Chapter 1

"Mom, Dad. She's the transfer student who spread those lies about me. The one who gave me anxiety so bad I had to see a therapist."

"So please don't ask me to call her my sister."

I walked through the front door of the Montgomery estate to find Victoria already sobbing in my parents' arms.

The girl who had been living my life for the past year.

I was the real daughter. The one they had finally tracked down after eighteen years.

Mom had her arms wrapped tight around Victoria, whispering that everything was okay.

Dad stood with his jaw locked, staring at me like I'd already ruined everything.

"I can't believe we raised you with every advantage in the world, and this is what you do with it."

"Henderson. Escort her out. No daughter of mine bullies someone in their own home."

I stood there stunned, my hands already moving. Fingers flying like I was casting a spell.

Me? Spread rumors?

I'm mute.

......

I hadn't even made it past the entryway.

The cold from outside still clung to my fingertips.

Victoria was buried in Mom's neck, shoulders heaving.

When she finally looked up, her eyes were red and swollen.

"You don't know what she did." Her voice dropped.

"After midterms, when I ranked second in our grade, she went around telling everyone I cheated. That Dad paid off the teachers. That I slept with the guidance counselor to get into the honors program."

With every word, Mom's hand on Victoria's back pressed harder. Dad's frown deepened.

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. Just a thin rush of air.

It had always been that way. Congenital vocal cord damage. I had used ASL and written notes my whole life.

I raised my hands. Fingers just starting to shape the sign for no when Xavier pushed up from the couch.

My brother. Three long strides and he was in my face, looking down at me.

"Ella. How long are you going to keep this up? You've pushed Victoria to the point of a breakdown. And you're going to stand there and play innocent?"

I froze. Hands hanging in the air.

Xavier had been glued to Victoria's side since I arrived. He looked at her like she hung the moon.

He looked at me like I was the reason it fell.

"Xavier, don't." Victoria tugged his sleeve, her voice honeyed.

"Maybe she just wanted attention. She doesn't know how to fit in yet. I don't blame her. Really."

"You are too good for her."

Mom pulled Victoria closer and turned on me, eyes cold as January.

"We brought you home to give you a real family, Ella. Not so you could make this girl's life hell. Whatever you learned out there, leave it at the door."

Dad's knuckles hit the coffee table. Low. Final.

"A daughter of Robert Ashworth does not behave this way. I don't care where you've been. You have embarrassed this family. Henderson, get her out of my house."

The housekeeper and the staff clustered near the hallway, whispering.

"Apparently she was running wild before they found her."

"Sweet Victoria would never. I don't know how anyone could go after her like that."

"Look at her doing that hand thing. Probably faking it for sympathy."

Each word landed like a pin in my eardrum.

I reached for my backpack. I always kept a notepad in the side pocket. I could write out everything that had actually happened.

My hand barely touched the zipper when Xavier's fingers snapped around my wrist.

"What are you trying to pull out?"

I yanked free and dug in with my other hand. Got the notepad. Started to open it.

Xavier snatched it.

Two clean rips. Paper rained down over my shoes.

I stared at the scraps on the floor. The last warmth I had for this house went cold.

Victoria let out a soft sob and buried herself deeper in Mom's shoulder.

"Xavier, please," she breathed. "She's just trying to..."

"She pushed you to the edge and you're still defending her." He was practically shaking. "Someone like that doesn't belong under this roof."

Dad gave Henderson one nod.

"Get her out."