Chapter 640:
Bobby had always been temperamental. When he was in a good mood, he’d agree to anything with a smile. But when he wasn’t, nothing would sway him, and it could easily lead to conflict.
“I’m not going!”
His mother sighed heavily. “Bobby, everyone around you is settling down. Your father and I worry. What will happen to you when we’re gone? Will you be all alone?”
Bobby’s expression hardened. “Alone? Haven’t I always been? If Grandma hadn’t taken me in, I probably would’ve died from a fever before either of you knew!”
The weight of guilt bore heavily on Bobby’s parents due to their past neglect of him. Throughout Bobby’s early years, they were absorbed in their careers, barely present in his life from infancy. Important family holidays passed unnoticed and uncelebrated. The sole influence in Bobby’s life was his grandmother, but even she could only command his attention sporadically.
Following her death and Bobby’s entry into middle school, his behavior took a turn for the worse. He shuffled through schools, each move prompted by increasingly serious misconduct. The situation escalated until Bobby was on the brink of being sent to a reform facility, a stark wake-up call for his parents about the dire consequences of their neglect.
In a flurry of late guilt, they signed him up for corrective courses. While these efforts did not lead to dramatic improvements, they were a tangible sign of their newfound commitment to his well-being. Over time, this led to a cautious thaw in the icy relations between Bobby and his parents, though they remained ever vigilant, mindful of his unpredictable moods.
Bobby could unpredictably revert to treating them like outsiders, coldly reminding them of their past neglect.noveldrama
“The past is behind us, and I’ve said I’m sorry,” his father said.
Bobby scoffed, rolling a grape between his fingers, his tone laced with irony.
“So, you ignored me when I needed guidance, and now you intervene when I seek independence? Did you really think spending a fortune on those courses would change anything?”
The tension in the room escalated, and his mother pressed a hand to her chest.
“My heart hurts.”
However, had her pain been genuine, she would have sought medical attention. Instead, her display was merely a theatrical ruse designed to guilt-trip Bobby.
Unmoved by her performance, Bobby rose to his feet.
“Mom, I can’t say I know what good parents are supposed to be like, but I’m pretty sure they don’t use hardship as a resort to guilt-trip their children. If you’re so eager…”
“For me to get married, I can do it anytime. Just remember, if I end up not happy, you and Dad are the ones to blame.”
With that, Bobby exited the house, the door shutting behind him with a definitive thud.
“Have we really messed up?” his mother asked.
His father waved his hands dismissively. “Let it be. Our son will carve his own path. Our role is simply to support him.”
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