Chapter 1
After five years of no contact, my biological brother finally tracked me down, and his first words were a barrage of accusations.
"Amelie has been dutifully taking care of our parents for over a decade, and you, in a fit of spite, married some ex-convict street thug. You think you're punishing us? So what we're family? You'll never be as good as Amelie!"
I didn't let him finish his rant. I turned, jumped into the nearest ride-share car, and left.
They may come from a wealthy family, but so what?
The Norris family never raised me for a single day. They didn't have the right to dictate my life.
*****
A week before my brother, Harry Norris, showed up, I actually spotted him downstairs from my office building.
I figured he was probably just in this small city for work.
Just in case, I took five days off, and with the weekend, that gave me a nine-day break.
I thought if Harry was here on business, nine days should be enough for him to wrap things up.
I didn't want to get my hopes up thinking he was here for me. After all, we'd been out of touch for five years, and those years I spent with the Norris family as their real daughter were anything but pleasant.
Those nights, I'd lie awake, just wishing the Norris family would stop bothering me.
I was so anxious that I started having nightmares. In one, Harry was kneeling in front of me, crying and begging for forgiveness, grabbing my hand and forcing me to read his ridiculously long, 80,000-word apology letter, swearing that the fake heiress, Amelie Norris, would never set me up again.
I kept flipping through that never-ending apology letter, and suddenly jolted awake, drenched in sweat.
But Harry really did come looking for me.
On my first day back at work, he showed up at my office with plenty of fanfare, specifically requesting me by name to talk business.
My boss, grinning from ear to ear, practically shoved me forward to deal with him.
It wasn't even supposed to be my responsibility, but I ended up leading the contract signing, and Harry personally insisted I handle all the follow-up communication.
I forced myself to block out all the drama and just saw Harry as the guy on the other side of the deal.
If it wasn't about work, I didn't even bother to respond.
Whenever he asked me out for dinner, I'd pretend not to get it and ask if he meant the whole team.
Harry got fed up pretty quickly and dropped his cold, distant persona.
That day after work, he cornered me downstairs.
He said, "Jaelyn, how can you be so heartless? You just disappeared without a word, gone for five whole years. Have you ever thought about what Mom and Dad went through all this time?"
I didn't want to get dragged into it with him, but he grabbed my wrist in a grip like iron, holding on tight.
His anger hit me like a tidal wave, the pain and heaviness in his eyes almost suffocating.
He said, "After you left, Amelie cried her eyes out every day. She kept saying she never should've exposed you for going after her fiancé, that she should've just swallowed it and kept quiet. But why? You're the one who did wrong, you're the shameless one.
"Even after Amelie married Darryl, she wouldn't have kids, afraid you'd come back and try to take him from her. But they're childhood sweethearts; they grew up together. Who do you think you are? Can't you see?
"Their marriage isn't some business arrangement. They actually love each other. Even if Amelie wasn't around, Darryl would never pick you. The Perry family would never want you! Jaelyn, snap out of it! Stop being so stubborn..."
I thought he'd at least offer a genuine apology, maybe finally say sorry to me,' I told myself.
I thought maybe he regretted everything, wanted me to come back to the Norris family and spend time with his elderly parents, sharing some family warmth.
Turns out, I was wrong about all of it.
He was just scared I'd return and try to take Darryl away from Amelie.
I was thrown out by Amelie, leaving the Norris family with everyone calling me a disgrace.
Amelie used Darryl Perry as her weapon against me. He was just a means to her end.
He and Amelie grew up together, and he loved her with all his heart.
The very first day the Norris family brought me back, he stood right next to Amelie, her eyes red from crying. When everyone else turned away, he gave me a chilling, threatening look, a silent warning.
No one noticed the color drain from my face.
I was terrified of Darryl.
I grew up pretty much like an orphan, working part-time jobs all through high school just to survive. That taught me to keep my head down and read the room fast.
I could tell the Perry family had a ton of influence.
Even my parents, Philip and Caitlin, acted all respectful whenever Darryl was around.
Darryl was like a villain straight out of a novel, brilliant, ruthless, and dangerously handsome, willing to do whatever it took to get his way.
He was utterly devoted to Amelie, acting like her loyal lapdog, always ready to do her bidding without hesitation.
If one made an enemy of Amelie, he made an enemy of Darryl.
As a bystander, anyone would probably applaud that kind of character. He was the stuff of legends. But standing on the opposite side of Amelie, it was pure hell for me.
If Darryl ever decided to target me just to win Amelie's favor, he'd ruin me. No question.
Amelie was all my parents ever cared about, both in their hearts and minds. There was no way they'd ever have my back.
The moment I set foot back in the Norris family, I regretted it instantly.
I was scared out of my mind. Would I even be able to walk out of there in one piece?