behind Jason, her face flushed, her shoulders shak
akly at his sleeve. Her voice barely carried. "Gracie prob
a short, cutting huff. "I don
y blocking her from view. His voice shifted, turning gentle again when he looked dow
our actual sister," she remarked, as if the words alone hurt. "I'm just t
ugh the air. "She grew up God knows where. This family took her in, and she should be grateful for it. And
amming against the door wi
ending you're not
ished when the doo
son had been ready to fire
y. Not a trace of fear appeared, no defensive urgency rose up, and none of the fragile, easil
t?" Gracie
ike his presence didn't even regist
voice sharpening as it rose. "You still dare to
eyes stayed fixed on him.
e a brake slamming. Jaso
something unreadable flashing acros
distance just slightly. Her attention shift
aim. So show me proof. Can yo
able pressure settle
version of Gracie d
panic setting in, scrambling to defend herself in every direction. She would never
taking your place all those years... twenty years. If you just don't push me out, I'll give you anything. The room, I can
broke free and slid down her cheeks as her body til
e as he stepped forward. "Gracie, take a look at her-thi
, recognizing the exact same t
le time. They had turned that act into a weapon, neatly assigning her the
t her feeling c
unwavering. "If you're accusing me of shoving you, the
g further. "Look at her. She can barely stand, and yo
er head slightly, unimpressed. "Fine. Let's
pulled her phone out
tered. "No-don't call
st amused curve touching her lips. "And why ex
enforcement gets involved and word spreads, it'll damage Mom and Dad. It'll damage the company too. Gracie, y
." He then turned his glare back to Gracie, disgust sharpening his expression. "And you, if you had e
between them. Then, slowly, she brought her hands togeth
essiv
vered. "Gracie... wha
ping her phone away. "Then pull up the security footage instead. Isn't there a c
thinking, "That camera
left his mouth
slight smile tugged at her lips-slow,
l insisted I pushed her. Tell me, Jason... do you actually thin
shot his hand toward her like he meant to grab her on the spot. "
interruption landed
still, thrown off by how f
blame?" A laugh slipped out of her, but there wasn'
moved. Her hand shot out an
A
e Gracie jerked her forward. Pain ripped through her s
n his voice cracked through the air. "G
f pushing her down the stairs?" She kept pulling Cathy al
was eerily composed-too calm, almost unsettling. "Then
Cathy forward, sending her stumbling off
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