Scorned By Family, Freed By Fury

, and filthy. Eleanor ordered me to shower and put on a simple white dress she

one leaving no room for argument. "Some of our closest friends are comin

tood awkwardly by the patio, a pariah on display. The guests, all members of the city' s elite, threw me looks of pity and

rge wicker chair, her arm bandaged, looking pale and beautiful. S

ard her, my

ice just loud enough for those nearby to hea

surprisingly strong. She leane

yone is here to see how much you' ve hurt me. They all hate you. Daddy says you

act, she squeezed my hand hard, her nails digging into my skin. Then, she let g

r hand. "It' s nothing. I' m j

strode over. His face was a thund

ing," I said, my vo

s prized Dobermans, a massive dog named Cerberus that Richard used for security, wa

" he accused, his voice low and menacing. "You left the

een right her

e. It zeroed in on the nearest, calmest target: me. It charged, a blur of black muscle an

its jaws snapped inches from my throat. It bit down hard on my forearm, the pai

orders, but no one moved to help me. They were all

s rushed in and dragged the snarling animal away. I lay on the grass, trembl

ing in the grass. Her face was a p

from a nearby table. "Here, this is a special cream the doct

harp undertone. Before I could protest, she scooped a large glob of

felt like acid being poured into my veins. I screamed, a raw, animal sound of pure agony.

yes wide with fake innocence. "Does it h

the sounds of the party faded into a dull roar, and the world we

time, the throbbing pain reduced to a dull ache. The family w

ice cold as ice. "You ruined the party, you te

ded, her arms crossed. "Look at the len

nst Eleanor. "I just wanted to help her," she whimpered. "

ion, turning her act of cruel

oked down at me with no sympathy, only disdain.

ar ago. Ethan had been sick with a terrible flu. The staff was afraid to go near him. But I had stayed by his bedside for three days, changing his

ruel strangers. The contrast was a pain far deeper than the bite on my arm. They had n