Chapter 3

Every memorial photo and keepsake of my mother's had been swapped out for festive decorations.

When I showed up disheveled and unkempt, everyone turned to stare at me strangely.

"Isn't that the crazy one? How did she get out of the psychiatric hospital?"

"Her father's getting married, and her sister's having a birthday party. It's a double celebration! Of course she had to come join the fun!" someone said, laughing.

"Isn't she worried about embarrassing Mr. Machleit? Looks like there's going to be a new Mrs. Machleit."

...

Dressed in a gorgeous gown, Jess walked over with her arm looped through Steve's.

"Alicia, you've been through so much. I know you've never liked me or my mother, but we're going to be family from now on, so let's try to get along."

On her wrist was the Machleit family heirloom bracelet, which only a rightful Machleit daughter-in-law was entitled to wear.

So Steve had given it to her long ago.

Jess wore a friendly smile, but her nails dug hard into my arm.

I wrenched free in pain. "Congratulations. I'm going to pay my respects to my mother."

"Stop right there!"

I'd barely taken a step when my father roared behind me, "From now on, you are not to mention her in front of these two!"

Steve grabbed my arm, growing impatient. "Today's a happy occasion. I won't let you make a scene."

But today was also the anniversary of my mother's death.

I was determined to go, but in the blink of an eye, a crowd of reporters had me surrounded.

Jess hurried over and dropped to her knees in front of me, tears streaming prettily down her face. "Alicia, I understand you're grieving your late mother, but you can't deny she wasn't mentally stable when she was alive. That's why she deliberately threw herself at my car and insulted me...

"My mother has done nothing but good deeds her whole life, and yet your late mother slandered her as a mistress..."

As she spoke, she deliberately let a psychiatric evaluation certificate fall out of her bag.

My mother's name was written on it.

The guests gasped.

"Who knew both mother and daughter were mentally ill? And they abused Jess and her mother!"

In a few short sentences, the crowd painted my mother and me as vicious bullies.

At the sight of Jess's pitiful, fragile act, Steve's face instantly darkened. "Alicia, I can't believe you teamed up with your mother to bully them since long ago. How could you?"

My father's face flushed red as he jabbed a finger at my nose. "You ungrateful girl!"

Everything in front of me twisted into something grotesque. In a daze, I murmured, "No, my mom was perfectly sane..."

Before I could finish, my weak body collapsed into Steve's arms, and a cruel voice sounded in my ear, "I have the deed to your mother's old home. Alicia, tell the cameras that Jess's mother didn't break up your family. Be a good girl."

His voice was as gentle as it could be, yet so cold that I couldn't stop trembling.

My mother had fought with everything she had to keep that old home so I would have some security after she was gone.

It was also the only thing I had left to remember her by.

I was nearly drained of strength. "You bastard!"

The moment the words left my mouth, a flood of messages spread like a virus to everyone's phones.

[SHOCKING! Estate of Late Mrs. Plaxton Now Up for Auction at Angotti Auction House at Rock-Bottom Prices!]

Meeting my horrified gaze, Steve confidently stroked my hair. "Which matters more, a dead woman's reputation or her belongings? Think it over."