Chapter 14
My palm stung from where it connected with Alynna’s cheek, but the echo of it was worth every second of silence that followed. Her gasp was sharp, more insulted than hurt, but she was too stupid to stay down.
“You filthy-” she hissed, lunging at me with her nails out like claws.
I didn’t flinch. I grabbed her wrist, twisted until she shrieked, and slapped her again with my free hand. Her mascara ran in dark streaks. Somewhere behind us, the music had stopped entirely. could feel all their eyes my father’s, Clinton’s, the whole room’s but I didn’t care.
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“You think you can stand here and call me names?” I said, my voice steady, cutting right through her spit of curses. “I should’ve done this a long time ago.”
–
Alynna swung at me – messy, desperate but I caught her hair, yanked her forward, and she slapped me back. Our heels slipped on the marble floor, and we stumbled, shoving, fists full o each other’s hair like we were kids fighting in the dirt behind our father’s house.
Nathan’s hand shot out to pull me back, but I shoved his arm away. “No. I need this.”
I turned back to Alynna, our foreheads nearly touching as we panted like animals. “You want to know why? Why I’m still standing here while you’re rotting in your lies? It’s because I know what you did.”
Her eyes darted, but her mouth stayed in that smug line. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.
I laughed – sharp, bitter. “You do. That night – when I lost the baby.” My voice cracked, but didn’t stop. “You told them it was my fault, didn’t you? How I was reckless, how I was careless and they all believed you.”
I felt my father stiffen behind me. I didn’t care.
“It was all your fault, Alynna!” I screamed, shoving her back. “You were the one driving drunk! You swerved you hit that pole. You killed my baby.”
―
“That’s a lie!” Alynna spat, her hair wild, her eyes darting to Clinton, then to Leo. “She’s lying- she’s always been jealous-”
“Jealous?” My laugh was almost hysterical. I reached into my bag, my fingers brushing the envelope I’d been holding onto for this exact moment. I threw it at my father’s feet. “Read it, Dad. Go ahead. The dashcam footage, the hospital report – the doctor’s note that says I came in alone that night because Alynna ran away.”
Leo bent, his hands shaking as he pulled out the photos, the official seal glinting under the chandelier. He read in silence, eyes moving so fast I almost heard the gears grinding in his skull.
Alynna shrieked. “That’s fake! You forged that-”
“Is it?” I stepped forward until we were nose to nose again. “Tell him how you told Clinton I lost the baby because I was unstable how you stood there while they blamed me. How you played the grieving sister. How you took my husband into your bed before the blood was even dry.”
–
A gasp somewhere in the room. Clinton’s face had gone ghost-white. He dropped to his knees beside the papers like they’d burn him if he touched them. “Chloe… I didn’t know. I swear to God, I didn’t-”
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“Save it,” I snapped, voice trembling with rage that had festered too long. “You never cared enough to ask.”
Leo turned to Alynna, his face purple with rage. “Tell me
–
is this true?”
Alynna stumbled back, mascara streaked and dress torn from our fight. “No no! She’s lying- she’s trying to break us apart-Father, you can’t believe her-”
His hand cracked across her cheek so hard the slap echoed like gunfire. Alynna let out a broken sob, pressing her palm to the fresh welt.
“You disgust me,” Leo hissed. “You ruined this, family. You turned me against my own daughter.” I looked at him then, all the years of his hatred sitting like a stone in my chest. “I want you all gone from my life,” I said, my voice quiet but carrying through the stunned silence. “You, Alynna Clinton, all of you. I’m done being your scapegoat. I’m done letting you break me.” Nathan’s arm came around my waist, solid and warm, but I didn’t lean on him yet. Not yet. Clinton crawled toward me on his knees, eyes glassy with tears he didn’t deserve to shed “Chloe, please. I didn’t know. I was blind. I’m sorry – please, don’t do this. I can fix it. I can mak it right-”
I flinched when his hand touched mine. He held it like a lifeline, his voice ragged. “I need you Please. Don’t leave me-”
Nathan’s voice cut through him like a blade. “Get your hands off her.”
When Clinton didn’t, too desperate to care, Nathan’s fist collided with his jaw so hard the crac made Alynna shriek again. Clinton crumpled sideways, groaning, clutching his face.
Nathan stood over him, breathing hard, his knuckles split open. “Touch her again, Clinton to keep her in your miserable life and I’ll break every bone in your body.”
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4:27 pm
