Chapter 10

Estelle's POV

"You think I wanted this?"

I turned back around to face Cassius. My whole body was shaking now.

"You think I wanted to bleed all over my grandmother's dress? In front of all these people? Just so you could shout at me and call me a liar?" I shook my head slowly. "Do you really think I have so little respect for myself?"

Cassius opened his mouth. Nothing came out. His eyes kept going back to the red stain on my dress.

"Estelle..." My mother's voice trembled. "Sweetheart, what happened to your back? Who did this to you?"

"Ask the convent you sent me to," I said.

Her face went white.

But before she could say another word, Delilah pushed herself up from the floor, holding her arm, and limped toward me.

"Estelle, does it hurt very much?" Her voice was soft and sweet like honey. Tears shone in her eyes. "Oh, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean it. I was just having a terrible day, that's all. Someone ruined the birthday gift Cassius got for me, and I was so upset I couldn't think straight."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"But I still shouldn't have bumped into you like that by accident. I'm sorry."

I looked at her for a long moment.

"So you admit it," I said. "You admit this wasn't my fault. You admit you've been lying."

Delilah blinked. "What? No! That's not what I meant at all!" Her lip trembled, and she looked around at the guests. "Oh my God. Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"

My mother hurried over and put her arms around Delilah's shoulders.

"Delilah didn't mean anything, Estelle," she said. "You know how sweet she is. She would never hurt anyone on purpose." She gave me a hopeful smile. "So why don't you just say sorry and wish her a happy birthday? Then we can all forget this and move on."

"Listen to your mother, Estelle," my father said tiredly.

I almost laughed.

"You know, Mom," I said, "this isn't the first time Delilah has tried to blame me for something she did." I tilted my head. "But you already know that. Don't you?"

My mother's mouth opened. "I... well, I..."

"You still owe us an explanation."

Cassius stepped forward. His voice was hard again, like he had found something to hold on to.

I turned to him. "For what?"

"Don't act stupid." He pulled the small blue gift box out of his jacket pocket and opened it. Inside, on soft white velvet, lay a diamond necklace. Or what was left of it. The thin chain was snapped in two, and the biggest diamond was missing from the middle.

"This was Delilah's birthday present," he said. "It was perfect when I put it in the car this morning. When I got home, it looked like this."

I stared at the broken necklace.

"Oh," I said slowly. "I see. So now you want me to say sorry for breaking her necklace."

"You were the only other person in my car," Cassius said. "You were the only one who could have touched it. I saw you reach for this box. Don't think I didn't."

"Estelle!" Delilah cried. She covered her face with her hands. "How could you? On my birthday? Why do you always have to bully me?"

My mother sighed and shook her head at me like I was a naughty little girl.

"I know you're upset, Estelle," she said. "But you can't destroy your sister's things. We'll let it go this time. But don't ever do it again."

Really?

They didn't even ask me if I did it.

I looked at Cassius.

"Your car has a camera inside," I said. "I saw the little red light on the dashboard the whole time. Check it. Watch the video, and you'll see I never touched that box. Not even once after you took it from me."

The guests began to murmur.

"Cassius," I said, louder now, "take out your phone and play the video. Right now. In front of everyone."

I was done carrying Delilah's sins on my back. I had carried them for three years, and they had nearly killed me.

Cassius didn't move.

He just stood there with the broken necklace in his hand. His face changed. Something flickered in his eyes. Something like worry.

"Actually," he said slowly, closing the box, "let's not do that. We don't want Estelle to look bad in front of everybody, do we?"

"Yes, Estelle," my mother said quickly. "Just let it go, sweetheart."

"Enough!" My father raised his hand. "We are done talking about this! Estelle, you have made a big enough scene already. Go upstairs and clean up your back."

I didn't move.

"No," I said.

The whole room went quiet.

"You just want me to go away," I said, "so you can keep pretending Delilah is your perfect little princess."

I looked at each of them. My father. My mother. Cassius. And Delilah, hiding behind my mother's arm with eyes that were no longer crying.

"I'm not afraid of that video," I said. "I want everyone to see it. The only people in this room who are afraid to watch it are all of you."

I stepped closer to my brother.

"So tell me, Cassius," I said quietly. "What exactly are you so scared of?"