Chapter 4 Public opinion totally flips to Marlena's side . I become the most hated " ungrateful brat on the entire internet . #Ungrateful Roxanne is trending at number one . The comments are pure venom . [ How is this piece of trash still breathing ? ] [ She won't even leave her dead mom alone - sick freak ] 1 calmly turn off my phone . No emotion . I'm all out of tears . If she wants to put on a show , 111 give her the performance of a lifetime I decide to sue her - for abandonment On the day of the hearing , the courthouse is swarmed with reporters and Marlena's fans the crowd's screaming insults . Roxanne , get out here ! " ' Shameless piece of garbage ! " take a deep breath , forcing myself to stay calm . Walking through the crowd , I spot my stepfather Garrett Sindair making his first public appearance , sitting in the gallery . He's looking at me like I'm something he'd scrape off his shoe , with this nasty smirk . Marlena's wearing a black suit , makeup perfect as always . she's in the defendant's chair , eyes slightly red , looking all pitiful , dabbing at her eyes with tissues . Her fans are holding banners - MAMA MAR , WE WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU ! seeing this circus makes my stomach drop . she's such a good actress , even 1 almost buy her act . Marlena's lawyer is smooth as silk , voice booming with confidence . Ladies and gentlemen , the plaintiff Roxanne suffers from severe delusional disorder . She's made up this ridiculous story out of jealousy toward Brighton . " Then he waves a stack of papers in the air : This is Roxanne's psychological evaluation . She's shown violent tendencies and antisocial behavior since childhood . " The documents are all fake , but nobody here would believe me anyway . My stepbrother Brighton takes the stand . He's in a designer suit , all polite and well - spoken , with just the right amount of emotion in his voice : " Roxanne's been stalking our family for three years . She hangs around our neighborhood , taking creepy photos of my mom . " He pauses , fake pain flashing in his eyes : " We called the police multiple times , but she won't stop . She's been terrorizing my mom , keeping her up at night " 22:22 From Beloved Daughter to Dead Burden " Now Wat Chapter 4 The gallery starts murmuring , some people actually crying . My heart's racing . Every piece of evidence is stacked against me . The judge's expression shifts from neutral to annoyed to straight up disgusted . " The plaintiff's evidence is insufficient and contains obvious logical inconsistencies . " The judge flips through the case files , voice getting colder : " The defendant Marlena has been dead for three years . How can she commit abandonment ? " Marlena's lawyer grins with satisfaction : " Your Honor , this is classic behavior from someone with delusional disorder . She's living in a fantasy of her own making , unable to distinguish reality from fiction . " The gallery's getting louder . "This chick's totally nuts . " " How do you abandon someone when you're dead ? " " What a waste of the court's time ! " I feel completely surrounded , palms sweating , back soaked through . the judge's voice cuts through like a death sentence : " Plaintiff , do you have any evidence proving a mother daughter relationship with the defendant ? " Marlena and her lawyer exchange triumphant looks . Garrett shakes his head with a cold laugh . Brighton's smirking , totally enjoying my humiliation . The fans are stretching their necks , waiting to see me crash and burn . Reporters raise their cameras to capture my defeat . Inder all those disgusted stares , I slowly stand up . My fingers are shaking as I unbutton my filthy shirt collar . The courthouse goes dead silent , everyone holding their breath . The evidence isn't on paper . It's on my body . " 22:22 From Beloved Daughter to Dead Burden ? Now Watch Your Perfect Family BURNI 27.09 % Chapter 5 Chapter 5