Loyalty Quiz Night: I Exit the Family

At my mom's 50th birthday party, the host suddenly invites my adoptive sister, Megan Fraser, and me onstage to take part in a "Who Knows Mom Best?" quiz. All the relatives assume it is a special segment my mom has arranged to officially introduce me to everyone as her biological daughter. The first question is about my mom's favorite flower. I write down "lily", the flower she always keeps in her study. Megan, on the other hand, holds up her board and says, "White camellia. Mom said it was the first flower Dad ever gave her." My mom nods and says, "Megan remembers it better than anyone." The second question asks what my mom takes for her stomach problems. I write down the medication her doctor prescribed. Megan writes down the soup my brother, Josh Fraser, makes. "Kathy, you've been back for three years, and you didn't even know Mom hates taking medicine?" Josh mocks. After that, Megan correctly answers questions about my mom's usual size, the opera she listens to when she can't sleep, and her favorite perfume. One by one, the lights beside me—symbols of our supposed bond—go out. The last question is who my mom wants to give the family heirloom brooch to. Megan doesn't write a word. Instead, she slips her arm through my mom's and says, "Mom would never let me lose." As laughter fills the room, my mom personally lights the final light for Megan. Then she looks at me and says, "Just because you're my flesh and blood doesn't mean you truly know me. We'll talk about acknowledging you as my daughter another time." I walk straight off the stage and send my lawyer, Peter Richmond, a message. "Proceed as planned. I'm leaving tonight." Chapter 1 "Congratulations, Ms. Fraser!" the host announced. I looked at the nine lights glowing beside Megan Fraser, the girl my mom had adopted, and said flatly, "I guess there's no need to talk about officially acknowledging me as part of the family anymore." Megan froze for a moment before slipping her arm around my mom's. Her eyes quickly turned red. "Don't be upset, Kathy. I've simply been with Mom longer. Maybe one day, when you truly get to know her, I'll let you wear this brooch," she sneered and deliberately emphasized the words "let you wear". My mom, Yvonne Nevill, gently patted Megan's hand and looked at me with disappointment. "Kathy, just because you're my flesh and blood doesn't mean you really know me. When you learn to see us as your family, I'll officially acknowledge you as my daughter." My brother, Josh Fraser, stood off to the side with a deep frown. "Kathy, you've been back for three years, and you didn't even know Mom hates taking medicine?" he said, his voice full of frustration. "Megan didn't steal anything from you. She just cares more than you do." I looked at the three of them standing together like a real family and suddenly felt that everything I had done was meaningless. I had spent three whole months preparing for my mom's 50th birthday party. She promised to finally tell all our relatives that I was her biological daughter on that day. I believed her. I bought her birthday gift ahead of time, happily posed for family photos, and even asked my lawyer to prepare the paperwork to change my last name. But now, she had used a stupid "Who Knows Mom Best?" game as an excuse to go back on a promise I had held onto for three years. "It's okay. I don't want it anymore," I murmured, staring at Josh. Josh let out a sigh of relief, thinking I had finally learned to give in. "I'm glad you came to your senses," he said in a patronizing tone. "Mom's in a good mood today, so don't ruin the party. Next time we have a family gathering, I'll talk to her again and see if she'll finally officially acknowledge you as part of the family." My relatives' whispers filled the ballroom, their cutting words tossed around as if I weren't even there. "She wasn't raised by them. Of course, she never really became family." "Megan may not be related by blood, but she's more thoughtful than a real daughter. Yvonne didn't spend the last 20 years loving her for nothing." "She's been back for three years and still doesn't know what her own mother likes. And she still thinks she deserves a share of the inheritance?" I turned around and slowly walked off the stage without saying anything. Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Peter Richmond, my lawyer. "Ms. Stroud, the paperwork is complete. The Fraser family's shares you hold on their behalf will be transferred out by midnight. Your ride to the airport is ready." I just replied "okay" and slipped my phone back into my pocket. The Frasers found me three years ago. My mom held my hand and cried her heart out, saying I was the child she had never stopped searching for. But almost immediately afterward, she asked me to wait before announcing that I was her biological daughter, saying Megan wouldn't be able to handle the shock. The first year, she told me to wait until Megan graduated from college. The second year, she said we would wait until Grandma recovered. And in the third year, she finally promised to acknowledge me publicly at her birthday party. I believed that she would keep her promise, so I tried my best to please everyone in the family. But as those lights went out one after another on stage, I finally understood the truth. It wasn't that they were unwilling to accept me. They just wanted me to fail in front of everyone so they could justify keeping Megan in the place that should have been mine. My mom knew the relatives saw the game as a way to officially welcome me into the family, yet she used the result as an excuse to reject me. That one brooch was all it took for Megan to remain the daughter everyone accepted, while I was never given a real chance. I walked to the corner of the ballroom and looked at my family laughing together at the main table. My mom carefully picked the bones out of a piece of fish before placing it on Megan's plate. Josh smiled as he poured fruit juice for them. They looked