Chapter 3

I wasn't sure why I was hearing her voice.

Just as I started doubting whether I was imagining things, I realized everyone's attention had shifted from me and was now fixed on Tessa.

The fury burning in their eyes still hadn't cooled.

But this time, it wasn't aimed at me.

Tessa didn't sense anything wrong at all—she was still deep in her own head. 'I'm so badly hurt now. There's no way Mom and Dad aren't heartbroken.

'If only Dad would kill Nina. Why did she get to be pampered at home while I suffered? I won't be satisfied unless she's dead and gone.'

When Tessa noticed everyone staring at her, she thought, 'What the hell? Why is everyone staring at me? Are they all freakin' idiots?

'Guess that's it—if they weren't idiots, they wouldn't have confiscated my phone and left me to get snatched and dumped in the mountains. This is all on them, every last one. Hope they rot in hell.

'Mom's slap to Nina was way too gentle. Seriously, how hard is it to knock out Nina's teeth? At least Dad knows how to get things done. Looks like my scheme's paying off.

'Ugh, my face hurts. If I'd known it would feel like this, no way I would've gone this far.'

The whole house was dead silent.

Tessa's silent cursing rang out loud and clear.

Mom stared at Tessa, jaw dropped, struggling to believe those poison words had really come from her.

Dad's eyes were red with rage. Edwin and Remy looked at me guiltily.

I kept my face blank, the pain all over my body making me feel utterly hopeless.

Dad still looked like he was questioning his own sanity. He asked Tessa uncertainly, "Tessa, was it really Nina who sold you to the traffickers back then?"

Tessa nodded.

But after glancing my way, she shook her head as if terrified. "No, don't blame Nina. I must have done something wrong. Otherwise she wouldn't have done that. It's all my fault."

Her words basically condemned me guilty.

Dad's rage, which had just started to cool, erupted again. He was sure that I deserved every blow he'd given me.

But then, Tessa's thoughts sounded again. 'Please, like I'd ever be dumb enough to tell you I sold myself for a crappy phone. This is all Nina's fault. She couldn't even stop me. How useless. And now she's taking all the blame.

'Honestly, Nina's a total moron, but kind of pretty. Maybe one day I'll ship her off to where they sold me. Mike Livingston, that idiot, still needs a wife. Just picturing him having his way with Nina? Now that would be sweet revenge.'

Mom screamed in fury, "Don't you dare!"

Dad glared at Tessa, his face a storm of emotions, while Edwin and Remy rushed over to help me up.

Everyone crowded around me, shielding me. Whatever hatred and resentment they'd felt for me before was now replaced by guilt and self-blame.

I shook them off and walked straight to my room without a word, my heart cold and in despair.

"Nina," Dad called after me, his tone soft. "Whatever happened, we're still family. There isn't a single misunderstanding we can't get past. Let's get you both to the hospital first, and we'll sort everything else out later."

*****

On the drive to the hospital, nobody said a word—every one of us looked grim.

Mom sat between me and Tessa.

She glanced at me, then at Tessa.

She hesitated, but in the end, pulled Tessa into her embrace.

But Tessa was viciously roasting everyone in her mind.

She sneered inwardly, 'How fake. Why didn't they just beat Nina to death? What's the point of sending her to the hospital? It makes that beating pointless.

'Ugh, my stomach hurts like hell. Mom's cooking is still as awful as ever—tastes just like pig slop. Seriously, how do these dumbasses even choke that stuff down? What bad luck, stuck with a mom like her.

'Dad's gifts are hideous. And Edwin and Remy even made my room all pink. Seriously? I'm not some clueless toddler. I'm only just back for revenge.'

Tessa was just going off in her head, tearing into everyone without holding back.

Mom's expression darkened. She released Tessa from her embrace and turned toward me.

I looked away from her, my face tense with anger, refusing to meet her eyes.

No one had expected that all the ways they'd bent over backwards to make things right with Tessa looked completely fake and worthless to her.

The doctor gave me a quick once-over, and Mom hustled to get me checked in at the hospital right away.

In the hospital room, Mom pulled me into her arms, overwhelmed by guilt as she said, "I'm so sorry, Nina. I never imagined Tessa would twist things like that and set you up. She played every one of us. I'm so sorry, my love."

Once Mom finished, Edwin and Remy both stepped up and apologized too.

They admitted they'd jumped to conclusions way too fast and let Tessa fool them.