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“Stop it!” Aunt Hails yelled. “Someone do something!”

My other uncles stepped forward like they were about to join in on the fight too. I honestly had no idea whose side they were going to take.

“Wrassling time!” Mr. Nigel yelled and rolled up his sleeves.

“Don’t,” Mr. Tanner said and put his hand out. “You’ll hurt the poor lads.”

“But Tyler is kind of my son in a way,” Mr. Nigel said.

Mr. Tanner just shook his head.

I was more worried about my dad and Uncle Tyler killing each other than whatever Mr. Nigel was about to do.

My dad lifted his fist in the air to take a swing. “A Stevens will never date a Hunter!”

Was he seriously doubling down on this right now?

“I’m dating a Hunter,” Parker said.

RJ made a face and stepped away from her.

My dad’s fist collided with Uncle Tyler’s nose.

I gasped as blood flew all over the carpet. “Dad!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Stop it!”

My dad’s fist froze in the air as he turned to me. He slowly lowered it when he saw the tears on my cheeks.

“Pumpkin.”

I stared at him. But all I could see was the image of him in the video. Threatening Axel. Ruining my life. He wasn’t protecting me. My mom was right. This wasn’t about me at all. This was about his own shit. And he wasn’t saying he was sorry. He was doubling down. He was freaking beating up Uncle Tyler. He’d lost his mind.

He’d lost me.

And I’d freaking lost myself.

“I hate you,” I said.

“Pumpkin, I didn’t mean...”

I shook my head and started to run out of the room.

“Scarlett!” Axel called after me.

But I kept running. I was broken. Everyone knew it. Everyone saw it. I was the only one that hadn’t known. And now that I did, I couldn’t breathe.

My whole life was a lie.

I slammed my bedroom door closed and locked it. And then I fell to my knees and buried my face in my hands as I cried. Axel had proposed to me. I’d just gotten everything I’d ever wanted. But I didn’t even know who I was.

Chapter 26 – The Evil King

Saturday

“Sweetie?” my mom said from the other side of the door. “Please open the door.”

I ignored her.

I think a few more people tried, but I couldn’t hear them over my tears.