Gemotions

The inheritance wasn't money; it was a name. A last name, identical to hers, and a letter. The contents were saccharine and apologetic. Chloe found herself clenching her teeth.

The photograph, included with the letter, displayed a smiling woman and a child, maybe ten years old, standing in front of a house that was grander than Chloe's childhood home. Rage bubbled up. Why hadn’t she had those things? Why was this woman’s child now getting something that wasn’t even offered to her?

She ripped the letter in half, then again, and again, until the pieces were so small she could crumple them into a ball. She tossed the ball in the trash, her movements quick and frantic. She wouldn't let this intrusion disrupt her life.