Chapter 3
I stepped out of my bedroom, my gaze immediately landing on Amanda, sprawled on the living room sofa below. Her hand, barely scratched, was wrapped in thick bandages as she sobbed softly in my father’s
arms.
Across from her, William’s face was a mask of irritation, his brows furrowed with displeasure.
My father gently patted Amanda’s shoulder, his voice laced with false comfort.
“Alright, enough with the tears. I’ll have your sister apologize.”
Chapter 3
Beside him, my stepmother wore a look of righteous indignation, her eyes shining with fake sympathy as she accused me.
“Your daughter just can’t stand us. She’s trying to force us out of this house.”
“That won’t happen,” my father shot back, his tone heavy with authority. “This house isn’thers to control.”
With a quick glance at William, he added,
“William, why don’t you talk to Avery and get her to come down and apologize to her sister?”
William nodded stiffly, turning toward the
stairs.
When William noticed the wound on my forehead, a flicker of discomfort briefly
218
Chapter 3
crossed his face. His hand reached for mine, his voice laced with feigned concern.
66
Avery, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were hurt, too.”
I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly at the man before me, a hypocrite through and through.
He wasn’t unaware of my injury; he simply thought Amanda‘ s tiny scratch deserved more sympathy than my actual pain.
“Avery, since you pushed Amanda, go downstairs and apologize to her. Let’s just put this whole thing behind us.”
I remained silent, the bitterness welling up inside me.
Chapter 3
This man could be just as heartless as the trio downstairs.
I offered him a faint smile, then said, purposefully reminding him of the truth he wished to ignore.
“William, I had six stitches. Savannah said there’s a good chance it will scar.”
Only then did he take a proper look at the gash on my forehead?
But after a fleeting moment of pity, his scolding began.
“If you hadn’t pushed her on purpose, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Besides,
Amanda’s hurt too.‘
وو
“It’s just a bracelet. Was it really worth
Chapter 3
pushing her over? You‘ ve had everything for so long, more than enough. There’s no need to compete with her over every little thing. You should learn to let her have her way.”
A bitter laugh escaped me, the taste of it better than the words I wanted to say.
What did he mean by saying I’d been a wealthy young lady for so many years?
The Kennedy family’s current wealth was built solely on my mother‘ s dowry.
While she worked tirelessly to support us, my father had been secretly tending to another family.
A year ago, my mother’s unexpected death left a gaping hole.
Chapter 3
Her grave hadn’t even cooled when
my
father brought his mistress and her illegitimate daughter into our home, calling it a “reunion.”
Ever since they arrived, I no longer had a
place in this house.
Amanda took everything, everything, including the man who was supposed to be my fiancé.
William knew all of this but still dared to speak to me in such a way.
It was clear where his heart now lay.
But then I remembered I had already agreed to another man‘ s proposal.
The anger that had burned in my chest
Chapter 3
evaporated as quickly as it had come.
I smiled at William.
“William, I’ll apologize to her, but there’s
one condition.”
“What condition?”
“Next Saturday is my mother’s death anniversary. I want you to come with me to visit her.”
“Alright, no problem.”
To him, visiting a grave was just another task, no big deal.
With a pounding head, I rose and made my way downstairs.
Standing before the trio, I offered my apology
to Amanda.
Chapter 3
“I’m sorry.”
Amanda immediately curled into my father’s arms, acting like a frightened rabbit. Her voice was sweet, but it lacked
sincerity.
“Sister, I forgive you. Let’s get along from now on, okay?”
Get along?
I didn’t need that.
William’s gaze flickered between the two of us, his expression softening just a touch.
