Her tone was dismissive, but her words punched and hit Chloe to the core.
"I'm just so glad he left you alone without making you pregnant. God knows I would have died of shame," Lisa went on talking as she switched off the TV and went back to eat.
Chloe was breathing loudly, and her heart was pumping so fast. Bile was rising within her.
"He is my boyfriend. How can you talk about him like that?" Chloe managed to ask, and Lisa couldn't stop herself from laughing at how absurd the question seemed.
"I didn't see you next to him. Just get over it. I mean, I did, so why can't you?" Lisa shrugged and said.
Chloe had walked back to the dining room and totally lost her appetite.
She pushed her plate away, and as if burnt by a hot sensation, she instantly decided to use the opportunity to get to know about her father.
"How exactly should I do that?" She asked in an interesting voice, and as she hopefully looked at Lisa for an answer, she murmured a prayer that she should at least get a clue from Lisa's answer.
"Be engrossed in your passion," Lisa said and kept quiet, and Chloe had to continuously tell herself not to lose her cool. "Money won't cheat on you."
"I'm in cheerleading, but I no longer enjoy it," Chloe answered instead in a low voice as she played with her nails.
Lisa chewed the last portion of food on her plate and slowly stretched her hands to hold Chloe's.
She knew how important cheerleading was to Chloe, and for her to have lost interest meant that the issue about Ivan had gotten and eaten up Chloe so much.
They had on numerous occasions fought over Chloe's engagement in cheerleading, with Lisa threatening to cut Chloe's allowances, a risk Chloe was willing to take.
"I'm sorry, dear," Lisa said in an assuring tone. By then, tears were flowing freely down Chloe's cheeks, and her eyes were as red as a beetroot.
"I didn't know. Why haven't you said anything?" Lisa went on as Chloe's cries became louder by the minute.
Lisa rushed to her and hugged her tightly as she soothed her and asked that she calms down.
"W…what's wrong with me? Why can't I just get over him as he did for me? Why am I still holding on, yet he has forgotten about me? Do…do you really believe it's karma?" Chloe asked between hiccups.
"What karma, dear? There is nothing wrong with you. It's him, and it's not only him. Most men act like him," Lisa said, more to herself than to Chloe.
"I ruined Jacky's name to get to be the leader of the cheerleading team. I ruined Ivan's and Camila's relationship so that I could have Ivan for myself, yet after all I did, he still left. Without second thoughts. Gosh! I feel so stupid. Camila is happier than I am. Steph is living her best life, yet I am here crying foul," Chloe went on ranting, and each word she said took Lisa back to her own story.
She shut her eyes to try to forget the sad memories that were threatening to force their way past her subconscious.
"Please tell me, mum," Chloe said, and Lisa felt her heart stop beating. It had been forever since Chloe called her mum. To Chloe, she was always Lisa.
"You and Ivan remind me of your dad and I," Lisa said with a heavy heart, and Chloe sniffled as she slowly looked up at her mother.
"I did all I could. I fought for what I thought was love, but it was never enough for them. They will want more and more from you until you have nothing left for and of yourself. Look at me now!" Lisa said as she looked at herself in disgust.
There was silence for a while before Lisa said, "I don't even want to talk about it!"
"Mum? For how much longer? Don't you think it's important for me to know my father? I need that fatherly love," Chloe shouted, and Lisa looked at her harshly. Chloe was sure she would receive a slap, but none was forthcoming.
"I'm your mother and father. Never ever mention anything about a man who has never done anything for you in this life. Do you hear me?" Lisa asked as she pointed the finger at Chloe.
Emotions had gotten the better part of them, and they stood to each other.
"What of martin? Who is he to us?" Chloe said defiantly and without warning. A slap fell on her cheeks, then another.
Without control of her emotions, Lisa pushed Chloe to the wall and hissed, "Never mention him, or I will forget you're my daughter."