Riley’s POV

My lips curled slightly as I leaned toward Scarlett, voice dripping with mockery.

“Want to know what Ronan told me?”

Scarlett gritted her teeth, “What did Ronan say to you?”

“He said the prince of the Stormridge Pack isn’t someone I should mess with. But Ronan–he said I’m allowed to mess bwith /bhim.”

Her expression twisted in pain, instantly turning fierce and ugly.

Before I could react, Scarlett raised her hand and pped at my face, shouting. “You shameless bitch!”

I barely dodged, then swung my palm back hard against her cheek–no mercy.

Growing up. I’ve done all the hard, dirty work. My strength isn’t something a pampered heiress like Scarlett canpare to.

The p cracked her lip, blood immediately dripping down, staining the carefully chosen white dress she wore.

Scarlett froze, eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at me.

When reality hit, hatred surged inside her like a tidal wave, drowning out everything else. She probably wished she could kill me right there.

“You bitch, how dare you hit me? I’ll make you pay dearly for this!”

She screamed and fled from the storage room.

Mom was calmly sipping tea in the living room. Scarlett’s scream made her jump to her feet.

The next moment, Scarlett came brushing /bin, clutching her face, sobbing, “Momb, /bhelp me-

Her cries were full of helplessness, like the world was crashing down on her.

Mom hurried over, steadying Scarlett as she examined the injury with concern.

When Scarlett lowered her hands, the vivid red palm print was impossible to miss.

“Scarlett, what happened?”

Mom’s voice trembled with anger. She had no doubt who was responsible.

Scarlett sobbed, her tears streaking down her face. “Mom, it’s Riley. I just went to call her for hunch, and without a word, she hit me. What did I do wrong? Why does she hate me so much? Sniffle…”

Mom’s bwhole /bbody shook with rage. “Riley,e out here right now!”

I wasn’t surprised by Mom’s shout–I’d expected bthis /bbthe /bmoment I pped Scarlet. But I didn’t regret it.

Calm and steady, I stepped out to face Mom’s fury.

“Riley, how could you hit Scarlett? She’s your sister!”

Mom’s words were babout /bhow I could hit Scarlett–not why I did it.

bThat /btold me everything. She didn’t bcare /bwhy I hit her. She only cared that Scarlett bgot /bhurt.

She was quick to me me, no bquestions /basked.

I looked Mom in the eye, a bitter smile tugging at my lipsi. /i

“Don’t you want to know why I hit her, Mrs. Valeb?/b”

Mom faltered, momentarily lost for words. But when she looked down at Scarlett, still crying in her arms, her heart.

hardened.

“No matter what the breason/b, you can’t hit someone. Look at your sister’s face–what have you done? Riley, stop being so willful Apologize to your sister”

“No matter what the reason.

I knew Mom was biased. Asking her to be fair was pointless.

She’d bprotect /bScarlett no bmatter /bwhat, even if it meant sacrificing me–her own daughter.

Still, I refused to give in. “What if I said she hit me first, and I was just defending myself?”

“That’s impossible. Scarlett’s always been so well–behaved. She wouldn’t hit byou /bfor no reason. You’ve only been home a few days and already caused chaos. I think you’re doing it on purpose…

Her words poured out like gunfire, eager to pin the me on me.

gaze grew, the weaker her words sounded.

But the colder my gaze

“Well? Why’d your stop talking?” I clenched my fists tight. “Don’t you have bthe /bguts to say it? Or are you too scared?” “Since Mrs. Vale bwon’t /bbsay /bit, I will.”

“You call your perfect daughter the one who, five years ago, lured her best friend into the ck Forest–got her attacked by Rogues, and left her in aa ever since.”

“You call her perfect, yet on the day I came home, she framed me for ruining her birthday dress, humiliating me in front of everyone at Mooncrest City

“You call her perfect, but she did it again, framing me for pushing her down the stairs, so my father punished me with a belt. I had to cut off my finger to repay that debt, and even in the hospital, she didn’t stop–she told Maddox beverything/b.”

“What? She’s just waiting for Maddox to sue me?”

