The Real Daughter Is Back | Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Truth was,
I’d rented the place two days earlier.
It was far from Parker’s school.
Far from where he lived.
The apartment was empty at first.
I bought furniture, daily necessities—
slowly filled it up.
Three days after the breakup, Parker hadn’t contacted me.
But his social media was active.
New hair color.
Lip piercing.
A tattoo on his arm.
All the things I hated.
I glanced once and scrolled past.
Whenever we fought,
Parker loved posting vague stuff online,
waiting for me to go find him.
But now we were actually broken up.
I didn’t need to care anymore.
Without Parker, my days were normal.
Work, home, sleep.
No rushing back to serve a spoiled kid.
Honestly?
It felt good.
On the seventh night,
I was working late on a proposal
when Parker called.
The ringtone—
one I’d set just for him.
I declined.
It rang again.
I knew his personality.
If I didn’t pick up,
he’d keep calling until tomorrow.
I stopped working and answered.
The background was loud.
Then a voice came through—
Not Parker’s.
“Hi, Damian. This is Lucas.
You remember me, right?”
Lucas—Parker’s roommate.
The kind of face you don’t forget once you’ve seen it.
His voice was low.
“Parker’s drunk.
He’s insisting on seeing you.
Are you… able to come get him?”
The last part was soft.
I stared at my screen.
“No,” I said.
“I’m not.”
Lucas didn’t speak.
I sighed.
I wasn’t that heartless.
“Could you take him back to the dorm?”
“Or book him a hotel room.”
Lucas agreed.
After a moment, he asked:
“You’re really not coming?”
He paused.
“Parker’s yelling your name right now.”
Our relationship had been public in his dorm from the start.
I’d been embarrassed at first.
Then I got used to it.
“I’m not coming,” I said.
“We broke up.”
Silence.
Whenever Parker drank,
I was always the one to pick him up, take care of him.
In the background,
I could faintly hear his voice.
“Thanks,” I said quietly.
“I still have work.”
I hung up and stared at my phone for a long time.