The Bride They Rejected

eads turning in surprise. The Maxwell family

ing, feeling the weight of my sadness as I t

eeze washed over me, clearing my mind of all th

y fast, the city lights streaking

hours. I headed straight home, unsure of what awaited me, but deep down, I

no words of welcome or comfort. "Show me the video," he deman

ther stepped forward after glancing at the video, a sneer cu

saw it-he cheated on me w

rupted, her voice sharp. "Then g

wide-eyed

me aside for a man who had betrayed me with my stepsister and saw me as a tool to use a

xwell-cheating or not-then leave. You were never mine anyway, and nei

now?" I started, but

you because I thought you could help me get rich through mar

punch, but it was my father's laughter

an hour ago. Now, his eyes were cold and distant. I wasn

worth had been stripped away in moments. They didn't just accept Maxw

hing. "Dad...?" I whispered, but he turned h

that, you fool," my

swung open with a loud crash,

anger, her heels clicking against the tiled floor like

ed tightly over her chest. "Did you really think you

aze. She looked like a ghost of herself. Anne moved nearer to me, e

he family. The name. And for what? Your pride?" Her lips curle

only showed the truth. What he

take! You don't belong here anymore." I stood frozen, staring at her, the girl I

was the little girl who came with her. I had truste

s with a traveling luggage bag and threw it down to me; my cloth

lizabeth's voice was icy. "Grab

r, standing quietly by the stairs, his ex

ideo. Maxwell cheated on me!

u're not my daughter," he snapped, each word sharper than

t felt like the ground had vanished beneath me. "

expression changed instantly; his eyes narrowed, and a wave of regret washed over me,

replied, and his word struck me; my breath almost stopped. For

rs, hiding behind Elizabeth's leg on the day they first c

t answered; she had only stared

At the time, I thought he was talking about his new wife's little girl. I didn't know

ty to bring her home, and now that you've kno

day I thought Dad was mourning with me, the day our family

aming down my cheeks as I whisper

ut now that you've messed everything up... you mean nothing to me. I don't want to see y

Suddenly, the way they mirror

t me while sleepi

waiting for the right moment to

hing Anne had learned to do. Maybe she had simp

give me a mistake like you? She can burn in hell.

had raised me. But the moment he spoke about my mother that way, my tears

as nothing, especially after using her death to bring

mother that way!" I sh

red with anger. "Then leave this house!"

a bag of my belongings onto the paveme

, didn't you? You thought you had it all figured out? Don't ever come back,