My words hit Mom like knives. Her chest tightened painfully; tears started falling uncontrobly.

“Riley…”

“Mrs. Vale!” I raised my voice sharply. “Do you really not know what Scarlett has done? Or are you just pretending?”

“Do you not know the hell I’ve been through? Or are you d to bsee /bme suffer?”

“No, it’s bnot /blike that… Mom sobbed, crocodile tears failing to soften me, only fueling my disgustb. /b

“You’ve done all these things, yet you still try to deny it? Treating me like an idiot,ughing behind my back while I wait for your mother’s love like a bfool/b–does that make you proud? Do byou /bugh in the middle of the bnight/b?”

“No, I don’t. Riley, please listen to me. I blove /byou just as much as I love Scarlett,”

I burst outughing–a bitter, painfulugh that shook my whole bbody /band made the wound in my shoulder throb sharply. Pain bbrought /bme rity,

“bYou /bsay you love me, but you’re the one who drove me insane.

“I, Riley Vale, bwas /bthe top student at Moonerest Academy bfive /byears ago, the provincial champion, an Ashmoor University. schr.

And now? What am I? A madwoman, a cripple, a prisoner who will never hold her head up again.”

“My fate was sealed by you. You chose to shelter Scarlett bunder /byour wing, and you chose to push me into hell. What right do you have to say your blove /bfor bus /bis equal?”

Moin shook her bhead /bdesperately, “No, bthat’s /bnot true.”

+ Pearls

Scarlett put on her innocent little act, tears welling up as s

she looked at me.

“Sis, I know you hate me. You bully me alone, but why does Mom have bto /bbjoin /bin?”

Mom held Scarlett, crying with her, “Scarlett, stop it. It’s all Mom’s fault.”

They clung to each other, crying in unison.

I watched the two of them, cold and detached–nothing but a pitiful show.

Just bthen/b, bKael /band Dad came out of the study.

Dad didn’t hesitate. He snarled at bme/bb, /b“You ungrateful brat. Youe home and start causing trouble bagain/bb. /bWhen you were in the hospital, your mother and sister worried themselves sick, unable to eat or sleep. Do you have no heart?”

I looked Dad dead in the eye, no respect, only endless contempt.

My cracked lips curved into a smirk that said more than words could.

Dad’s face bdarkened /bwith rage; veins bulged on his bforehead/b.

He stormed down the stairs, raising his hand to strike meb. /b

Kael quickly stepped in, blocking him.

“Dad, calm bdown/b. Let’s talk.”

Dad red fiercely at me, “Kael, let go. I have to teach this disrespectful girl a lesson today!”

Kael held Dad tightly, not letting him get closer.

I bstared /bat Dad with utter disgust–the man was the epitome of “bite the hand bthat /bfeeds.”

He’d been scared witless when I fought him with a knife, yet just dayster, he dares to raise a hand again.

I could feel the pure hatred radiating from him. Unlike Mom and Kael’s controlled coldness, bthis /bwas raw, visceral loathing.

He was supposed to be my father, but he looked at me like a sworn enemy.

Dad shouted, “Apologize to your mother and Scarlett now!”

“Apologize? Why should I?” I shot back.

Dad’s eyes bulged, “You hurt Scarlett and made your mother cry. Don’t youthink you owe them an apology?”

“I hit Scarlett because she deserved it. As for Mom crying, that’s her problem–she’s done plenty of shameful things, not

mine”

Dad trembled with rage, lunging at me again.

Kael held him back desperately, “Riley, can you just say lessb?/b”

I crossed my arms band /bsneered, “Dad’s about to hit me. I can’t even talk back?

“Riley,” Kael frowned, disapproving. “He’s still your father.”

I bscoffed /bbcoldly/b, “My bfather /bdied a long time ago. I’m an orphan.”

Dad’s fury exploded like a volcano. His eyes wide, veins pulsing, cheeks puffed out like a toad.

bHe /bbshook /bhis finger at me, screaming. “You curse upon this house. Ever since you came back, there hasn’t been a single peaceful day. You’re bjust /bhere to collect debts!”