The Fitness Coach Mother Broke Her Daughter With A Watch Chapter 10

Mom and Dad divorced, and Dad got custody of Mia.

Dad said he was afraid Mom would get Mia killed too.

Mom often held the drawing I had made and whispered about how much she missed me.

She apologized to me over and over.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

“Chloe, I don’t hate you. I miss you so much…”

“Your dad and I took Mia for a full medical exam again. When I looked at her completely normal results, I finally realized that physical ability can be something you’re born with too. Some people can train all they want, and it still won’t help. It may even make them sicker…”

“I pushed you too hard before. But now, you can’t give me another chance.”

Her fingertips slipped from the face in my black-and-white photo.

She buried her head in her knees, her voice muffled.

“Chloe, would you ever forgive me?”

“You haven’t come to see me in my dreams even once. You must hate me so much, don’t you?”

My chest felt heavy, as if a stone were pressing down on it.

Honestly, I could not really call it hatred.

It was more that after days of listening to her apologize and drown in regret again and again, I suddenly realized I no longer needed it.

The thing I had once wanted so desperately brought me no happiness now that I finally had it.

I did not even know what I wanted anymore.

Mom eventually won the lawsuit.

But the company only had to pay her twice the cost of the custom trackers.

The court dismissed the rest of her claim for damages related to my death.

Everyone said Mom had lost her mind over money.

She ignored those voices.

She simply took the judgment and went to my grave.

She sat there day and night.

She stayed there for a very long time.

Later, Dad took Mia and moved out for good.

The warm, lively home we once had was gone.

Mom bought out Dad’s half of the house.

She stayed in the house herself and refused to let anyone move a single thing.

Especially anything in my bedroom.

Even though the house was cold and empty, with only her left inside, she still bought groceries and cooked every day.

Most of the dishes were things I used to love.

Then she set out plates and silverware for everyone.

From time to time, she would buy me new clothes too, holding them up in front of my photograph to show me.

Every night, she slept in my bed.

She held my pajamas in her arms.

As time went on, everyone began to say that Mom had suffered a double blow from my death and Dad’s divorce.

They said she had gone crazy.

I did not even know what I wanted anymore.

Mom eventually won the lawsuit.

But the company only had to pay her twice the cost of the custom trackers.

The court dismissed the rest of her claim for damages related to my death.

Everyone said Mom had lost her mind over money.

She ignored those voices.

She simply took the judgment and went to my grave.

She sat there day and night.

She stayed there for a very long time.

Later, Dad took Mia and moved out for good.

The warm, lively home we once had was gone.

Mom bought out Dad’s half of the house.

She stayed in the house herself and refused to let anyone move a single thing.

Especially anything in my bedroom.

Even though the house was cold and empty, with only her left inside, she still bought groceries and cooked every day.

Most of the dishes were things I used to love.

Then she set out plates and silverware for everyone.

From time to time, she would buy me new clothes too, holding them up in front of my photograph to show me.

Every night, she slept in my bed.

She held my pajamas in her arms.

As time went on, everyone began to say that Mom had suffered a double blow from my death and Dad’s divorce.

They said she had gone crazy.

Whenever she met someone, she would tell them how much her dead older daughter had loved her, how sweet I had been, and how good I had been to her.

When people saw her, they instinctively avoided her and kept their distance.

Seeing her end up like that made me sad from the bottom of my heart.

Then I comforted myself by thinking that maybe this was karma.

For her, it was atonement.

And for me, it was time to forget all of this and begin a new life, one that was finally free.