Abandoned By Blood Novel by Sabrina Hart _ Novel





Abandoned By Blood Chapter 01

The day I was set to leave abroad with my boss, William Stuart, Mom and Dad showed up at my office—and dropped to their knees right in front of me.
They were crying their eyes out, loud enough to make everyone there turn and stare.
Mom's voice was shaky as she laid into me, calling me the worst daughter ever. "We paid for her college and gave her every penny we had.
"Now we're old, and her brother is seriously ill.
"We didn't want to bug her at work, but we... We can't make ends meet anymore."
Dad stood there in silence, his hair all gray.
His dirty, wrinkled hand shook as he wiped his tears.
Behind them sat my brother, Randolph Donaldson, in a wheelchair.
He was over thirty, still good-looking but pale and skinny.
He parted his dry lips and croaked out, "Meri, I don't wanna make this hard for you.
"Go if you want. I'll talk to Mom and Dad.
"We'll figure out the money somehow."
People were already whispering all around.
Even William, who had always had my back, gave me a strange look, too stunned to tell the gawkers to get back to work.
I stood there clutching the files, like I was watching some random drama unfold, face totally blank.
When they finally wore themselves out, their raspy crying dying down, I turned to William, who was looking pretty pissed by now.
"Mr. Stuart, I don't know these people.
"You checked my background when I got hired. You know I'm an orphan.
"My parents are gone, and I have no siblings."
William froze as it finally clicked. "Oh, right, you're an orphan!"
Security rushed in and dragged the three of them out, still bawling.
I followed them out to drop off the files next door.
Outside, Mom, all messy and desperate, spun around and lunged at me, grabbing me hard. "Meredith, you're dumping your sick brother and us old folks. You've got no heart!"
She had just taken a fall, her hand still dirty from the floor.
I frowned and slapped her hand away.
Then I nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, I don't."
Security yanked them away.
Mom's furious screams echoed down the hallway. "I should've gotten rid of you back then. You're nothing but an ungrateful snake!"
The files I was carrying were pretty heavy, and my arms were getting sore.
My hand shook, and one of the files fell to the ground.
For some reason, my chest clenched.
I bent down to pick it up.
Then I heard a sudden, dull thud.
I looked up and saw Randolph sprawled on the floor not far away, having fallen from his wheelchair.
He had had brittle bone disease since he was three.
He might be a grown man, but he seemed made of glass, so delicate that even the tiniest knock could shatter him.
That fall must have been bad.
I could see him shaking, struggling to get up but failing.
His face went ashen, then flushed crimson, cold sweat beading across his forehead.
The security guard didn't know about his condition.
He cussed out something like "faking it after you fell yourself," then shoved Mom and Dad into the elevator first.
I walked over and stood right in front of Randolph, looking down.
His face twisted with deeper shame, veins bulging at his temples, jaw clenched tight. "Get lost!"
I watched him flail on the floor for a good while.
Then I finally bent down like I was doing him some huge favor, hauled him up, and plopped him back in his wheelchair.
He stared at my working legs, that hate flaring up in his eyes again. "Meredith, you aren't keeping this job for long."
I reached out and dusted off his pants.
Then I slowly straightened up. "I'm out for good this time."
The immigration papers were already sorted. Nothing here was worth sticking around for anymore.
Randolph's hand on the wheelchair arm went stiff.
I continued flatly, "I'm done fighting you.
"From now on, it's all yours."
Mom, Dad, the house, everything else.
I stood alone in the empty hallway, staring down at the top of Randolph's head.
He had hated my guts for years.
But I still remembered that when I was three, I waited by the door for him to get home from school.
He limped down the road, opened his schoolbag, and carefully pulled out a fistful of soft candies, shoving them all into my hands.
He got them for scoring top of his class.
There were five of them, and he didn't even keep one for himself.
I couldn't shake it, no matter how hard I tried.
I clutched the files tighter, looking away. "I'm not coming back. You happy now?"

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