My heart softened at that moment. I thought, "So Timothy does correct people when they mistake their relationship?"

But his next words crushed me.

"My mom is nothing like Pamela! All she does is cooking and cleaning. She looks like a mess all the time. She's ugly as sin! She's more like a maid!"

Raymond just continued washing the cat, not saying a word to defend me.

I suddenly laughed, feeling a sense of relief.

I thought, "I was wrong to seek familial love from these cold-hearted people like Raymond and Timothy.

I'm done with this family.

If Raymond and Timothy love Pamela so much, let them be."

Three days later, when I was discharged, I hadn't seen Raymond or Timothy.

But I'd already taken the truth. I had't expected them to come in the first place.

So I just asked casually if Raymond was free today.

My intention was just to see if he could go to the courthouse with me to file for divorce.

Timothy called just as I finished packing and walked out of the hospital.

The moment I picked up, his sarcastic tone came through.

"Pamela's cat is doing so much better now! If only you had handed over the money sooner, it would've recovered by now!"

In his eyes, saving a sick cat was more important than his own mother.

I didn't intend to argue with him.

I just asked, "Is your dad there with you? I thought we were supposed to meet today."

Pamela's voice came through the phone right away.

"Oh, Catherine, sorry about that. We took three cats to the pet shops to get them cleaned yesterday. We all got exhausting so I offered them to crash in my place. We overslept and weren't able to pick you up from the hospital."

Raymond grabbed the phone, barking.

"There's no need to explain that much to her. Catherine Henderson! You're a grown-up. Can't you go home on your own?"

"I was just calling to ask if you're free to go to the courthouse today. For the divorce."

"Could you stop being so unreasonable? I'm about to go make DIY rings with Pam and Timothy. If you're so free at home, be sure to iron my suit for me!"

And with that, he hung up.

So that was it. I had enough anyway.

While they were out, I packed two suitcases with all my belongings.

Before I left, I saw Raymond's suit on the couch, the one he'd asked me to iron.

I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut it into pieces, just like what he'd done with my love for him.

He had time to DIY rings with Pamela but couldn't be bothered to iron his own suit.

I looked down at the cheap ring I'd been wearing, the one Raymond had gotten me from a street vendor.

I had once begged him to make a pair of DIY rings with me, but he said it was pointless and a waste of time.

Instead, he bought me this cheap ring, which I had worn for years.

What was even more ridiculous was that they were going to the very store I had wanted to visit for so long.

I saw the store's social media post.

In the video, the three of them were busy making rings.

Pamela occasionally wiped the sweat from Raymond's forehead.

She even put a new silver pendant around Timothy's neck.

Timothy immediately ripped off the golden necklace I had given him with my premarital savings.

"Catherine's taste is so tacky! Who knows if it's made of real gold? Pamela, your gift is so much better!"

I had thought that even though all the family's money had been spent on Pamela, Timothy's necklace could have been sold to pay for his schooling.

But he tossed it straight into the trash.

After putting on Pamela's necklace, he closed his eyes and made a wish.

"I hope Catherine leave our family soon and Pamela can move in!"

He no longer even called me Mom.

I pulled my suitcases out the door, just as he wished.

I hoped when Pamela really moves in with them, Timothy would be just as happy.