like the perfect happy family. A family I wasn't part of. I looked away and headed backstage. Chapter 2 "Where's my gift?" I stood at the entrance of the storage room backstage, looking at the staff member in charge of the party. He pointed to a box in the corner and said awkwardly, "Ms. Stroud, your stuff is over there." I walked over and opened the box. Inside lay a beautifully bound volume of letters. I had spent half a year searching through second-hand bookstores, then worked with a professional restorer to piece together the letters my parents had exchanged when they were young. Tucked inside the first page was a dried white camellia. It was the first flower my dad had ever given my mom. Of course, I knew my mom's favorite flower, but I had written "lily" as my answer for that game. After my dad passed away, my mom would break down every time she saw a white camellia. The doctor advised her to avoid anything that could trigger an emotional reaction. For the past three years, the only flowers she kept in her study were lilies, which helped calm her and ease her insomnia. "Why was my gift put here?" I asked. The staff member lowered his head and said quietly, "That was Mrs. Fraser's instruction. She said the letters belonged to the late Mr. Fraser. She was worried they might upset Ms. Fraser, so she asked us to put them away instead of displaying them onstage." I smiled, finding the whole thing ridiculous. The expensive emerald jewelry set Megan gave my mom was displayed proudly at the center of the main table, drawing everyone's admiration. My gift, however, had been quietly tucked away out of sight. "Kathy." Josh's voice came from behind me. He strode over, his brows furrowed. "What are you doing here? All the relatives are out there, and you're hiding back here?" he asked reproachfully. Without responding to him, I took the letters out of the box and held them in my arms. Josh glanced at the letters and said impatiently, "Mom is already very tired. Don't bring out your gift just to compete with Megan. I understand that you're upset because she won the game, but you can't be so immature." "What? Compete with her?" I looked at him. "Isn't that what this is about?" Josh shot back. "You're only bringing this out to prove that you put more thought into Mom's gift than Megan. Kathy, this isn't a competition." Suddenly, I felt too tired to argue or explain myself. I knew the exact medicine she needed for her stomach problems. Every time she refused to take it, I was the one who stayed up past midnight coaxing her to swallow it. I knew she listened to white noise instead of opera when she couldn't sleep, because I was the one who put together a playlist that helped her rest. I also knew she had gone up a size. Her shoulder pain had worsened over the past six months, and I was the one who let out her dress by half an inch to make it more comfortable. And I knew the perfume my mom had to avoid, because her doctor had warned that one of its ingredients could trigger her migraines. However, Josh knew none of this, because my mom had deliberately kept all my efforts from everyone else. In public, she had only ever acknowledged Megan as the one who knew her best. "You're right." I tightened my fingers around the letters and said, "This isn't a competition." Josh thought he had finally convinced me. His expression softened slightly. "Good. Put that thing down and come back out front with me. Mom said we'll look at your gift later, in private," he said. In private? They made it feel like my gift was something shameful. "No need." I walked past Josh toward the door and said, "I'm not feeling well. I'm leaving." "Kathy Stroud!" Josh shouted after me, clearly irritated. "Can you stop throwing a tantrum?" I didn't turn around. When I reached the corner of the hallway, a piece of paper slipped from the letters and fell to the floor. I bent down and picked it up. It was the memo pad my mom often used. Chapter 3 The note was written in familiar handwriting. It read, "White camellia, the soup Josh makes, medium size, Queen of the Night…" I stared at the note as a cold realization crept over me. "Ms. Stroud, have you seen a note?" The host hurried over from the other end of the hallway, sweating heavily. I clenched the paper in my palm and asked, "What note?" "My backup note." The host wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Mrs. Fraser told me to follow that list in case anything went wrong on stage. I must have dropped it somewhere when I changed clothes." I slowly revealed what was in my hand and asked, "Is this it?" The host's eyes lit up. He reached for it, only to realize I wasn't letting go. "Who gave you these questions and answers?" I asked again. The host froze, not expecting that question. He hesitated for a moment before answering honestly, "Ms. Fraser's assistant handed it over a week ago. Mrs. Fraser personally reviewed it afterward and said we should use this version." "And the last question?" I pressed. "Was it decided beforehand who would get the brooch?" An awkward look flashed across the host's face. He lowered his voice and said, "There wasn't a definite answer for the last question. Mrs. Fraser said there couldn't be any accident at the party. She wanted an outcome everyone could accept." I looked down at the slip of paper in my hand and laughed. So that was it. No matter what, the last light would always turn on for Megan. The host looked uneasy as he said, "Ms. Stroud, please don't make this difficult for me. I was just doing my job. Mrs. Fraser said—" "I know." I cut him off. "She just didn't want Megan to lose." I had thought it was an unfair contest. But it was more than that. The whole thing had been staged from the very beginning, all to deny me my place in the family. My mom wrote the questions herself, and Megan was given the answers in advance. The host followed their plan, and my mom made sure the final result went exactly the way she wanted. Together, they had staged a game that robbed me of my