Why should Morgan ruin my mood just because she doesn't care about me?
Why should I be sad just because she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore? That she never thought of me as her daughter?
I feel something wet drop onto my cheek, and I startle. Wiping my tear, I let out a soft sigh.
I hate it. I hate that I still care about Morgan after all that has happened. I hate that I'm still crushed from feeling how much shehates me now.
But how could I not be heartbroken when I’ve always seen her as my mother?
For years, I did everything she wanted me to because I wanted to make her happy, to make her proud.
I love singing, but I went the extra mile because I loved her, because I wanted her to love me back.
But then, she cut all ties with me because I fired her. She only wanted me for business, not as her daughter.
What a fool I am.
Movement from the door startles me, and I realize that I forgot to close the door properly.
"Cassie," Luke's voice echoes as he knocks on the door. Before I have the chance to stop him, he slides the door open. "We still got some slices of the cake. You might want to put these into your refrigerator in case you're hungry later—"
He pauses when he notices me silently crying, hugging my knees. Abruptly, I stand up from the couch and walk toward the window, wiping my tears.
"What's the matter?" His voice is firm but filled with unmistakable concern.
"Nothing," I lie, hearing him put the plate on my dresser before approaching me.
He stops right behind me, but I'm too embarrassed to face him.
"You're no good at lying," he says.
I shake my head in denial.
"Cassie," he insists, his voice filled with impatience now. "What's eating you?"
I go silent. Seconds pass, and I appreciate it that he waits until I'm ready to let out my feelings.
"It's just..." I falter. "It's crazy that I'm still thinking about my stepmother—"
"Morgan?" he asks in disbelief, anger in his voice. "Come on, Cassie. Everyone else knows that she's not worth it."
Oh, I beg to be like them. I wish I didn’t disagree.
"It's just—" I choke, still looking out of the window instead of facing him. "It's frustrating that she's not here when everyone was."
"Even if she'd been here, I wouldn't have let her step into this house." There's so much fury in Luke's voice that it sends shivers down my spine.
Luke holds my shoulders and slowly turns my body around so that we're now face to face. His beautiful hazel eyes bore into my broken, teary eyes.
Even though he doesn't speak anymore, I know what he's trying to say.
It's time for me to let Morgan go. To accept everything. To forget her, and to move on.
I know all of this, and that's why I was crying. Because it hurts so much to let her go, to forget the only person I’ve been holding onto since I lost my parents.
Why is it so hard? Why can't I just let go?
The same pain crosses Luke's eyes, and the next words that he utters surprise me.
