Chapter 2
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Of course, Lily came to my house.
Ever since I started standing up to Mom, she’s
been giving me the cold shoulder.
She thought she could cut me off, but jokes on her, I sweet–talked Dad into giving me his private black card.
Then I wired myself fifty million.
I told him I was traumatized from the accident
and needed the cash. He bought it hook, line, and sinker.
Lily walked in, all in white, like she was
auditioning for a tampon commercial, hair down
to her waist.
Ugh, what a delicate snowflake.
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2:39
Meanwhile, I was sitting at the kitchen counter,
enjoying a slice of tiramisu.
This wasn’t just any tiramisu, it was the low-
sugar, imported–from–France kind. So
decadent.
“Hi, I’m, uh, I’m Lily, but Mom said I should go by Jade now, and that I’m living here from now on,” she mumbled, head down, voice barely audible.
Chase, my brother, was back from the hospital and glaring at me for ignoring her.
And the truck driver who hit him? Just like before, Chase had “forgiven” him. He walked
with a suspended sentence, no jail time.
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2:39
“Scarlett, did you hear your new sister? Is it
really so hard to be nice?” Mom snapped.
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Lily quickly chimed in, “Oh, it’s okay, she
probably just didn’t hear me. I’m not trying to take her place or anything!”
She stole a glance at me and Mom, eyes welling
up with tears, but trying to stay strong.
I wiped my mouth and looked at her.
I was sitting, she was standing, but I still towered over her.
I looked like the bully. I smirked and looked over at my mother.
“So, this is my replacement? Not very original, Mom. You gonna make her cry on stage for
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sympathy points?”
Lily’s eyes flashed with anger, but she couldn’t hide the tears. My comment had hit a nerve.
Mom glared at Lily, then at me, then back at Lily.
She was furious, “How many times have I told you? That’s not how you carry yourself! You’ll never make it to the top, you hear me? Don’t embarrass me like this, or I’ll send you back where I found you!”
“And another thing, you were a nobody, I’m
giving you a new name. You’re Jade now, and
don’t you forget it. If I hear you call yourself Lily again, you’re out!”
Lily’s tears stopped mid–fall. She was
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completely lost.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.
