Time's Up: My Aunt Adopts Me

My name is Yvette Fitzroy. I'm the daughter of Hugo Fitzroy and Clara Burke. It's been three months since my wealthy parents found me and brought me home. Now, they're finally taking me to the county family court to finalize my legal placement with them. It is 4:40 pm, half an hour before the filing office closes. This is the ninth attempt to finalize my legal placement with them. It's also the first time they actually make it on time. Just as I am about to walk inside, the fake heiress, Ivana Fitzroy, speaks up behind me. "Mom, Dad, I want to take one last family photo with you," she says. I go still. Hugo and Clara, however, turn around immediately. "We can take as many as you like. There's no rush," they say. Ivana stands between them with tears in her eyes. She gives me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Yvette. I just can't bear to leave Mom and Dad. Don't worry. I just want a keepsake. I'll leave as soon as we're done taking the photo. I won't take what's yours," she reassures. Hearing that, Hugo declares on the spot, "Nonsense! You'll always be our daughter!" Clara chimes in to agree. I lower my eyes, softly interrupting their affectionate moment. "Mom, Dad, the office closes in half an hour," I say. "Interstate procedures take a long time, but if we go in now, we can still make it." Hugo snaps at me in displeasure. "What's the rush? It'll only take a few minutes. Are you really that eager to kick Ivana out?" I stand to the side and watch the three of them take their family photo. A sudden wave of relief washes over me. I lower my head and send my billionaire aunt, Victoria Fitzroy, the address. "Aunt Vicky, you said that if the ninth time still fails, you'll take me as your daughter," I type. "If that offer still stands, come before 5:00 pm. We can make me your legal daughter in time." Chapter 1 Not long after I sent the message, the screen lit up again. Victoria Fitzroy only replied with three words: "Wait for me." Staring at the short line, I'd never felt this steady. Ever since Hugo Fitzroy and Clara Burke found me and brought me home, the word they said to me most was "wait". The first time we tried to finalize my legal placement, I was too excited and too nervous. I got to the office at dawn. I waited from daylight until dark before I finally got them on the phone. "Ivana cried all day," Hugo said. "She's not ready yet. Let's wait until next time." The second time, I prepared every document ahead of time and went to their company myself. But Ivana Fitzroy wanted a limited-edition pastry from Norda, which was miles away. Because of that, Hugo and Clara made me get out of the car. Then, they immediately turned around with her and left me to wait for the bus. The eighth time, I finished all the early paperwork on my own and took a number. They only had to show up, and the procedure would be done. But then Ivana got low blood sugar and fainted at the door. Hugo and Clara said, "Let's wait a little longer." Every time, they had an excuse. And every time, I said it was fine. They had only just found me, so I told myself that they needed time to get used to me. Family could not be rushed. We had to take it slow. But making my place in their family legal was different. To other people, those papers were just pages. But to me, they represented the days I starved at my foster parents' house and the old belt scars on my arms. They were also the only leverage I had when those people tried to sell me off for money. As long as the papers were still in their hands, it was as though I hadn't really escaped. That day was the ninth time. The counter would close in 25 minutes. Under the tree outside the office, Ivana, Hugo, and Clara were huddled together, taking photos. They were all smiling. They looked like a happy family of three. Meanwhile, I stood there alone, awkward and out of place. Chapter 2 Even the janitor nearby couldn't watch it anymore. He quietly tipped me off. "Miss, you should take your parents inside now. Everyone will be off work soon. I've never seen the people in there stay late," he said. Inside the hall, an attendant raised his voice again. "Is anyone else need to file anything before we close? The system locks at 5:00 pm sharp. Once it shuts down, none of today's transfer applications can be entered," he said. The moment he finished speaking, Ivana, Hugo, and Clara finished taking photos. Ivana didn't even glance my way. She just kept her head down and scrolled her phone. "Mom, let's take another one. The light and angle were bad just now," she said. Clara agreed at once. "Okay." Hugo stood beside them and didn't rush her. I checked the time. It was 4:39 pm. We only had 21 minutes left. I walked over to them and asked, "Mom, Dad, can we go in now?" Ivana apologized before they could speak. "I'm sorry, Yvette. I didn't mean to stall. You're their real daughter. You'll have plenty of time with them later, but it's not the same for me. "I just can't bear to leave them. I want a keepsake while we're still a family." Hugo's face turned even colder when he looked at me. "I already said we'd go in soon. Why do you keep pushing? She's been our daughter for years. Can't you have a little sympathy?" he scolded. I froze for a second. "I never said you couldn't take photos. The counter closes at 5:00 pm. If we don't go in now, we'll miss it," I explained. Clara tugged Hugo's arm. "That's enough. Stop," she told him. Then she looked at me, her voice softening a little. "Everyone's in a bad mood today. Stop fussing over the time," she said. I stood there and said