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104°F Heat Wave: After Fighting with My Stepmom and Stepsister, I Took the AC Remote and Fled to the Countryside
My parents got divorced.
The court granted my custody to my mom, but I stayed with my dad for the sake of my education.
The big house we’re living in now was transferred to my name after my parents reached an agreement.
After my dad remarried, my stepmom moved in with her daughter.
The little brat started causing trouble and even asked my dad to arrange for her to be in the same class as me, under the pretext of taking
care of her.
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After a fight with my stepmom and her daughter, I changed the password on the smart lock, set the central air conditioning to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and then went to my grandparents‘ house in the countryside with all the remote controls for the household appliances.
With the summer heat in River City reaching nearly 104 degrees Fahrenheit, they were stuck with the heating on.
When they called me, I was sitting in my grandpa’s recliner, munching on ice–cold watermelon.
After my dad remarried, my stepmom Lily moved in with her daughter Zoe.
We didn’t get along at all. I had always been the apple of my family’s eye, and everything at home revolved around me.
But ever since Zoe came to our house, she wanted a share of everything I had, even trying to claim my things as her own.
I heard that Zoe’s biological father was a gambling addict who sold everything valuable in their house. He even almost pawned his wife and child to loan sharks.
So, she was incredibly envious of how my family doted on me.
On her first day at our house, when she saw my bedroom – the largest in the house with the best view, and even its own bathroom and walk–in closet – she clung to my dad with a pitiful look and said, “Dad Jack, I’m so envious of Ava. She gets to live in such a big room. I’ve never had my own room my entire life.”
My dad patted her shoulder sympathetically and then turned to me, saying, “Ava, why don’t you let your sister have your room? She’s never lived in such a big house before.”
I scoffed, “Is it my fault she’s never lived in a big house? Why should I give up my room for her? Just because she calls you ‘Dad Jack‘ doesn’t mean you’re her real father. Why don’t you two get a DNA test? Maybe she really is your biological daughter!”
Before my dad could respond, I turned to Zoe and said, “Let me tell you something. This house was bought by my dad and my mom together. Now it’s in my name. It’s already generous of me to let you and your mom live here. If you’re not happy with it, you can leave. Don’t be so picky.”
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Lily quickly came over
smooth things over. She laughed awkwardly and said, “No, no, we don’t need to take your room. The guest room is fine too. It’s much bigger than our old place.”
Zoe wiped away non–existent tears and nodded, following Lily to the guest room.
My parents met in college. My grandparents on my mom’s side were university professors, so naturally, my mom was very accomplished.
My dad came from a poor background but studied very hard, so my grandparents approved of their relationship when my parents got together.
It wasn’t until after they got married that my mom realized my dad was weak–willed and indecisive, and a total mama’s boy.
My mom had received higher education in the city, while my paternal grandmother was uneducated and very traditional, always trying to change my mom’s ways. So, their relationship as mother–in–law and daughter–in–law was always tense.
My dad always sided with his mother, expecting my mom to give in to grandma in everything. That’s why my mom chose to divorce him.
It wasn’t until I was in 11th grade that my dad married Zoe’s mom, and Zoe moved into our house.
After the divorce, my mom went abroad to develop her career. My maternal grandparents had always loved rural life, so they returned to their
countryside home after retirement.
Although I was legally under my mom’s custody, I still lived with my dad for the convenience of schooling.
“Ava, Zoe is your sister. You shouldn’t be so harsh to her,” my dad came to lecture me after they went back to their room.
I flipped through the book in my hand, not even bothering to look up. “Mom only had me. I don’t have any sister.”
Knowing my temperament, my dad could only shake his head helplessly and then said, “Zoe has transferred to your school and should be in your class. You can take care of her a bit, right?”
“She’s in my school? Who’s paying for her tuition? You or her dad?” I asked.
