Chapter 3

"Kelsey said the travel agency needs the original documents to complete the registration. She's just borrowing them for a few days."

The blood drained from my face. "You stole my ID? What if she uses it to borrow money from loan sharks?

My father frowned impatiently. "Stole? Don't be ridiculous. She's family. What's wrong with letting her borrow it? When did you become so selfish and coldhearted?

"She's your own cousin. You think she'd hurt you? Just stay put. Once Kelsey gets back from her honeymoon, she'll return everything."

I stared at his sallow, puffy face.

Was this really the same father who'd carried me through the mountains all night when I had a high fever as a child?

No.

That man was gone.

The person standing in front of me now was nothing more than a fool who'd been manipulated into sacrificing his own daughter for someone else's benefit.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from the hospital.

"Ms. Whitmore, we'll only be able to hold the bed until tomorrow afternoon. If the payment still hasn't been made by then, we'll have to give it to the next heart patient on the waiting list. Please let us know as soon as possible."

I looked down at the message.

Then, without another moment's hesitation, I dialed 911.

"Hello. I'd like to report a burglary. Someone broke into my home and stole my identification documents and other valuable property."

My father's eyes went wide. Like a madman, he lunged at me and slapped me across the face.

Smack!

Half my face went numb instantly.

"You ungrateful brat! Who gave you permission to call the police?"

The phone flew from my hand. It smashed into the wall, the screen exploding into a web of black cracks.

"How dare you call the cops on your own aunt? Have you lost your mind? How did I end up raising such an ungrateful daughter?"

"Have you even thought about what people will say if my own relatives get arrested? Are you trying to kill me?"

The force of the slap sent me crashing to the floor.

The corner of my forehead slammed into the glass edge of the coffee table. Warm blood seeped between my fingers and dripped onto the floor.

My father stood there trembling. Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his hand again.

Ding.

The family group chat suddenly exploded with notifications, and my backup phone lit up nonstop.

Kelsey had sent three crying emojis, followed by screenshots showing that her hotel reservation had been successfully booked and was nonrefundable.

[I already booked the hotel! It cost nearly $30,000! I don't know what happened, but Elise canceled my trip. All my money's gone!]

I frowned.

The travel agency had clearly said cancellations had to be handled in person tomorrow.

Kelsey continued flooding the chat.

[If you really won't let me go, I can pay you cash instead. But after what you've done, how am I supposed to face my mother-in-law or Travis]

[It's too late to buy new tickets now. The airline has already blacklisted me!]

The chat exploded.

[You'd sabotage your own cousin? Have you no shame?]

[Exactly! Kelsey only gets one honeymoon. You're deliberately making her look bad in front of her in-laws!]

My father grew even angrier. He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking as though he were about to collapse.

The next second, someone pounded on the front door hard enough to shake the house.

Kelsey burst inside like a whirlwind. She ripped the imitation luxury handbag she'd just bought off her shoulder and hurled it at my face.

"You brat! What the hell is wrong with you? My mother-in-law was already looking at me differently! Give me that trip back right now, or I swear I'm not leaving until you do!"

Aunt Janice stormed in right behind her. She dropped onto the couch and immediately burst into loud, theatrical sobs.

"Oh, heavens, just let me die! I practically raised my little brother with my own two hands! I cleaned him, fed him, did everything for him. I'd have been better off raising a stray dog!

"Wayne! I don't care what it takes! If Kelsey doesn't get that trip or compensation today, I'll smash my head against the wall and die right here in your house!"

At first, I'd wondered how the travel agency could have processed everything so quickly.

But watching the two of them put on such a perfectly rehearsed performance...

I immediately understood everything.