nothing, suddenly feeling exhausted. So in their eyes, Ivana making everyone wait for her photos wasn't fussing. But me wanting to go home and become their real family was. The clock in the hall ticked forward another minute. It was 4:40 pm. The staff had already started talking about what to eat after work. I drew in a breath and let it out slowly. Then, I looked Hugo and Clara in the eye and said firmly, "Mom, Dad, I don't want to wait for the next time." Hugo frowned and opened his mouth to scold me. But before he could speak, Ivana sighed. She kept her head down and swiped through her phone, sounding annoyed. "Ugh. Why are all of these blurry? The selfie angle is so hard to get right. The lighting makes everyone look dark too," she muttered. Then, she turned to me. "Yvette, since you're in such a hurry, why don't you take it for us? Just stand farther away, and tap the button a couple of times. Then, we'll go in right after. We won't hold you up," she said, holding her phone out to me. Hugo's annoyance found an outlet at once. "Exactly. What's the rush?" he scolded. "Help us take one photo. It'll take only a few seconds, and we'll be done. Instead, all you did was just stand there and nag!" Clara sighed. "You weren't raised by us, so you don't know how to treat us like family. You just have to make everyone miserable," she said. I didn't take the phone. "I won't take the photos for you," I said. Ivana's hand froze in the air, and her eyes went red at once. She looked as if she'd been deeply wronged. Chapter 3 Hugo's temper snapped. He jabbed a finger at me and yelled, "Ivana asked you nicely. What kind of attitude is that? "You keep saying you're in a rush to do the papers. Now she asks you to help so we can save time, and you refuse. You're just picking a fight!" I looked at his furious face and almost laughed. "I'm picking a fight? Dad, do you remember the last time? Last month, we were supposed to handle the papers on my birthday—two celebrations at once. "But right before we left, Ivana said she had a headache. So, you two took her to the hospital and stayed there all day. I waited by myself until the office closed. You never showed up. When we got back, the doctor said she was only short on sleep." Hugo's expression stiffened. "Ivana was really in pain," he said. "We raised her for years. How were we supposed not to worry?" I grunted in response and continued, "What about the time before that? It was a weekday. I took time off, and we agreed to leave at 9:00 am. "Then, Ivana said she couldn't find her necklace. It was the 18th birthday gift Mom gave her." Clara's face turned awkward. She was about to speak, but I did not let her. I continued, "She cried and said that if she couldn't find it, it meant that she wasn't supposed to leave. She even ran to the balcony and said she'd jump from the second floor. "The two of you panicked. You tore the house apart with her all day. At 5:30 pm, half an hour after the office closed, the necklace turned up under her pillow." Clara gave an awkward cough and tried to smooth it over. "That… Ivana just has a bad memory. She forgot where she put it. And she was in a fragile state. She didn't mean it. Can't you be more understanding?" Right then, Ivana dropped into a crouch and covered her face. Then, she burst into loud sobs. "I'm sorry… It's all my fault! Yve is right. I'm the problem. I always hold everyone back," she said. "Mom, don't worry about me. Go handle her papers. "I know I'm a nuisance. I'll leave right now. I won't get in your way again!" She looked like she was about to run toward the street. Clara grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Ivana, don't talk like that! This will always be your home!" Hugo hurried over to comfort her too. Then, he looked back and glared at me. "Will you only be happy once you've ruined Ivana's life?" The three of them wrapped their arms around one another—truly a heartwarming sight. I didn't make a scene like I used to, and I didn't accuse them of playing favorites. I only looked down at my phone. It was 4:50 pm. Ten minutes left. Then, I put the phone away. My voice stayed even as I said, "You don't have to leave, and you don't have to apologize. You can keep taking photos. In fact, take as long as you want. "But I won't wait anymore." That was when my phone rang. It was a call from Hailey Brooks, my high school classmate. The line picked up, and a lively noise spilled through. Hailey's voice was light with joy. "Yve, are you done yet? We're all waiting for you in the private room! This dinner is a must. We have to celebrate you finally going home to your real family. No more suffering!" Chapter 4 Over the phone, Hailey continued, "Oh, Ms. Warren took half a day off to come too. She even skipped the school's faculty meeting. She said she had to see you join your real family with her own eyes." When I heard that Kate Warren had come as well, my grip tightened on the phone, and a lump formed in my throat. In the years after Ivana’s birth parents, Martin Ewart and Emma Boyd, swapped us, I lived a life worse than a stray. When Martin and Emma lost at cards, they took it out on me. They wouldn't give me a thick coat in winter. They didn't even want me to finish high school. They wanted to marry me off early for money. If Hailey hadn't shared her meals with me, I wouldn't have made it. I only survived because Kate came to the house again and again to look after me. She secured my financial aid and paid my tuition herself. Without her, I wouldn't have finished high school and survived long enough for Hugo and Clara to find