rightful place in the family. What would happen if I exposed them right now? My mom would say it was just a game to liven up the party. Josh would accuse me of ruining the celebration, and Megan would burst into tears, saying she was just afraid of losing her family. In the end, I would still be seen as the unreasonable one who didn't care about the bigger picture. I took out my phone, snapped a photo of the note, then handed it back to the host. "Here you go." Relieved, the host took the note and hurried away. I didn't cause a scene in the ballroom because I felt disgusted. I used to be so desperate for their acceptance. To earn their love, I had stood on that stage and answered every question seriously like a total fool. But the harder I tried, the more devastating it was to realize that the game had been rigged against me all along. I walked out of the hotel and sent the photo I had taken to Peter. He replied almost immediately, "Ms. Stroud, should I send the Frasers the evidence that they rigged the game?" "No need," I typed back. "They went through so much trouble to set that up. Let them enjoy their little victory for now." When I reached the roadside, the car I had booked was already waiting. The driver stepped out and opened the door for me. I sat in the back seat, watching the neon lights outside the window blur and disappear behind me. A week ago, my mom had held my hand and asked if I was okay with going on stage with Megan. I thought it was a moment when they would officially accept me as part of the family. Megan had even taken my hand and said, "Don't worry, Kathy. I have your back." Looking back, I realized my mom never intended to give me a choice. She was only making sure I'd walk right into the trap they had set. The car glided toward Riverside Apartments. It was the place the Frasers had arranged for me, but I knew that after that night, it would no longer be my home. Chapter 4 In the quiet of my apartment, I packed my belongings into a black suitcase. I didn't have many things of my own. There was only an old pocket watch my adoptive parents left me, a few clothes I wore regularly, and some work documents. I set aside everything the Frasers had given me, including the jewelry my mom had casually handed me, Josh's extra credit card, the designer gown for the birthday party, and the family trust papers I never signed. I sorted them out and placed them neatly on the coffee table. Beside them was a thick stack of medical records. They were the medical history files, follow-up appointment records, and medication notes I had organized for my mom over the past three years. I left them there so Peter could hand them over to the Frasers the next day. After I finished packing, I sat down on the couch, took out my phone, and called Josh. The phone rang for a long time before he answered. In the background, I could hear relatives offering congratulations and raising their glasses. "What is it now?" Josh sounded annoyed. "We'll officially acknowledge you as part of the family, just not tonight. Mom is in a great mood. Don't ruin it." "That's not why I'm calling." I glanced at the medical records on the coffee table and spoke calmly. "Mom's having an endoscopy next Wednesday. The appointment details are on top of the stack. Her blood pressure has been unstable lately. The doctor said her medication dosage needs to be adjusted. I wrote everything down on the note—" "Enough." Josh cut me off impatiently. "We'll talk about these things tomorrow. Megan is going around the tables to toast everyone now. Come over and celebrate Mom's birthday with us. We're family. Don't push it." I was silent for a brief moment before saying, "I won't be here tomorrow." Josh let out a mocking laugh. "Kathy Stroud, who are you trying to threaten? Do you think disappearing will make Mom give in? Let me tell you, the more you act like this, the less likely she'll acknowledge you." Then he hung up. I listened to the line go dead, then turned off my phone, removed the SIM card, and threw it into the trash. After that, I grabbed my suitcase and took the elevator downstairs. I didn't tell Josh that my company had just stopped managing the Fraser family's overseas investments for free. Three years ago, Josh's project was on the verge of collapse after its funding fell through. I had used my overseas connections and business expertise to turn it around. I didn't ask for a single cent in return. All I wanted was to officially become part of the family after the birthday party. The agreement clearly stated that if they broke their promise to accept me into the family, I had the right to end the arrangement and reclaim all profits. Now, I was simply taking back what belonged to me. By the time I arrived at the airport, it was already late at night. After checking in, I sat in the waiting area. Peter sent a message to my new number. "Ms. Stroud, the Frasers' finance team has already been notified of the termination of the proxy arrangement. Mr. Fraser has been looking for you." "Just proceed as planned," I replied. "Understood." Peter paused for a moment before sending another message. "Mr. Fraser just arrived at Riverside Apartments." ... At Riverside Apartments, Josh pushed open the door and stared at the empty living room and the neatly arranged stuff on the coffee table. Peter handed him a checklist and said, "Mr. Fraser, Ms. Stroud's proxy arrangement has been terminated. These are the belongings she left behind. Please check them." Josh's face turned pale with anger. "Where is she? She thinks she can pressure us with money, and now she's hiding? What kind of stunt is that?" he asked. Peter adjusted his glasses, his voice calm and emotionless. "Ms. Stroud boarded her flight two hours ago. She asked me to tell you that Mrs. Fraser's follow-up appointment details are at the top of the stack." Josh froze. Peter continued, "Ms. Stroud has also withdrawn her request to rejoin the Fraser family, along with her application to change her last name. Permanently."