Chapter 3

have any

idea what you’ve done?” My father’s fury was something I was used to but never before had I seen him this angry.

As soon as Damon and I walked through the front door of my house, it was like we’d walked into a warzone. My stepmother sat beside Corinna at the dinner table, as she held her hand and glared daggers at me. On Corinna’s other side was Ashton, who I took particular care not to look at.

I’d lose my cool if I saw that “sshole’s face now,

“I can’t believe you ruined Corinna’s engagement party with this nonsense!” red-faced with a receding hairline.

my father shouted,

“I’m sure Addie didn’t ruin my engagement on purpose, Father,” Corinna said bravely, hands clutched on her chest as she smiled tearfully at me.

“I’m so sorry we didn’t invite you or Damon. I couldn’t bear to make Damon watch my engagement after our horrid split,” she said with a pitying look at Damon.

I eyed Damon’s reaction. He paid her no mind, only picked up his steak knife and began slicing into

his steak.

Corinna turned to me with teary eyes, “And I knew you had an important meeting with. your sponsor, Addie. I didn’t want to make you miss it just for me.”

She looked away, hand on her mouth like she’d suppressed a sob,

“You’re such a good sister, Corinna,” my stepmother, Tabitha, patted her hand with a kind smile. She turned to me with a nasty look, “so unlike Adelaide.”

“Good sister, my *ss-” I retorted before I stopped myself.

“Adelaide!” my father slammed his fist on the table, rattling the dishes and spilling his third glass of red wine. “Don’t talk to your sister that way! I should’ve known you would’ve caused trouble!”

Corinna peeked beneath her hand, a tiny smirk on her face only I saw. I clenched my fists under the

table.

I knew better than to take her provocation, but I still wanted to reach across the table and smack her.

“Don’t blame Adelaide,” Ashton’s smooth voice said. “I doubt this was her fault.”

“Not her fault?” my father raged, “the press is having a field day with us! They think there’s a fight for the inheritance of our families because of what she and that illegitimate child did!”

I peeked over at Damon, but he was unaffected by the accusation. Despite being true, it was rude and callous of my father to point this out,

“Here

as he laid down his knife and switched our plates so I had the steak he’d

I can cut my own steak! I glowered at him

like this,” Ashton said to my

me? The anger I’d been holding back reared its ugly head,

Chapter 3

about this. Please forgive Adelaide, Father.” Despite the trash flowing from Ashton’s mouth,

her to craft this plan,” Ashton accused

choked on my water.

By this “sshole?

that came out of

infected him with her stupidity.

was playing a prank, never considering our family’s reputation,” Ashton said coldly to my father. “Father and I are politicians. This could

to yell at my ex.

his anger dying down, “Adelaide would never

stupidity is

father said to me coldly, “you have not held a ceremony yet. This mistake can easily

“What?” I gasped.

take you as his third wife,” my father said, with no

shocked at my

silence at my father’s words. I couldn’t retort or say a single thing back as the room spun around me. Thoughts rushed through my brain in a whirlwind but

over and over.

hate

he was renowned to have a horrid temper and often visited brothels even when he had

never my father’s favorite child, but I always assumed he had to care for me a little. Corinna was always his golden child, but me? Nothing I did was good

appease my cold-hearted father years ago.

cold. It

I could realize what was happening, tears sprang to my eyes. But I couldn’t. I mustn’t. I must not cry. For years, I’d been telling myself to be strong,

mine. Stunned, I

the table, cold and confident

for only me

with all the sincerity of Corinna’s tears and looked my father dead in

Chapter 3

worry about, future father-in-law. She

furiously before Father looked her way and returned to

my father sputtered.

our family’s butler, interrupted him formally. Silent as a ghost as always, I hadn’t even noticed he

the servants would’ve cowered, but

is on her way.”

is?” My father paled.

“Mother-in-law is coming?

obviously,” Corinna

low response as I watched the room enfold into chaos. Father cleared his throat, and

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