Chapter 3

Mom stared at the so-called evidence, and any hope she had left was gone. She pointed at me, absolutely fuming.

"Melissa! Did you really have an abortion? If you did something so disgraceful, I'll disown you," she yelled.

"I didn't," I yelled back, shaking all over.

Aunt Ramona and Aunt Sheila looked like they wanted to say something, but with the evidence in front of them, they stayed silent.

Everyone's eyes were on me, each stare sharp as a needle, making me feel completely exposed.

All I saw in their faces was contempt, ridicule, and even some people looking like they were enjoying my misery.

My family and my boyfriend didn't believe me.

Just then, Tracey spoke up again.

This time, she tried to convince me to admit I was wrong and turn over a new leaf.

Tracey said, "Melissa, admitting your mistake is the first step. Even if you aren't pure, it's fine, as long as your heart is. Don't worry, we won't tell anyone about this, I promise."

That made me laugh out loud, then I snapped back, cold as ice, "Tracey, you know damn well whether that abortion paperwork is really mine or not.

"And dirty? The real dirty one here is you."

I stared Tracey down, wanting to see just how vicious she could get.

Tracey was startled by the intensity in my eyes. She instinctively took a step back, her voice shaking.

"You... you're making things up about me! Why would you call me dirty? You're the one who got the abortion, not me," Tracey stammered.

Mark looked like he was about to explode. He stormed up to me, jabbing his finger right in my face, his words dripping with venom.

"Tracey was only exposing your true colors. How do you have the nerve to try and pin it on her? I can't stand having a girlfriend as shameless as you. We're done. You disgust me," Mark spat.

Staring at Mark's furious, twisted face, I couldn't help but think how utterly ridiculous this all was.

And in that moment, everything became crystal clear.

"We're not even officially engaged yet. You're such a fool. Tracey only said a few words and you totally believed her. Three years together and you still don't trust me," I snapped.

Mark totally snapped. In a blind rage, he grabbed a plate and chucked it at me, hard.

He screamed, voice cracking with fury, "Shut up. You don't get to tell me what to do, you bitch. Go crawl back to whatever filthy hole you came from."

I barely had time to react before the plate smashed into my forehead, and blood started trickling down my face.

Everyone was stunned, just standing there, mouths hanging open.

I wiped my forehead, and my hand came away covered in blood.

I looked at Mark, then glanced around at my relatives, all of them silent and terrified, and finally at my parents, frozen in shock.

Suddenly, it all seemed absurd to me.

"Mark, you really are something else," I said, my voice cold and sarcastic.

For a moment, Mark looked flustered.

But then his face twisted with even more anger and humiliation.

He sneered, "If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being so shameless."

But Tracey, putting on her best innocent act, reached out and grabbed Mark's arm, her voice all gentle and fake.

"Don't be mad. It's all on me. I shouldn't have said anything," she said, biting her lip and acting like the bigger person. "It's the first family meeting and I've caused such a scene. I'll leave. Don't let me be the reason you all fight."

With that, she made a show of reaching for her bag, pretending she was about to walk out.

Ruben quickly reached out and held her back, speaking to her in a soft, soothing tone.

The rest of the family snapped out of their shock and started urging her not to leave.

Then, all eyes turned to me, clearly expecting me to apologize to Tracey.

Mark jabbed his finger at me, straight up ordering me to apologize.

"Melissa, look at what you've put Tracey through. She's still defending you. Apologize to Tracey until she decides to forgive you," Mark shouted.

My parents, thinking they'd finally found the "right way" to handle things, rushed to take Mark's side.

"Melissa, do what Mark says. It's your fault anyway. Just apologize. What's the big deal? Do you really have to embarrass everyone and wreck the engagement before you're satisfied?" they shouted.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

They were my parents and the man I thought I'd spend forever with.

It felt like my heart had been dunked in ice water.

"Tracey is the one making up stuff about me, and you seriously expect me to apologize to her?" I demanded, staring at them in utter disbelief.

"You're still trying to talk your way out of this?" Dad's face was beet red with rage. "The proof is right in front of us. The doctors and nurses can vouch for it.

"If Tracey hadn't called you out, our whole family would've been fooled. How are we supposed to hold our head up after this? You should be grateful she tried to save you, but you're still making excuses! Apologize now."

The rest of the relatives chimed in, all insisting I should apologize to Tracey.

They said it like it was the most natural thing in the world, acting like they were the moral police.

But to me, it was like watching an absurd circus play out right before my eyes.