Chapter 2

"Everyone saw what happened. You were the one who snatched Cassandra's necklace," Bruce said sternly as he tossed the necklace at Andrea's feet.

Andrea was so terrified that she immediately fell to the ground. "No! No, I didn't! I swear I didn't mean to. I was just so scared."

She raised her head, her eyes wide with innocence, and her cheeks were wet with tears. "I was scared that Cassandra hadn't turned over a new leaf and that I would be bullied. So, I wanted to test her."

Her hands shook as she removed every piece of jewelry she was wearing and tossed it to the floor. "I've always treated you like you were my actual parents, but the truth is, I would never be your real daughter.

"Now that Cassandra's back, you don't need me to be around to replace her. I hope you'll take good care of yourselves. I'll leave."

Tobias immediately stopped her, looking straight into Bruce's eyes as he said with conviction, "Father, you know how much Andrea has suffered. You know how badly she had it."

As he spoke, his eyes shot to me. The look he gave me was filled with such revulsion that even a blind wolf could see it.

"Cassandra has been using her identity as your daughter to bully Andrea at every turn. I exiled her to the Wastelands only to make her understand how hard real life is. That way, she'll learn to cherish how good she has it. Besides, I sent a squad of guards to protect her. So, I'm sure nothing happened to her.

"I never expected that she'd get worse! Now, not only has she not repented for her wicked ways, but she's also resorted to self-harm to drive Andrea away! What sane wolf would carry Wolfsbane? Also, the timing was so coincidental. After all, you two walked in when she just happened to drink it.

"She clearly planned it all! She's only doing this to make you feel guilty so you'll send Andrea away."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Bruce barked, slamming his hand against the table in his anger. Yet, the niggling suspicion wouldn't leave his mind now that it was brought to his attention.

Andrea grew more brazen when she noticed that they were still on her side.

Once, she commented that my hair had gotten too long and she offered to trim it for me. When I obediently sat in front of her, she whipped out a pair of silver scissors she'd hidden away for this moment and slashed the blades straight at my ear.

The pain was excruciating, but I didn't dare make a sound. I didn't make a whimper even as I felt hot blood dripping down from my ear and splashing against the floor. I knew that Tobias would only rail at me if I made a peep.

So, I bit my lip until it bled to stop even a breathless wheeze from escaping my lips.

Andrea grew even more furious in the face of my lack of reaction. So, she scattered razor blades into my bowl of soup during a meal.

Then, she shoved me into the bowl.

"Aren't you a great actress? Let's see how long you can keep this up! Eat it if you dare!"

Dana couldn't bear to watch this unfold any longer, so she stood up to intervene. However, Bruce stopped her and pressed her back into her seat. He gave her a meaningful look, so she could only look at me anxiously.

Tobias said nothing as he coldly glared at me. It seemed he was certain that I would lose my temper as I had in the past. He was expecting me to smash the bowl and make a scene.

Everyone was waiting to see how I'd respond.

My eyes were hollow as I picked up the spoon, scooped up the razor blades-infested soup, and swallowed all of it whole.

Andrea hadn't expected me to do that and immediately started panicking.

I could feel the blades slicing down my throat. Soon, the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth, choking my airways.

Dana instantly turned stark white. She screamed for an ambulance, holding me as she wailed, "Cassandra, what happened to you?"

Sadly for her, I couldn't hear a thing as I numbly continued to stuff the razor blades into my mouth, not stopping even when they cut my cheeks right open.

Bruce literally flipped when he saw this, throwing the table aside. He snatched up a razor blade and hurled it at Tobias as he bellowed, "This is all your fault! If anything happens to her, all of you will pay with your lives!"

I couldn't say anything, my mouth and nose drowning in blood. I didn't know when it happened, but I eventually lost consciousness as I was cradled in my wailing mother's arms.