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Sophie knocked them out of his hands,panicking."Ethan,don't look!I don't know why they're slandering me,but I didn't do it…believe me…"
Ethan's eyes blazed."Get away!"
Sophie stumbled back,then turned to Mom."Mom,you believe me!I didn't kill Buddy,didn't assault Lily,didn't stir trouble!"
Mom said nothing,her gaze scrutinizing.
Dad strode over and slapping Sophie so hard she staggered,blood appearing on her lip.
"Dad…"Her voice broke,but no one cared.
I was finally vindicated,but it felt pointless.I was dead.
Ethan saw photos of me,disheveled,and snapped."Sophie!You dared lead people to assault your sister?Why?!"
Terrified by his rage, Sophie stammered,,"Ethan…I didn't…the photos are fake…"
Tears in his eyes,Ethan growled,"Then dare to verify them with me?"
Sophie swallowed."I…I dare…"
"Liar!You don't!"
"And Buddy…why'd you kill him?I thought it was Lily…Why hide her death?"
"You said you saw her at a hotel with guys…but she was already dead,Sophie…"
Mom sobbed,choking back tears.,"It's my fault…If I hadn't insisted on adopting you,this wouldn't have happened…"
"Maybe Lily wouldn't have gotten cancer…wouldn't have died…"
Dad,wiping tears,grabbed a suitcase and hurled it at Sophie.
She fell,blood trickling from her forehead,but laughed maniacally."It's all my fault?"
"Didn't you make this happen?"
"She said I had her assaulted,but did you believe her?I hurt her so many times,and it worked.Why?"
"Because I wasn't alone.I had you behind me!"
"You killed her!Your distrust,your neglect,your bias—it killed her,not me!"
"I'm better than you.I saw her body,pale and frail,like a ghost,but I went.You?You only learned she had cancer after she died.You only missed her after.Pathetic…"
Mom screamed,"Shut up,you wretch! This is all your doing!You owe her your life!"
Mom and Dad confined Sophie to her room.
They went to the hospital, only to be told my body had been taken and already cremated.
They begged Jake for my ashes.
But he refused to hand them over.
Returning home, they turned their grief and anger on Sophie, tormenting her even further.
