This Time, I'm the One Leaving First

The happiness on Simone's face was blinding.

I knew she was doing it on purpose.

Just like countless times before, she would use an innocent tone to push me to the edge and make me lose control.

Then, she would tilt her head and ask, "Felicia, are you throwing a tantrum?"

I had endured her cruelty time and time again in my previous life.

Everyone thought I was overreacting. They thought I was petty and difficult.

Only I knew the truth. All I ever wanted from the start was fairness.

But now, it didn't matter anymore.

I calmly took the family portrait and gave a sincere smile. "It does look nice."

Simone's smile froze.

Riley was surprised by my reaction. She had expected me to get angry and had probably even prepared a lecture about how immature I was.

Now the words were stuck in her throat. All she could do was laugh awkwardly.

"W-we'll take one with you too next time."

I nodded lightly.

There wouldn't be a next time.

Riley couldn't read my thoughts. My silence made her uneasy. "You just got unlucky, Fifi. It's your sister's birthday in a few days. We're going abroad for a trip."

"Yeah, Felicia. You didn't get to travel much before, right? This time, the whole family can take you places," Simone chimed in.

I remained completely unmoved.

"That's not necessary. I'm not going."

The small trace of guilt Riley had just shown vanished instantly. She frowned. "Don't be ridiculous. It's your sister's birthday. How can you not go?"

I was unfazed by her questioning.

"Firstly, I don't have a passport. I can't leave the country," I began. "Secondly, I'll be busy with something else during those days."

Riley froze. "You don't have a passport? How could you not have one? Don't we renew them every—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

The three of them renewed their passports every year. But I had only come back home this year.

Not one of them had remembered that I didn't even have a passport, let alone thought to take me to get one.

In my previous life, even after I got married and had a child, I never once went abroad with the family.

I wasn't expecting to do so in this life either.

"Enough!"

Michael, who had been sitting silently on the couch the whole time, finally spoke. "Have someone rush the paperwork. It'll still make it in time.

"As for whatever you're busy with, just cancel it. What could possibly be more important than your sister's birthday?"

He decided everything for me with a few casual words.

My opinion had never mattered.

My lips curled into a mocking smile.

For the first time in both my lifetimes, I spoke against his authority. "Dad, I'm not going. My project doesn't allow me to leave the country. If you think what I'm doing isn't important, then feel free to talk it out with my advisor."

He frowned deeply.

"Who is your advisor? I'll talk to him myself," he grumbled, displeased.

"Mr. Reyner from the National University of Defense Technology."

Michael paused, then his eyes widened in shock. "You mean the Paul Reyner? The 'Father of Rockets'? How could he possibly be your advisor? Besides, why haven't you mentioned you're studying at the National University of Defense Technology?"