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. A jagged sob ripped from her throat. She timed it perfe
gged dark streaks of mascara down her cheeks, ruining
lders, pulling her close. "My poor baby. My real daughter." She pressed the word real into the a
tled purple with rage. His hand trembled-not with sorrow, but with the
er sat centered between her parents, beaming with the confidence of a princess who knew she would never fall. Chloe stood awkwardly at the very edge
ave been nothing but a burden since the day we took you in. We gave you our name. Our
amily shook with orchestrated emotion, she stood still as stone. Her facial muscles remained completely relaxed. Her eyes
necklace lay there-cheap rhinestones on a tarnished silver chain.
ice she used when she wanted Preston to buy her something expensive. "I found it in my jewelry box this morning.
tion of a second, the mask slipped. Pure, gloating triumph flickered in her ga
m the real daughter. She hates that I have Mom and Dad's love. She's always wanted to dest
oman who had spent nineteen years pretending to be a mother. "You heard her. You have always resented Amber because she is everything you will never be. She is a true Tucke
serving tray like a shield. A smirk curled her lips upward-she had learned long ago t
en door. He chuckled softly, a vulture watching
t Amber's theatrical tears. Past Brenda's trembling finger. She met Gary's bloodshot g
ach word dropped into the room like a stone into still water, rippling outward in absolute
d. Just slightly. A
never earned, "-do you actually believe this cheap setup? Or are you just afraid to ad
ed was suffocating. Eve
. Something that looked almost like fear. Because Chloe had just spoken the thought he
r. "I said get out!" His voice cracked. "Pack your trash and leave
ir began to unravel. "Your real parents-whoever tho
ain of her blonde hair, she was smiling. A triumphant, malicious smile that she no longer bot
e. She saw everyth
n, she
terly cold sound that cut through the room like a scalpel. The living room fell
scientist observing a failed experiment. "You've spent nineteen years trying to convince yourselves that blood makes her superior. But deep
e first time, something flickered in Amber's
lm. Almost gentle. Which made it infinitely more devastating. "You have no talent. No intelligence. No strength.
he veins in his neck bulged against his collar
ngers digging into her silk blouse as if she had been phys
family. She paused at the threshold of the living
ulder, her voice flat and final. "She's just the
give them a
not slam
aving them standing in the
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