Winning Braden

Veronica Thorn's POV

"Quit being dramatic and stubborn, you've seen it played out in court and how did that go for you?" She lifted a brow once the social workers left doing a shitty job to inspect this house.

I nearly laughed. Didn't take her long

My mother—or as I only consider birth mother since that was the only maternal thing about her.

Right now she made sure to gloat her victory in front of my face as the social workers left.

Who could find a fault in this huge vila with a garden so big and house equally large?

Crossing my arms I looked at her, last time I'd seen her was six years ago, I was eleven and she'd not came home for a week, I wasn't entirely concerned since it was a habit of hers, she'd call it her pursuing of getting her model career back

The community who got an report about an eleven year old child knocking on their neighbours door to ask for food called it neglect

And since that day I got thrown into a foster family, one that I actually liked, and I knew it was rare for me because I had a really hard time trusting anyone. Eventually I started to get used to the belief that I could finally start living my life without scraping for my next food after my mother came home staggering drunk and cried herself to sleep.

I'd learned to live without her, stoped asking where she went. And started calling another people mom and dad. That was six years of my life.

Now It turned out my mother had miraculously turned her life back around and wanted me back. Of course I'd refused any contact with her when she tried seeing me.

For a year I succeeded until she dragged it to court demanding to get custody.

And who could deny the birth mother?.

Who kept a facade and shred a tear in front of the Judges, making sure to flash her perfect restored life.

I wasn't foolish enough to believe it, yet a place inside me longed for it to be true, how many days had I not spent in my life wishing my mother had an ounce of love for me? When she wouldn't blame me for her all the failures of her life.

"When I became pregnant—- no one wanted me! Not even your worthless father!"

She'd made sure to never let me forget it. That if she hadn't had me she would've been happy and content. Perhaps that would've solved everything.

But it was now seventeen years to late for that, now her face had harsh lines looking nothing like the captivating beauty she was known for, her once blonde bouncyful locks was now thin and pulled in a hat that I knew was far from her best attempt to look sophisticated.

"Look how you've grown... into a beautiful young woman," An look crossed over her and I swear for a moment it was admire, but that couldn't be.

If my mother thought I was the same gullible child six years ago, she's got a thing coming.

"Mother" my voice was so detached and nothing by that word made me feel anything, "Are you going to stand there or are you going to let me in?"

Her eyes widen, perhaps shocked at my quick acceptance. Not most likely. It'd take more than a luxurious bath and rich city to make me forget everything. I was not accepting this.

"But of course, darling. I am just so happy... that's all"

Yeah, happy.. right.

If the outside was anything to go by, the inside of the house was even more surprising, "You've got the pool, five rooms and yours have a en-suite,"

"A what?"

"en-suite... sweetheart don't tell me those people have let you live like a commoner?"

I snorted, "You mean my parents who loved me enough to stand against you?"

She blanched, "They took you away from me! How can you call them your parents!"

Yeah, my mother was also a delusional liar who liked to make her own tales, "Sure, now can I get some sleep? the journey has not been the most quickest, and despite your best attempts to make me like this place. I assure you I won't"

"But you will... See this is the thing Veronica, I've won. I would suggest you to get used to it. You can forget about California, or anywhere for the fact. This is your home, our home" She finished with her mocking smile,

the same look I knew all to well.

"Don't worry mother, I'm your captive until the day I turn eighteen" I retorted and turned on my heel after her jaw dropped.

I didn't bother ask direction for the room that supposedly was mine, walking up the stairs once i saw a room with a bed I dumped myself onto it, then i cringed taking in the pink walls and drapers.

It was just like she was making an effort to make me like this place.

Shaking my head I took out my phone, seeing plenty of text from my foster parents who I hadn't even gotten the chance to properly say goodbye to.

I sent them a quick text and saw some from the few friends i kept contact with, not that it was a lot, Adam and Luke who were the ones i used to skip class with, we'd find some fun, getting a kick of adrenaline from car speeding or sometimes they'd let me join them with the elders, college folks who had booze, but i never got into trouble. Not really, we always found a way to never be caught.

Damn i missed them already, why the hell did my life have to change this much?.

Having my life who was perfectly fine in sunny California to this

Cleveland was cold and the little information I knew was that it was a small area where everyone knew each other, another word for boring and dull.

I didn't know what shocked me more, that my mother had the wealth to buy this house when we've lived in a small apartment all those years ago. But I kept my mouth shut, I wasn't going to stay here and get used to it, until I turned eighteen. Only eleven months away.

Then neither court or my mother could rule me.

I would be free.