Breaking Free From My Ex (Grace and Antonio)

Chapter 96

Chapter96

They were always telling me that, if I played nice with Ashley, things would go easier for me.

But here was the thing. Ashley's parents were gone, and mine were still around, but they chose to ignore me over her. So, what made my life any different from an orphan?

It was Christmas. I was in the kitchen filling up a pot with water when Ashley strutted in, all dressed up in her newest dress. "Grace, do you think this dress looks good on me?"

I ignored her and tried to move past her.

But she wasn't having it. She latched onto my arm from behind. "I'm waiting for an answer." I frowned, trying to pull away.

She grabbed my other hand, splashed herself with the hot water, and then let out a scream. "Please no Grace!"

"What are you doing?!" I asked her.

"Who do you think Mom's going to believe, you or me?" Ashley smirked, and right on cue, my mom walked in and saw the whole thing, just the way Ashley had set it up.

"Grace, if you've got an issue, you come to me," my mom said, her voice heavy with disappointment. "Why would you do this to Ashley?"

Ashley was all teary-eyed, playing the victim. "Mom, please don't be mad at Grace. It's my fault."

My brother yanked my arm. "Are you jealous of Ashley? You know we

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family coming over, and you messed up her

dad's face was a storm cloud. "Grace, you're grounded. You stay here. and think

right there, soothing her with gentle words and a soft touch. I used to feel that warmth, but it was a distant memory from

at me for a moment, they might have seen

no, they didn't. They all left, a happy little family of four, without even

shot me a triumphant glance, as if to say, 'Grace, I've won

didn't take much longer than two weeks for my mom's Instagram to become a chronicle of Ashley's

it was only for her, and they didn't even share a slice of

in my previous life, I posted something on Instagram too. "If you don't love me, why

words were what pushed me to jump off the rooftop without a

years back then living in

all of them, and the absence of constant conflict with Ashley allowed a

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Chapter96

the absence of conflict with Ashley had a profound

each morning.I was able to focus more on my studies and witness great improvements, while

put

semester of our senior year started, the school. announced

my parents would never come to

so I told

go, but she said, "Grace, you know Ashley has been struggling with her grades since her real parents passed away. We've already promised

didn't. I never understood why