Chapter 3

My ex-fiancé Damian Maxwell stormed in, scowling, followed by my stuck-up brother Jasper.

He backhanded me to the floor, planting his boot on my stomach and grinding down:

"Talk! What did you do to Seraphina? Did you pay off this doctor to lie about her infertility?!"

I went white from pain, but before I could speak, Jasper kicked me in the ribs:

"You’re just jealous! Mom and Dad left everything to Seraphina and me, so you’re taking revenge!"

"Seraphina’s my only sister. A monster like you doesn’t belong in this family!"

The physical pain didn’t hold a candle to what I felt inside.

The room spun. The absurdity of it all almost made me laugh.

I was family too, but the long-lost sister got all the love, and the golden boy brother got everything else.

I was just... invisible.

I’d tried so hard to be the perfect daughter—obedient, responsible—but they only saw me as their doormat.

Now I wasn’t even getting a cent of the inheritance.

Seraphina dragged herself off the hospital bed and threw herself at my feet, wailing:

"Avery! Please! My baby was only three months along, and you killed him!"

"Mom and Dad can leave their money to whomever they want! How could you take this out on me?!"

Damian scooped her up, face twisted with pity. He turned to me, jaw tight:

"Avery, you’re a monster. You should be locked up forever."

I pushed myself up, every breath sending stabs of pain through my stomach:

"I was under guard all night, kneeling in that freezing room. When would I have done this?"

Even Dr. Evans looked terrified, stammering:

"It’s the truth—I wasn’t bribed, I swear..."

Dad cut him off, grabbing me and slamming me against the wall. "I’m the head of this family!" he roared.

"You’ve always been cold and heartless. You don’t deserve the Maxwell name!"

Something inside me snapped. I screamed:

"Cold-blooded? You’ve blamed me for Seraphina’s disappearance since day one! I was your punching bag—you hit me whenever you were mad, and Jasper got to push me around too!"

"Seraphina was the one who left me! This is all her own fault!"

Seraphina went white as a sheet, hyperventilating through her sobs:

"I didn’t... I would never! You’re my sister!"

"Avery, please calm down. I’ll tell everyone I was the homewrecker! I don’t want the inheritance—I don’t want anything!"

"We’ll always be family, even without money! It’s all my fault. I deserve this... I deserve to be unhappy forever..."

She sobbed until she fainted, and the whole family swarmed around her.

Damian shoved me away like I was garbage:

"You’ve become someone else. The sweet Avery I knew is gone."

Whatever was left of my heart turned to stone.

I laughed bitterly.

Yeah, I’d changed. The Avery who used to pour her heart out to him, who begged for his love—she died the day he chose Seraphina.

If Seraphina didn’t want the money, then no one would have it.

Dad’s phone started ringing like crazy.

He scowled and answered.

"Mr. Maxwell, we’re ruined! Stock prices crashed, partners are pulling out—we’re gonna go bankrupt!"