Chapter 5

Lucas's face darkened in an instant, his glare scraping across my skin like a blade.

"Shut up! Coming back to the Hensons at all is more luck than you deserve. You shamelessly crawled back here, and look how much Melanie has had to suffer for it."

He stared at me, biting off each word.

"Even if she did something wrong, you drove her to it."

I couldn't help it. I laughed.

In seven years I'd lost count of how many times Melanie had framed me, hurt me.

It wasn't that my parents didn't know the truth. They just always said, "Melanie's only afraid you'll steal our love away from her. Be the bigger person."

No one ever asked about what I'd suffered. So I was the bigger person, year after year after year.

Back then, only Cyril would wipe away my tears, only he would order Melanie to apologize, only he would tell me, "I've got you."

And in the end, even he ended up on her side.

When he heard Lucas, something flickered across Cyril's face. But he didn't argue.

He only looked at me, his voice low.

"We were all drunk that night. You weren't really going to make Melanie get rid of it and leave her unable to have kids for the rest of her life, were you?"

So instead you made sure I'd never have children.

"I just wanted to take care of her until the baby comes. Stop making a scene."

Take care of her. Is that what you call it, taking care of her into your bed again and again?

Melanie's tears spilled over at once, her body trembling faintly.

"Sis, I'm sorry... I really didn't mean for any of this."

Lucas cut her off instantly.

"You didn't do anything wrong. She's the one in the wrong, petty as ever."

"Don't cry. The diamond tiara I had made for you is ready. Let's go take a look. I promise that in three days my little sister will be the most beautiful bride in the world."

Cyril glanced at me and offered a careless explanation. "The wedding is only a formality. Melanie isn't going to take anything from you."

Then the two of them swept Melanie out with them.

At the door, Lucas turned back and tossed out one last warning.

"Bully Melanie one more time and you can get out of the Hensons. Go live the 'good life' with those crippled beggar parents of yours."

Whatever they said, my heart didn't ache anymore. I met their eyes coldly.

"Go ahead and try. I'll make you regret it."

Before he or Cyril could say another word, I slammed the door shut.

In the mirror, my face was still pale, dark circles of exhaustion under my eyes. But my expression was calmer than it had ever been.

I started to pack.

Seven years of memories, and I wouldn't keep a single one of them.

Then I dialed my father, my voice quiet.

"Dad, I'm coming home."

"Really?" His voice was thick with worry. "Sweetheart, did they hurt you?"

"I was wrong, Dad. I'll come back and take over the Delgados, and I'll marry Edwin James."

Cyril and the Hensons all believed my adoptive parents were broken-down crippled beggars, believed I had nowhere to go if I left them. The truth was that my adoptive parents were the people behind the Delgados' hundred-billion-dollar empire in Harborfield.

"Wonderful. I'll go tell your mother the good news right now." Then he asked, "When are you coming home?"

"Edwin James will come for me in three days, and then we'll hold the wedding."

"What wedding?"

A man's voice cut in behind me.

I turned. Cyril was standing in the doorway.