me. Compared with my birth parents, who favored Ivana, Hailey and Kate felt more like my real family. I swallowed the tightness in my throat and spoke softly into the phone. "It's not done yet." The other end went quiet for a beat. Then, someone else took the phone. Kate's voice came through. "Why isn't it done? This is the ninth time! Last month, they said it'd definitely get done. Did Ivana come up with another excuse?" Kate asked. Hugo and Clara heard her voice. Kate was an outsider, so they wanted to keep up appearances. "Ms. Warren, don't listen to Yvette," Hugo said. "She's just jealous of Ivana. We're already at the county clerk's office. We only got delayed a little." But Kate wasn't having it. "Delayed? What could be more important than finalizing your daugher's legal placement? You know how much she's suffered. How long does the paperwork take? Why drag it out until people get off work?" Hugo could no longer keep his face straight. He frowned again. Clara cut in. Her tone hardened. "Ms. Warren, we're grateful for how you took care of her before. But this is a family matter. Outsiders like you don't know the full story. It's better not to step in. "No matter how you look at it, she's our biological daughter. Of course we'll add her to the records. After all, she's our flesh and blood." Clara glanced at Ivana and kept talking into the phone. "What difference does one day make? At worst, we'll do it next time," she continued. When I heard that, I actually felt relieved. It was the answer I'd expected. It even felt familiar. I felt nothing. No anger. No resentment. Not even the slightest hint of surprise. I took the phone back and spoke to Kate carefully. "Ms. Warren, don't worry. I'll get the papers done today. Wait for me at the restaurant. When it's done, I'll bring my parents with me," I reassured her. Then, I switched back to the home screen. Victoria's message popped up. "Eugene and I just passed the last traffic light. We'll be there soon." Eugene Patterson was her husband. I checked the time in the corner. It was 4:55 pm. The glass doors of the hall were pushed open. The attendant stood on the steps and called out to the people outside. "Last five minutes! Does anyone else need service?" Ivana shrank back right then and tugged Clara's sleeve. "Mom, Dad, take Yvette inside," she said. "My feelings don't matter. Go in. Don't worry about me." Clara's heart went out to her at once. Chapter 5 "What do you mean your feelings don't matter? You're the daughter I raised for 20 years. You're the apple of my eye!" Clara said. The janitor who'd watched the whole thing looked at me with open pity. I smiled at him. Then, I unzipped my backpack and took out the documents I'd prepared ahead of time. Without sparing them another glance, I turned and walked toward the doors of the hall. Hugo took a few strides up the steps and grabbed my arm. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked. I looked at him calmly. "To get the papers done," I replied simply. He thought I was making a scene. "How can you do it if we don't go in? The papers need our signatures. It's too late either way. Why insist on going in?" I didn't struggle. Instead, I just pulled my arm free and walked through the door. Clara tugged him back. There was a trace of disdain in her voice. "Forget it. Leave her. She can't get it done without us anyway. She's just throwing a tantrum. Don't indulge that. "She grew up in the countryside, so she never learned anything good. All she picked up was how to throw tantrums to get attention. She needs to learn how our family does things." Hugo listened to her and stopped blocking me. He just stood there, ready to watch me fail. I stopped and turned to face them. "Indulge me? When was I ever indulged?" I asked. "Did you indulge me all those years I suffered in Ivana's place?" I looked at them. My voice wasn't loud, but every single word I spoke was clear. I continued, "Is wanting to go home to my birth parents just a tantrum to you? Ivana can't bear to leave you, so she can keep stalling, and you just go along with it. "But what about me? Do I not want my birth parents at all?" Hugo and Clara froze. They opened their mouths. It seemed to be the first time they realized that all I wanted was to join their family properly. Not sparing them another glance, I walked up to the counter and passed them the documents. "Hi. I'm here to finalize my legal placement," I said. The clerk took the file and flipped through it. Then, she asked the usual question, "Is the legal guardian here to sign? Both parties have to confirm in person." I didn't answer her right away. I looked back one last time at Hugo and Clara standing outside. The clock in the hall ticked forward. "It's 4:58 pm. They're about to close," I said calmly, looking at them. "I'll ask one last time. Are you still going to do the papers?" With everyone watching, they hesitated. That was when Ivana turned her head. Her shoulders trembled. She sniffled and wiped her tears. Clara froze in place. She looked at Ivana, then at me. The little doubt that'd just risen in her vanished at once. "Vana's already crying like this…" Clara sighed and looked away from me. She then changed her answer. "Be good. We'll wait until next time." I turned back without any surprise. There was nothing left to say. It was 4:59 pm. Hurried footsteps sounded outside. Victoria and Eugene rushed through the door and came straight to my side. They passed their IDs through the window. "Sweetheart, we're here," Victoria said. Turning to the clerk, she said, "List her under our legal guardianship."