First, she started defending him. “He’s not a monster, just lost.”
His name is Derek. To the world, he’s a seventeen-year-old with a father on the school board and a future in lacrosse. To me, he’s the architect of two years of hell. But lately, he’s found a new blueprint. my bully tries to corrupt my mother yuna
She stopped pruning.
Then, she began questioning me. “Are you sure you’re not exaggerating? You’ve been so stressed lately.” First, she started defending him
The Garden and the Serpent
Finally, the betrayal: she invited him to dinner. He sat in my father’s chair. He complimented her japchae. He asked about her day. And when I stormed off, I heard her say, “He’s always been sensitive. Don’t mind him.” To me, he’s the architect of two years of hell
And I realized: corruption only wins when love forgets to look closely. My bully didn’t want Yuna. He wanted the version of her that existed without me. But mothers, the good ones, don’t exist without their children.