CHAPTER 46: BITTER FURY

David’s eyes blazed. "Selena, do you even hear yourself? Fake footage? Do you take me for a fool? Everything in that video is real—everything! Open your eyes!"

"I won’t!" she shot back, her voice rising. "I don’t believe a word of it because I know my Sierra. Erisia—that wretched girl—is the one capable of such things. My Sierra could never—never—do anything like this. So get that through your head!"

David stared at her, disbelief giving way to fury. "No, you listen to me. You are not only blind—you’re willfully stupid. And I’ll say this once, Selena. Never—never—call Erisia a bastard again. Because she is your biological daughter. You gave birth to her. Do you understand? You gave birth to her!"

Selena recoiled as if struck. "No! Everyone knows Sierra is our real daughter and Erisia was adopted—that’s how it’s always been!"

"Mom." Shane’s calm but commanding voice cut through her protest. He stepped forward, gaze fixed on her until she faltered.

"Father is telling the truth. And everything in that video is real. But there’s something I want to know—" His eyes shifted to Sierra, sharp as a blade. "Why, Sierra? Why did you do all those things to Erisia? And are you connected to Adrian Hoffman? Did you have anything to do with him sending people to kill her?"

The words struck the room like a thunderclap.

Sierra’s face drained of color. Her lips parted soundlessly.

Leander scowled, stepping forward in defense. "Brother, what are you saying? Sierra has no relationship with Adrian Hoffman and no connection to Erisia’s accident. Don’t make baseless accusations!"

Shane didn’t even look at him. His eyes remained on Sierra, unwavering and cold. "Then let her answer for herself."

The room froze—David standing rigid with fury, Selena gripping the phone as though it might shatter, Leander bristling, and Sierra trembling.

Sierra’s lips trembled, but she forced herself to speak. "I—I didn’t do anything! Why would I hurt Erisia? I barely even talk to her anymore. Everyone online just wants a scandal—they don’t know the truth!" Her voice wavered, then hardened as she turned pleading eyes toward Shane. "Brother, you know me. You’ve known me all my life. How can you even ask me something like this?"

Selena immediately stepped in, "Exactly! How dare you even suggest that Sierra is involved with that criminal Adrian Hoffman. Do you have any idea what you’re implying?"

Shane’s expression didn’t shift. "I’m asking because the evidence speaks for itself."

"It’s not evidence!" Selena snapped. "It’s gossip, rumors, doctored footage—anything to ruin a good girl’s name."

Sierra pressed a hand to her chest, willing her breath to steady, but her heart thundered like a trapped bird. She blinked rapidly, forcing tears to gather. "Dad, Brother... how could you... I love Erisia like a sister. I would never hurt her..." Her voice broke as tears spilled, though her wide eyes shone more with dread than grief.

Selena rushed to her side at once, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders and glaring at David and Shane. "Enough! Can’t you see how distressed she is? How could you corner her like this? You should be ashamed of even thinking such vile things about Sierra—let alone accusing her!"

Leander moved quickly to Sierra’s other side, shooting his father a cold look as he steadied his trembling sister. "This has gone too far."

David’s jaw tightened, but he pointed a shaking finger at Selena. "What I cannot understand is why you despise the daughter you gave birth to yet cherish the one we adopted as if she’s made of gold!"

At the repeated word adopted, Sierra stiffened in Selena’s arms, her body trembling. Leander felt it immediately and stepped forward. "Dad, stop bringing that up! We’ve already taken Sierra as family. She is family."

"Shut up!" David’s voice cracked like a whip. "You took her as family—but what about your biological sister? The sister who did nothing wrong except get lost at four years old and suffer alone in an orphanage? Answer me!"

"Dad... I—" Leander began, but David cut him off.

"Keep quiet! I cannot believe how far you’ve all fallen. Not only did you hide everything from me, but you show no care—none—for the life and death of your own blood! My God, do you hear yourselves?" His eyes shifted to Sierra, intense with a pain that almost looked like betrayal. "And you, Sierra. After everything I’ve learned tonight, I realize I don’t even know the girl we adopted anymore."

The words sliced through the air. Sierra shivered violently in Selena’s arms, her tears suddenly freezing on her cheeks.

David turned his glare on his wife, "You promised me, Selena. You swore Erisia would be treated equally when we brought her home. But from the start, you broke that promise. And I—" He exhaled harshly. "I turned a blind eye. I thought once you knew her, you’d soften. I was wrong."

He paused, his voice dropping, bitter and cold. "Come to think of it, when I asked Erisia to quit her job at that little store, she refused. Tell me—were you even giving her money to live on?"

Silence answered him. Selena’s lips tightened; Leander looked away. The truth hung heavy in the room.

David gave a short, humorless chuckle. "I see. I suppose I share the blame for this mess."

He turned to his eldest. "Shane, get in touch with Erisia tomorrow. I’ll handle the arraignment details and we’ll go together."

"Yes," Shane said firmly.

David gave one last sweeping glance at the room—his wife shielding Sierra, Leander scowling, Sierra trembling behind tears—before striding out without another word.

Shane lingered only long enough to look at his mother. "You should rest. It’s been a long day. Good night."

There was no Mom attached to the farewell. No nod to Leander. No gentle wish for Sierra.

Just a flat, cutting good night.

Selena froze, stunned. Shane always said Mom when leaving. He always included the others.

But not tonight.

Selena’s nails dug into Sierra’s sleeve as hatred burned hot in her chest. That girl.

Erisia had ruined everything.