2
I dropped the purse Jessica had made me hold and stormed toward the door
“I don’t care if this wedding happens or not. I’m going home!”
But before I could leave, Jessica grabbed my arm in a vice–like grip.
“You’re not going anywhere!” She unzipped the purse. “First, I’m going to check if you stole anything from me!”
She opened the bag.
Inside there was nothing but a few empty red envelopes from the earlier cash gifts.
Jessica shrieked, “Leo! The diamond necklace, the ring, the gold you gave me… it’s all gone!*
Her expression twisted into one of vicious accusation as she pointed a finger at my face. “Well, well, Camille. I thought I could trust you, my future sister–in–law, to hold my bag for me. I
ever thought you’d have such sticky fingers!”
was completely stunned
She immediately started a live stream, shoving the camera right in my face.
“Everyone, look! This is my future sister–in–law, the famous Miss Vaughn of the Vaughn Corporation. But guess what? She’s the adopted daughter. I guess she inherited some bad genes from her real parents!”
“I asked her to hold my bag, and in just a few minutes, tens of thousands of dollars worth of my jewelry vanished! The bag never left her hands. I wonder who could have taken it? It’s such
a mystery!”
A flood of malicious comments poured in.
“This is why you should be careful about adopting. Who knows what kind of trash their parents were?”
“Look at her, dressed in all those designer brands. You’d never guess she was a common thief.”
“What a snake in the grass. Her adoptive parents gave her everything, and she repays them by stealing from her brother’s fiancée and trying to ruin his wedding.”
Jessica’s bridesmaids swarmed me, snatching my own purse. They dumped its contents onto the floor. When they found nothing, Jessica grabbed a handful of my hair and slapped me
hard across the face.
“Bitch, tell me where you hid it!”
My cheek burned, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
But what chilled me to the bone was my brother’s reaction. He just stood there, watching with cold indifference. He even added, his voice light, “Come on, Camille. Just give Jessica her things back. Don’t ruin our wedding, okay?”
wiped a smear of blood from my lip. “Since you’re so sure I stole something.” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “then let’s call the police and have them figure it out.”
Jessica snatched my phone and smashed it on the ground. The screen shattered.
She crossed her arms, glaring at me. “This is a small town. What will the neighbors think if they see the police show up at my parents‘ house?”
Since you’re so determined to deny it, we’ll just have to search you ourselves.”
A wicked glint appeared in Jessica’s eyes. “Girls, strip her down. Who knows, maybe she hid it in her underwear.”
Panic seized my heart. “Jessica, that’s illegal!” I shouted. “Leo, call the police!”
But Leo just rubbed his ear and went back to scrolling on his phone.
My eyes widened in horror as I stared at the boy I had loved and protected for over twenty years, blood or not. My heart turned to ice, piece by piece.
“Leo!” I screamed. “I’m your sister!”
When we were kids, I was always the one who stood in front of him, taking the blame for his mistakes.
Leo just scoffed. “Give me a break. Your deadbeat parents were so poor they had to sell you to our family. You think you’re worthy of being my sister?”
Jessica’s friends yanked up my t–shirt, exposing my skin to the leering eyes in the room. Whistles echoed around me. I struggled, but Jessica just slapped me again and again, until my ears were ringing.
She leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll sign over all your properties to Leo. Then I’ll let you go.”
“Otherwise,” she smirked, “your parents will believe you’re a thief. You’ll lose everything and get thrown out with nothing.”
So that was it. A thief crying wolf, all to steal my houses.
Rage burned so fiercely it felt like it would tear through my chest. My voice trembled as I spoke. “Jessica, if you ever manage to marry into the Vaughn family, my name isn’t Camille Vaug: hn!”
Jessica burst out laughing as if I’d told the funniest joke in the world.
“Have you forgotten your place? You’re the adopted one. Who do you think you are to make threats like that?!”
Her eyes darkened. She waved a hand. “Girls, teach her a lesson. Don’t worry, she’s not their real daughter!”
