I Once Loved My Foster Brother

glittering chandeliers, the hum of polite conversation, and the clinking of champagne glasses. I always hated it.

there, of course, with Tiffany attached to his arm. She wore a stunning red dress that demanded attention, and she moved with a confidence that I could only dre

he marble floor, on anything but them. But it was like a

in red blocked my v

she said, her voice dripping with fake sym

keeping my voice neutral. I knew s

ning. She held two glasses of red wine. "Here, have a drink. L

ene. I held the glass, intending to put it down on a n

ndon feels so sorry for you. He says it must be so hard

to hurt, and they did. I jus

ine sloshed down the front of my pale blue dress. The cold liquid soaked throu

by. The conversation died down as eve

cried out, her voice loud and dramatic. "I' m so cl

k of the wine. But I knew, I knew she had done it on purp

wd, his face a mask of anger. He didn' t even look at me. His eyes went strai

Brandon demande

ower lip trembling. "I tripped and spil

d, my voice quiet but firm

me. His eyes were blazing with

traight in the eye, begging him to see

dripping with contempt. "Because you' re jealous? Becau

avy and ugly. People were whisperi

I started to say,

ike a gunshot in the suddenly silent ballroom. A sharp, stinging pain ex

entire room was staring. He had slapped me. In

inches from mine, "accuse Tiffany of lyin

his face stern and disapproving. He didn' t lo

f this scene?" he demanded. "Yo

of the humiliation. I looked from Mr. Peterson' s angry face to Brandon' s furious one. And

ored me, as if I wasn' t even there, standing with the imprint of his hand bur

his voice low and dangerous. "Apologize

my chest. This was it. This was the