Chapter 8 · Take My Heiress Life

Chapter 8

Victoria's face turned cold."April, watch your mouth," she said.Tears streamed down April's face.April said, "I've been holding myself back for eighteen years."Ever since I was a kid, I told myself I had to be the best, get top grades, and outshine everyone else."I thought if I was good enough, my real parents would be proud of me the day they finally met me."But when I came back to the family, I found out you already had a daughter."Even if she's useless, even if she can't do anything, you'd still accept her."So what am I to you?"Victoria didn't answer.She was great at negotiating, but when it came to comforting a daughter who was falling apart, she just didn't know how.Suddenly, April grabbed the hot coffee from the table and threw it at me."Watch out!" Mr. Morgan shouted.Mr. Morgan rushed out from the kitchen and shielded me.The coffee splashed onto his arm.He hissed in pain.My mind was reeling."Dad!" I cried out.Mrs. Morgan rushed out and took Mr. Morgan's hand, checking it anxiously.His arm was flushed red.The burn wasn't serious, but I was trembling all over.April froze.The mug dropped from her hand and shattered on the floor.April stammered, "I... I didn't mean to throw it at him."I looked up at her."But it's okay if you throw it at me?" I shot back.Her lips trembled.April choked out, "You're the one who took everything from me...""Enough!" I shouted.It was the first time I'd ever yelled at her.The whole diner went quiet.I pointed at the door.I said, "April, if you hate me, I accept it."If you think I stole eighteen years from you, I accept that too."But they raised you for eighteen years."The person you splashed today is the dad who got up at four every morning to knead dough for you, tucked a heating pad into your bed every winter, and let his own hands crack from the cold because he wouldn't spend money on hand."If you want to lose it, go take it out on the Quinn family."Don't take it out on them."April's face went pale.Mrs. Morgan's eyes were red as she spoke."Ava, how did you end up like this?" she asked, her voice trembling.That hit harder than any curse could have.April staggered back, as if she'd just been slapped.Victoria finally broke her silence."April, apologize," she said.April snapped her head up, staring at her in disbelief."You want me to apologize to her?" she shot back, her voice trembling with anger."Apologize to Mr. Morgan," Victoria said.April gritted her teeth, big fat tears rolling down her face.April said, "I won't."I didn't do anything wrong."You're the ones who messed up."It's the hospital's fault for switching us at birth."It's Sophie's fault."It's everyone's fault!"She spun around and ran out.Victoria moved to follow her.I stopped her."Let her cool off," I said.Victoria looked at me, her expression conflicted."You don't hate her?" she asked.I stared at the shattered mug on the floor.I said, "Yeah, I hate her."But I'm even more afraid she'll really lose it."Because I knew exactly how that felt.In a world where you always have to be perfect, the best, and look respectable, you just keep getting pushed into a corner.One more step, and you'd just break.I chose to just act clueless.April chose to let herself snap.That night, Andrew showed up at the diner.He brought some burn ointment.Mr. Morgan refused to accept it."We can buy our own," he said.Andrew paused for a couple of seconds, then set the ointment down on the table."Sorry," he said.Mr. Morgan froze.I froze too.Andrew apologizing was about as rare as seeing Newton bow to me, almost unheard of.He looked at me."April's missing," he said.I nearly jumped out of my skin."What?" I blurted out."She hasn't gone back to the Quinns, and no one's seen her at school either," Andrew said."Her phone's off," Andrew added.Victoria and Charles already have people searching for her.I grabbed my coat.Mrs. Morgan grabbed my arm."Where are you going?" she asked."To find her," I said.Mr. Morgan frowned."After all she's put you through?" he said, his voice low.I pressed my lips together."She can't get hurt," I said."If something happens to her, you and Mom will be devastated," I said quietly.Mrs. Morgan's eyes filled with tears.Andrew looked at me, speaking in a low voice."Do you know where she might have gone?" he asked.I nodded."Yeah, I know," I said.April hated me.But she envied me too.The place she'd most likely go was the one I used to hate more than anywhere else.The top floor of the Quinn Estate.There was a glass greenhouse up there.When I was a kid and couldn't take the punishment anymore, I'd hide up there and cry.I always thought I was the only one who knew.But later, I realized that after April moved in with the Quinns, she would go there too.Two people stuck in lives that never fit, and we even ended up falling apart in the same spot.

Chapter 8