Last time, when I told them I didn’t want to
marry Chad, my adopted mother locked me in
my room, and my father beat me half to death
with a chair leg and a belt.
Tiffany thought she was walking into
paradise, but there was no such thing.
The Garretts were a rich hell, and the Millers
Г
Whoever survived would be the one with the
most guts.
6
As the days passed, Chad’s bullying got
worse.
I opened my lunch box and found it filled with
thumbtacks.
I squeezed my toothpaste and a dead spider
came out.
46
My dresses were covered in cigarette burns.
Every time I jumped, I’d see Chad grinning.
He mouthed, “You deserve it.”
Г
Chad thought I was going to cry.
But I just dumped the thumbtacks, threw the spider in the trash, and folded the dresses.
Chad’s smile faded.
He glared at me. “How long can you keep this up?”
:
At least I had the Garrett’s resources on my
side.
47644
I didn’t have to go to school all day and work.
at night.
I had a maid and a driver, and all I had to do
^
Last time, I had to save up to buy books and
hide the money from my adopted father.
Now, my closet was full of designer clothes and jewelry. Mrs. Garrett gave them to me without me even asking.
I got a five–grand allowance and a ten–grand credit card every month. If I ran out, I just told the butler and he’d put more money in my
account.
Tiffany was living the life I used to have.
I saw her sleeping in class because she had
to help her adopted mother at night.
She didn’t do her homework and she failed
her tests.
<
Last time, I drank black coffee and stabbed myself with a compass to stay awake.
But Tiffany had always lived a life of luxury,
and she didn’t have the drive or the strength to do that.
She thought marrying a rich kid was better than going to college.
So, Tiffany put all her energy into making
Chad like her.
H
She wrote him love letters in math class.
She ditched dance practice to go for drives
with him.
Then, before the dance recital…
Г
She sat outside the studio, crying.
She must have been studying rom–coms, because she was looking up at the sky, tears welling up in her eyes.
Chad saw her and asked what was wrong.
Tiffany burst into tears.
“Chad, I can’t be in the show.”
“Everyone else is going on stage, but Violet
won’t let me participate…”
Chad hated me anyway, and this made him
snap.
“Why?”
<
Tiffany bit her lip. “She said my mom’s a
custodian and my dad’s a janitor.”
“I can’t afford the costumes, so I don’t
deserve to be on stage.”
Chad’s face darkened.
He looked at Tiffany and said, “I’ll buy you a costume.”
