Chapter 3

"She's at Savino Mall with a man," I said, my voice hoarse and raw. "Mom, please, don't trust Faye. She's back for the Tucker family fortune. She wants to hurt you all."

Russel snapped, his eyes filled with disgust, "Shut up.

"I thought you'd finally learned your lesson and would behave, but you're still making up lies just to get back in. Eileen, you're nothing like a Tucker. You're disgusting to the core."

I grabbed his sleeve, desperation in my voice. "Russel, I'm not lying. It's true. Send someone to check. Faye really is back."

"Check what?" Dad's voice was icy, his eyes cold as he looked at me like I was his enemy. "You want me to check how many lies you've made up?

"If Faye really came back, why wouldn't she come to us first? You think she's after the family fortune? If she wanted it, I'd hand everything over to her without a second thought."

"I'm not lying. Why do you never believe me?" I said.

That crushing feeling washed over me again. Every single time there was trouble between me and Faye, my family always took her side.

They blamed me for everything: ruining her dress, shredding her competition forms, pushing her down the stairs, even spiking her milk with laxatives.

No matter how much I tried to explain, all I ever heard was, "Faye's so sweet, she'd never lie."

To them, Faye was always the victim, bullied by me, the stray they took in, while I was just the ungrateful wretch who never changed, no matter how many chances they gave me.

I let out a bitter laugh. "You'd rather believe Faye is dead than even consider she might betray you. Mom, do you even see me as your daughter?"

Mom looked heartbroken. "Faye's gone, and you still smear her name. How am I supposed to accept a daughter like you?"

Heat rushed through my body, but inside, my heart felt like it had been dropped into ice water.

Just then, Russel slammed the walkie-talkie down right in front of me.

He said, "You really never learn, do you? I had someone check, and there wasn't a soul near Savino Mall. Apologize to Faye, now!"

He grabbed my wrist and dragged me over to Faye's memorial tablet. "Apologize!"

I was powerless to resist, but I glared at him stubbornly.

"I'm telling the truth. I really saw her!" I insisted.

"Still mouthing off?" Russel shoved my head down, trying to make me bow. "Bow to Faye, and I'll let you stay here. If not, you won't get another chance to mess with her."

He was so rough, my forehead nearly hit the table.

I dug my hands into the palms, resisting. "No way! I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I bow? Faye is the real stray who bites the hand that feeds her."

Russel finally let go, his expression frosty, like he'd just stepped out of a blizzard.

He yelled, "You won't admit you're wrong, huh? If you've got so much backbone, then stop clinging to the Tucker family and get out."

I gritted my teeth and stood up. "Russel, you'll regret this."

He shoved me out the door, shouting, "The only thing I regret is ever bringing you back."

The heavy metal door slammed shut with a bang, separating us into two worlds.

I walked out, letting the storm engulf me.

Russel flipped through the pages towards the end.

A month later, the snow finally melted, and fresh green buds sprouted on the branches. The experts announced the end of the apocalypse.

Russel, wanting to boost the Tucker Group's reputation, took the initiative to open up the warehouses and hand out emergency supplies.

He was buried in work every single day, until one afternoon, the new butler came over and handed him an envelope.

"Sir, someone slipped this under the door without a name. It looks like a wedding invitation," the butler said.

"A wedding? The apocalypse just ended and they're already tying the knot? Talk about rushing things. Who's it from?" Russel asked.

The butler carefully opened the card and read aloud, "Samuel Long, and... Faye Tucker."

Russel's coffee cup slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor. "What did you say?"

I floated overhead, watching Mom and Dad holding the wedding invitation and the letter, their faces filled with tears and laughter.

The day I got thrown out, I couldn't find shelter from the cold. I froze to death in a deserted alley, completely alone.

Somehow, my ghost found its way back to the Tucker family home. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't leave. I was just stuck here, lingering around them.

Russel finally managed a rare smile, but then something seemed to cross his mind. He dialed his assistant, only to hang up before the call even connected.

Mom pulled herself together and glanced at Russel. "Were you thinking of having them look for Eileen? Looks like we really wrongly accused her."