My voice echoed through the house.
My mother waved a hand like I was overreacting. “Don’t be so dramatic.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kira smirked. “There are only two bedrooms, so you’ll have to stay somewhere else for now.”
“This is ridiculous! Why don’t you go to Alexa’s?!” I shouted.
“Alexa has a husband and kids. It would be too crowded,” my mother said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I stared at them in disbelief. “You are not staying in my house!”
Kira rolled her eyes. “Well, you can sleep on the couch if you don’t want to move.”
Something inside me snapped. “This is my house! I will sleep in my bed! You are leaving right now!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
My mother jumped up, her face twisted with rage. “How dare you?! I raised you! I gave you everything!”
“Raised me?” I scoffed. “You treated me like a servant! I bought my own groceries! I even paid you rent!”
“You had a job,” she said defensively.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I shook my head. “In the short time I’ve known my real father, he has done more for me than you ever did!”
Her face darkened. “If you don’t let us stay here, I will sue you for this house!”
“You have no legal right to it! Either you leave now, or I’m calling the police.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
My mother’s expression changed instantly. She forced a smile. “Olivia, sweetheart. You’re my daughter. I’ve always loved you. Let us stay.”
For a moment, doubt crept in. Then, I remembered everything.
“No,” I said firmly.
“Ungrateful!” she shrieked. “But we are not leaving!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
They were confident—smirking, standing their ground—until I grabbed my phone.
The second I started speaking to the officer, panic flashed in my mother’s eyes. Kira’s mouth opened, then shut. Neither of them expected me to follow through.
Without another word, they bolted out of my house. I watched them leave, my heart pounding.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
When the door slammed shut behind them, I exhaled deeply and sank onto the couch. My entire body felt drained.
It hurt knowing that my own mother only remembered me when she needed something. She never cared about me, only what I could give her.
But this moment made one thing clear—I had to cut them out of my life. I changed the locks. I blocked their numbers. That was the last time I saw them. And I had never felt so free.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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