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“It doesn’t matter what you

randmother interrupted coldly “It matters what you did And that can never be undone”

“It wasn’t all er filled es were doctored They made it look like—”

“Was that you screa on the final words as her nostrils flared

“Yes” Imy shoulders I had said that, and I didn’t particularly feel like taking it back at theI was just…off steam No one was there No one heard me!”

“Until tonight” Her lips pressed into a line, and she tugged her ar down her honey-brown hair “You’re worse than your mother For all her faults, at least she never set out to intentionally destroy our name”

“That’s not what I was trying to do! And I a you’ve done, I just—”

“No” She shook her head sharply, her expression growing cold as ice “You obviously aren’t I should’ve seen that sooner We should never have brought you here”

My throat tightened “What?”

Philip’s brows drew together, but before he could say anything, Jacqueline stepped forward again, co, I’ll speak to the social worker in charge of your case And I’ll buy you a plane ticket back to Idaho But that is the last cent you’ll ever receive from us”

I blinked, staring at her “You’re… you’re kicking me out?”

Her expression twitched, pain flashing over her features for a second, then it hardened Instead of answering, she said, “I’ll have sos Your car will be sold There will be a plane ticket waiting for you to”

Without another word, she turned and walked up the stairs Philip and I gazed at each other for a long, silentunder his breath and shuffled slowly down the hall toward his office, his shoulders slumped

I stood byahead blankly but not really seeing anything Finally, I forcedupstairs to the second-floor bedroom that had become mine

As soon as I closed the door, everything seeht sla into me like a two-by-four to the head My knees buckled, and I staggered toward the bed, barelyit before I collapsed I crawled under the covers and pressed a pillow oversobs shook my body