Chapter 2

"Aunt Elizabeth's right. If you weren't hiding something, why would you block all of us for no reason?" Alec said.

I said, expressionless, "Whether I blocked you or not, that's no excuse for her to make up rumors.

"Misty, just clear things up for everyone, and I'll pretend this never happened. Otherwise, I'll have to get a lawyer to defend my reputation."

Misty looked genuinely scared, ducking behind my dad as she started to cry. "Uncle Tyrone, I swear I'm not making things up. I just said what I saw. I didn't know Trina had babies before marriage and kept it from you all."

I was just about to drag her out when my dad and Aunt Elizabeth instantly jumped in to protect her.

My dad yelled, "Trina, hand over your phone right now. Let me see all the disgraceful things you've been up to!"

I fired back, "Absolutely not! You're invading my privacy."

Why should I have to expose all my private stuff to them just because of some baseless rumors? My parents never respected me, not even when I was little.

They'd snoop through my diary whenever they felt like it, decide who I could be friends with and cut people out of my life on a whim, and Alec got his own room while I didn't even have one.

They always claimed I didn't need a room since I lived in the school dorm, but I knew the truth—they just couldn't stand that I wasn't a boy.

My mom was shaking with rage. "You've disgraced our family, and you still refuse to admit it? How dare you threaten Misty? Are you out of your mind?"

She lunged at me, trying to snatch my phone, and I instinctively stepped back.

"Mom! I swear I didn't do it!" I cried out.

Alec sneered, "Then why not just show us your phone?

"You're disgusting. I don't even consider you my sister!"

I glared at him icily.

If it wasn't for him, none of this would have happened.

Since I refused to hand over my phone, my relatives instantly decided I must have done something dirty.

One of my relatives shouted, "Trina, you can still redeem yourself. Stop acting so shamelessly."

"Just spill it. Who's the random guy you had kids with? Make him show up with some gift and propose, so you can salvage your reputation and your parents' pride," Uncle Milton chimed in.

Another relative scoffed, "Oh please, she's just a side chick for some rich guy, milking him for cash. That's her whole career. Who'd ever want to marry a mistress? Only some fool desperate enough to pick up the mess."

I shot a cold look at my parents and Alec, then glanced at my relatives, all smirking and throwing shade. I turned and grabbed my suitcase.

"I'm heading back to my rented place. You guys can have your Christmas without me," I said.

Perfect chance to go get my kids from my friend's house and just relax in my own space—way better than sticking around for all this crap.

Misty pulled up my social media post and held it up for everyone to see.

"See? I told you I wasn't lying," she said.

The photo showed me holding a baby wrapped in a blanket, but the baby's face was covered by a sticker.

As soon as I saw that photo, I instinctively lunged forward, trying to snatch it away.

Smack! My dad slapped me hard across the face, yelling, "You shameless bitch!

"Out of everything you could've done, you chose to be someone's mistress. Don't you have any shame?" he roared.

His slap was so hard it left my cheek swollen, my lip was split and bleeding, the pain burning and numb all at once.

I glared at him, tears stubbornly slipping down my cheeks, and I furiously wiped them away with the back of my hand.

"Every cent I make is legit!" I snapped.

"So whatever I do is none of your damn business. If you've got any guts, stop showing up with your hand out, begging me for money for that useless son of yours."

They let Alec drop out in high school, and now, well into his twenties, he spent all his time gaming at home.

My parents' pensions couldn't even cover his expenses. Back then, he'd always come to me for money, and if I said no, my parents would turn on the waterworks and beg me for him.

But every time, I just couldn't harden my heart enough to refuse.

This time, they chose to trust strangers over me. That slap? It shattered whatever fragile family ties we still had, leaving nothing but broken pieces behind.

My dad's eyes bulged in disbelief, his whole body trembling with rage. "You... you dare to lecture me?"

My mom and the relatives were left speechless, totally stunned.

They just couldn't wrap their heads around it—me, the always well-behaved daughter, actually challenging my dad's authority.

Smash!

My dad, humiliated and furious, grabbed the champagne and smashed it against my head.

Blood poured down my forehead, mixing with my tears and stinging my eyes, blurring everything. And right then, Misty's phony concern echoed in my ears.

"Oh my god, Trina, are you okay? If you end up with a scar, what's going to happen to your job?" Misty said.

"Oh, and with all those kids, you must be set for life, right?"

She was clearly enjoying my misery.

Once the relatives snapped out of it, they started putting on a show, acting like they were trying to smooth things over.

"Trina, just apologize to your dad already. If you straighten up, he'll let it go," one of them said.

"Tyrone, Trina's just got dollar signs in her eyes. Give her a proper lesson and she'll listen," another added.

My mom let out a heavy sigh. "If you knew it would come to this, why did you have to go down that road?

"Let this be a lesson to you."

Alec, getting impatient, said, "Hurry up and apologize to Misty and Dad. Otherwise, you can forget about ever coming home again."

I let out a sneer. "What gives you the right to say that? You mooch off me for everything. Even this house? I paid for it.

"You're nothing but a disgusting leech."