I recognize the look in his eyes, one I’ve seen in the mirror many times—denial.
I masked mine with silence and hard work for years, hiding out inside of my mind. But he masks his with anger and disappointment, disguising his choices as logical when they’re really just avoidant.
The orchestra playing loudly is the only thing stopping the entire room from being able to hear his next words. “I told both of you to stay away from tonight.”
I feel Adrianna’s eyes burning into my head, but I refuse to acknowledge her just yet.
Dean scoffs. “Isthatwhat you’re focusing on right now? Really?”
“Your mother would have hated to see how meddling and … and …” He swallows after the break in his voice, and as much as he wants to fight it, tears are welling in his eyes. “You should leave.” Everett’s face is turning red, a vein popping in his forehead, his breathing ragged.
I step toward him. This might be the dumbest thing I can do, and it might only escalate the situation. But I have to try, as someone who understands the fear disguised in his voice and pain in his eyes.
He is just a man who lost his wife and is desperately trying to not feel anything at all. To distance himself from the world and reality until he becomes numb permanently.
“Just stop,” I snap, my voice crackling in the air between us.
“Don’t you dare—” He tries to interrupt me, but I stop him, saying the only thing I know that will shut him up.
“Patrick Chamberlain is my dad. Kristina is my mom.” Reaching down to my neck, I open the locket and show him the pictures inside. “This isn’t a fabricated story as much as you’d like to believe that to be true. You know, deep down, that I’m telling the truth.”
He bites his top lip to fight the emotion that’s desperate to break free.
I continue, “He wanted to protect me from the spotlight until I was ready to make the decision for myself. But after he passed, Adrianna chose for me.” Mustering up the strength, I turn to her for the first time, looking her dead in the eyes before turning back to Everett and continuing on.
“I know what it’s like to desperately want to believeanythingbut the truth. I spent many nights doing it myself. To focus your mind on your work, on your craft, blocking everyone else out so you don’t have to feel the pain of losing the person you loved the most. I knowexactlywhat it’s like.”
Adrianna grabs my arm, yanking me toward her, her grip painfully tight. “Little girl, I don’t know what your problem is, but I think we’ve had enough.”
Something’s changed within me. Something broke and has healed completely new. I don’t cower from her voice or her grip on my arm. Instead, for the first time in my life, I fight back.
She scowls. “Leave us alone! This is no time for cruel games?—”
Ripping my arm from her hand, I slap her, hard and true, silencing the rest of her rant. “Enough, Adrianna. Drop the act. It’s over.”
“Y-you hit me,” she gasps, stunned, caressing her stinging cheek.
A flood breaks within me, years of pent-up rage and emotion bubbling to the surface.
My eyes well up with tears, but I embrace it, allowing everything to pour out of me. I don’t hold back, letting every thought I’ve held back and every shred of agony out through my words.
“Yes, I did. Just like you have struck me a thousand times over!” Pointing my finger at her, I shout, my voice raw and sharp, “Cirella, clean this! Cirella, do that! You’re worthless! You’re nothing! Even your dad didn’t want to be with youanymore!Remember saying that to me, over and over again, until I believed every word to be true?!” My voice cracks, but I can’t stop myself, the room fading around us.
“My dad trusted you, and you used that to drain everything he had spent his life building. Every cent. Everything. You turned it to dust while giving me your scraps to survive. Just when I thought I’d be free of you, you blackmailed me once more.”
“Not here,” Everett interrupts me, grabbing Adrianna by the arm and storming across the floor.
I understand that he doesn’t want to do this in public, but if he thinks I’m done, he is sorely mistaken.
Dean, Asher, and I follow hastily behind them, security at our backs. We reach Everett’s office, not stopping until we’re all sealed inside.
“Look, I understand—” Everett tries to speak, but I cut him off.
“You don’t. But you will. Because the woman at your side is a fraud. Isn’t that right, Stepmother?” That's all I give him before turning back to Adrianna, repeating her own words back to her. “Cirella, do what I say, or I’ll destroy what’s left of your parents’ possessions. And you did, breaking my mom’s glass and crystal collectibles and burning photos every time you claimed I’d acted out.” I laugh humorlessly. “But your plan failed because I’m done. Take the house. Take whatever money remains. I don’t need it. I’mdone.”
Tears pool in her eyes, and I have no ounce of sympathy for the monster standing before me. She’s unredeemable, but I think the man standing beside her, carefully watching me with wet eyes, may be saved after all.
I turn to Everett, continuing my rampage, unabashedly and proud. Someone has to put this man in his place. “Andyou? You have spent the last few months driving a wedge so farbetween yourself and your incredible sons that your relationship may never be the same. You don’t want to accept that Elizabeth is truly gone. I get it. You want to move on, focus on new things, and pretend it’s all fine. But that’s not how it works, Mr. Kensington.”
