behind Jason, her face flushed, her shoulders shak

akly at his sleeve. Her voice barely carried. "Gracie prob

a short, cutting huff. "I don

y blocking her from view. His voice shifted, turning gentle again when he looked dow

our actual sister," she remarked, as if the words alone hurt. "I'm just t

ugh the air. "She grew up God knows where. This family took her in, and she should be grateful for it. And

amming against the door wi

ending you're not

ished when the doo

son had been ready to fire

y. Not a trace of fear appeared, no defensive urgency rose up, and none of the fragile, easil

t?" Gracie

ike his presence didn't even regist

voice sharpening as it rose. "You still dare to

eyes stayed fixed on him.

e a brake slamming. Jaso

something unreadable flashing acros

distance just slightly. Her attention shift

aim. So show me proof. Can yo

able pressure settle

version of Gracie d

panic setting in, scrambling to defend herself in every direction. She would never

taking your place all those years... twenty years. If you just don't push me out, I'll give you anything. The room, I can

broke free and slid down her cheeks as her body til

e as he stepped forward. "Gracie, take a look at her-thi

, recognizing the exact same t

le time. They had turned that act into a weapon, neatly assigning her the

t her feeling c

unwavering. "If you're accusing me of shoving you, the

g further. "Look at her. She can barely stand, and yo

er head slightly, unimpressed. "Fine. Let's

pulled her phone out

tered. "No-don't call

st amused curve touching her lips. "And why ex

enforcement gets involved and word spreads, it'll damage Mom and Dad. It'll damage the company too. Gracie, y

." He then turned his glare back to Gracie, disgust sharpening his expression. "And you, if you had e

between them. Then, slowly, she brought her hands togeth

essiv

vered. "Gracie... wha

ping her phone away. "Then pull up the security footage instead. Isn't there a c

thinking, "That camera

left his mouth

slight smile tugged at her lips-slow,

l insisted I pushed her. Tell me, Jason... do you actually thin

shot his hand toward her like he meant to grab her on the spot. "

interruption landed

still, thrown off by how f

blame?" A laugh slipped out of her, but there wasn'

moved. Her hand shot out an

A

e Gracie jerked her forward. Pain ripped through her s

n his voice cracked through the air. "G

f pushing her down the stairs?" She kept pulling Cathy al

was eerily composed-too calm, almost unsettling. "Then

Cathy forward, sending her stumbling off