Chapter 2

Alfie said, "She's pushed you this far, and you're still defending her? Someone so manipulative doesn't deserve to stay in the Cannon family!"

My dad's face turned completely cold. He gestured to the butler, Zion Blevins, at the door, his voice icy. "Zion, throw her out. The Cannon family doesn't have a daughter like her!"

I spent the whole night curled up on the unforgiving dorm bed.

Just as I was about to start the morning study session, my homeroom teacher, Kamryn, called me over to her office.

When I pushed the door open, Holly was sitting in the chair opposite Kamryn.

Her shoulders trembled, clutching a tissue in her hand, her eyes puffy and swollen like she'd been crying all night.

As soon as she saw me, she looked up, her gaze full of just the right mix of hurt and fear, and she shrank back behind Kamryn as if seeking protection.

"Yasmin, you're here," Kamryn said, his voice as cold as ice. "Come here and tell me. What did you do to Holly this time?"

I stood at the door, unmoving.

Holly burst into tears right on cue. "Please don't push Yasmin, Mr. Browning.

"Yesterday, she cornered me in the hallway and called me an outsider who took someone else's spot. She said she'd make my life miserable at school. I... I was really scared."

Her voice was quiet, but every word stabbed right into me like a tiny, razor-sharp blade.

Kamryn's expression hardened even further. He grabbed her phone from the desk and started dialing.

"I've already called your parents. They're on their way," he said coldly.

Before long, the office door opened.

My parents walked in.

My dad's face was dark with anger, while my mom linked arms with Holly, her gaze soft with worry.

My dad's voice was tight with barely contained anger.

"Mr. Browning, what's going on? Did Yasmin bully Holly again?"

Kamryn pushed up his glasses, his tone serious as he said, "According to Holly's statement, Yasmin has repeatedly insulted her and spread false rumors about her on campus, even going so far as to threaten her with expulsion.

"Our school absolutely will not tolerate this kind of bullying."

My dad turned to me abruptly, his eyes so full of disappointment it felt like I could drown in it.

He said, "How could the Cannon family have a daughter like you? Are you really set on dragging our family's name through the mud?"

I opened my mouth, but all I could manage was a weak, broken gasp.

I raised my hand, just about to gesture that it wasn't true, when my dad slapped me hard across the face.

The slap echoed through the room, sharp and loud.

My head whipped to the side, ears buzzing, my cheek stinging and burning.

I stared at him, stunned, and finally, the tears I'd been holding back spilled down my face.

"You've got the nerve to cry?" my dad snapped, his voice full of undisguised disgust. "You do something wrong and still have the nerve to cry? Quit playing the victim. You're just trying to get sympathy!"

Holly started sobbing again, burying her face in Mom's embrace.

"Dad, Mom, please don't be mad at Yasmin. I'm not mad at her," Holly said quietly.

Mom gave me an icy, emotionless glance and said, "You were born worthless. All you ever do is bully Holly."

Somehow, the office door had been left ajar, and a few classmates were sneaking peeks inside.

Their whispers were loud enough for everyone to hear.

"So she really did bully Holly..."

"She always looked so quiet, but who knew she was this cruel?"

"I heard her parents don't even care about her. No wonder she's so messed up."

Those words felt like needles pricking my ears, making them hurt.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.

I raised my hand again, gesturing 'I didn't' in sign language.

But before I could finish, Kamryn cut me off.

She frowned, clearly annoyed. "Yasmin, can you stop with these attention-grabbing stunts? If you have something to say, just say it. Quit playing games!"

I froze, my hand stopped mid-air.

Turned out, even my silent defense was nothing but an attention-seeking stunt in their eyes.

Just then, the office door was gently pushed open.

A girl stood timidly in the doorway, her voice soft and hesitant as she said, "Mr. Browning, she's not pretending or acting weird... She's actually using sign language."

Everyone turned to look at the girl in the doorway.

She kept her head down, fingers twisting nervously at the hem of her shirt, but still managed to speak up, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I've learned a little sign language. She just said 'I didn't.' And... I think she's mute."

The air felt frozen.

The girl who understood sign language stood in the doorway, her face flushed bright red, but she still spoke out, word by word.