Chapter18 Theawalkedin,tossingafileontothecouchasshesatdown.Weird.Icouldntevengetinthe houseearlier.Thebutlerhadtoopenthedoorforme.Ionlymovedoutforabit,notforever,Wasitreallynecessarytodeletemyfingerprints fromthesystem? Emmaliequicklystoodup,puttingonasweetsmile.Thea,yourefinallyback!Wevemissedyousomuch.Nowwecanbeafamilyagain . ShegentlytookTheashand, asifexpectingawarmresponse. ButTheasneered,Cuttheact,Emmalic.Iknow exactlywhatyoureupto. Foramoment.Emmaliesfacetwisted,andthensheburstintotears.Thea,howcanyoublamemeforthefingerprintissue?Itwasjustaglitchinthesystem. Doyouknowhowworriedwewere? Wethoughtsomeonemighttakeadvantageofyououtthere.Andnow,afterallyourfun,youcomebackandtakeitoutonme,huh? Ivyclickedoverinherhighheels,steppingprotectivelyinfrontofEmmalie.SheglaredatThea.Ungratefulbrat!Ishouldbetheoneupsetwithyou ,buthereyouare,bullyingEmmalie.HowdidIendupwithsuchaselfishdaughter! Worriedaboutme?Theascoffed.Ifyouweresoconcerned,youmustveknownIwasframedforleakingAvonVenturesdata. Sowhydidntasingleoneofyoureachout?Notonecall,notonemessage.Youdalreadywrittenmeoff.IbetyouevenhadthepaperworkreadytodisownmeifIendedupinjail. Haveyoulostyourmind?IvystaredatTheaindisbelief,shakingwithanger.Aftereverythingthathappened,IhadEmmaliesendyoucountlessmessages!Youretheone whoshutusout.Andnowyoure blamingus, huh? Messages?TheafrownedandturnedtoEmmalie.. EmmalieavoidedhergazefrombehindIvy.Thea,dontyouremember?Youblockedme .Ithoughtyoudidntwanttotalktous, so Ididntcall.ImsorryifIupsetyou. Ivyscoffed,Dontapologizetoher!Its justherrottenattitude.Itsnotyourfault Thealaughedbitterly.Fine.Thenletsseetheproof.Lethershowusherphone,andwellseeifshereallysentanymessages. Enough!Ivysnapped,grabbingTheasphoneandslammingittothefloor.Hereyesburnedwithdisgust.Wefinallymanageto haveafamilymeal,andyouhavetobringthisdrama,huh?Havingyouwastheworstmistakeofmylife. ThehurthitTheaforonlyamomentbeforeshesmiledcoldly.Yeah,Icameheretostirthingsup.IwantEmmalietoexplainherself Sheshovedpast IvyandthrewthefileinEmmaliesface.NiceworkteamingupwithMadelyntostealAvonVenturesdataandsellingittoBradenundermy name. Thepapersscattered.Seeingtheevidenceinblackandwhite,Fanmalieclenchedherfistsbutstillplayedthevictimn,tears wellinginhereyes.Thea,whatareyoutalkingabout?Ididntdothis!Iswear! IvygrabbedTheasarm,hervoicesharp.Haveyoulostyourmind?WhywouldyoutrytopinthisonEmmalie? Maxchimedin,soundingimpatient.Look,Igetit.Yourescaredofjail,buttheresan easy wayoutjustapologizetoJakeandmarryhim,andeverythingwillbefine.WhydragEmmalietothis? 1/8 20.15 Thu,Oct24u Chapter18 Theagatheredthescatteredpapers,thrustingthematMa x.Youknowhowtoreadthesedocuments.Youcantellwhatsrealorfake.Emmaliewantsmeruined.Shestheonewhoshouldpayforthis.WhyshouldIhaveto bowdowntotheHendrix family? Maxbarelyglancedatthepapersbefore tearingthem apart.Hetookadeepbreath.Thea,enough.Ill stepinandfixthisforyou.Happynow? Theahadexpectedthemtoside withEmmalie,butseeingitplayoutstung morethan shedimagined .Tearsstreameddownhercheeks.IfIdidnthavethisproof,noneofyou wouldevencareaboutme,wouldyou ? SeeingTheasdespair,Ivyhesitated,guiltflashingacros sherfaceSheopenedhermouthasiftosaysomething. Butbeforeshecouldspeak, EmmaliecollapsedintoIvysarms,sobbinghysterically. Mom ,itsallmyfault.Inevershouldvecomeback,shemurmured.Ishouldvediedoutthereinstead ofreunitingwithyou.Theneveryonewouldbehappy,andTheawouldntresentyou.Illleaverightnow,Idontwanttocauseanymoretrouble TurningtoThea,Emmaliefelltotheground.Illgo.Juststoptryingtohurtmeandframe me.Youvehad thefamilysloveforyears.Inevertriedtogetinyourway. BeforeThencouldrespond,Ivyslappedher acrosstheface.The soundechoedthroughtheroomasIvyseyesflashedwith anger. Evenifyoudidntsellthedatayourself,youclearlydidntmanagethingsproperly.Ivysnapped.Andnow,youbelievetheseliesaboutEmmaliewithoutasecondthought:Areyou tryingtodrivehertosuicide? Hervoiceshookwithrage.Howcanyoubesoheartless?Emmaliewentmissingwhenshewasjusta littlegirl,andafteralltheseyears,wefinallyfoundher.Doyouhaveanyideawhatshesbeenthrough?Whyareyousodeterminedtomakeherlifemiserable: TheascheekswelledwhereIvyhadslappedher,butshejuststaredcoldlyattheenragedIvy. Atthatmoment,sherealizedhow foolishithadbeentocomehere,thinkingtheymightstillcareaboutherintheslightestItwaslaughable. AsIvycontinuedtoscoldher,sheorderedthestafftotake Emmalie upstairstorest. OnceIvywasfinished,TheacomposedherselfandturnedtoMax.Nolongerpleading,shesaidcalmly,Thisisntsomethingyoucanfixbychoosingsides.AvonVenturestookahugehit.EvenifIagreedtomarryJake,theHendrixfamilymightnot wantmenow . Iknowyouwont believeme,notevenwiththeevidencerightinfrontofyou.SoIlltakeittothepoliceandlettheminvestigate.IfEmmaliesinnocent,Illadmit Iwaswrong.Butthinkaboutthefuture oftheRowlandfamily.Thiswontjustgoaway . MaxhadalwaysdotedonEmmalleinsomeways.ButasthefutureheirtoRowland Group,hehesitatedandlookedtorn.Help!Suddenly,a servantcamerushingdown thestairs ,herfacepalewithpanic.Emmalietried tokill herself! Emmalie!Ivyshrieked,faintingonthespot. Maxsfacedarkened.Heimmediatelyorderedthestafftocallforthefamily doctorandrestrainThea. HisfurywaspalpableasheglaredatTheasconfused,shockedexpression,hisvoicedrippingwithanger.Thea,youbetterpraynothinghappenstoEmmalie.