- 4.
At breakfast that day, I brought up my
adoptive mom, Heather Smith, like it was
nothing.
“So, what are you guys going to do about
Heather?”
The Johnsons looked at each other, all
awkward.
Ashley even looked like she was about to cry.
My dad finally spoke up, trying to be nice to
- me.
“Harmony, people like that always get what’s
coming to them!”
Mom chimed in, “Yeah, dealing with her
would just get our hands dirty.”
Josh was quietly eating his breakfast, not
getting involved.
く
I raised an eyebrow.
“So, you’re saying you’re not going to press
charges?”
Mom and Dad looked uncomfortable, like they
were choking on their words.
Josh sighed and finally spoke up.
“Harmony, everyone knows Heather Smith is
Ashley’s biological mother. You know, if your
parents have a criminal record, it can hurt
you.
“We’d love to see that woman punished, but
not if it hurts Ashley. She’s innocent.
“Besides, Heather raised you for years. We
just can’t bring ourselves to do it. You
understand, right?”
Ashley looked at the Johnsons like she was
so grateful. Mom and Dad patted her hand,
and Josh smiled at her. They looked like the
perfect, supportive family.
I snorted, interrupting the moment.
く
“Raised me?”
I slowly rolled up my sleeves, showing my
arms covered in scars and cigarette burns.
Mom gasped and covered her mouth, tears in
her eyes.
Dad’s lip trembled. Josh looked away, like he
couldn’t bear to look.
Ashley just bit her lip and clenched her fists.
I rolled up my pant legs, revealing a network
of thin scars on my legs.
Seeing their reaction, I finally smiled and put
my clothes back down.
“I’m going to school. I won’t go with you,
Ashley.”
I grabbed my beat–up backpack and didn’t
refuse the ride the driver offered me.
Free ride? I’d be crazy not to take it,
especially with the Johnsons paying for it.
Later, I figured it was probably the sight of
my scars and my family’s reaction that made
<
Ashley finally decide on doing what she did.
If she didn’t go big, she’d never get her spot back in this family.
At school, Nick saw me and started yelling in
the hallway.
“Heather’s back! The Queen of the school is
back!”
I’ve told him to watch less trashy TV, but he
never listens.
Everyone had heard about my family secret
and were shocked that I was the real heiress
of “Shining Star” Conglomerate.
I smirked.
The real heiress is a delinquent? That’s how
you decide to favor the kind and gentle fake
heiress.
Nick still called me “Heather“, I was too lazy
to correct him.
I wasn’t surprised when I found a pack of
cigarettes in his pocket.
<
“I told you not to smoke at school. I figured I
could let it slide while I was gone, huh?”
Nick grinned.
“Heather, are you doing okay in your new house? Are they treating you right?”
I smirked and glanced at him.
“Who’s gonna mess with me?”
He scratched his head.
“Hey, are you still gonna hang out with us?
Are those fancy people gonna look down on
you?”
He got quieter and quieter, avoiding eye
contact.
I scoffed and smacked him on the head.
“Hey, you said you wouldn’t forget me when I
got rich! Are you already backing down?
What’s wrong with you guys? Why would they
look down on you?”
Nick lifted his head dramatically.
“I’d never back down! We’re gonna live the
く
high life with you!”
But his eyes were red.
I remembered the last time Nick cried.
He secretly took $20 from his parents and gave it to me to pay for school.
When his parents found out, he wouldn’t say what he used the money for, so they thought he was wasting it on cigarettes and girls. They beat him for it.
When he came to see me, his eyes were red, but he grinned and handed me the money. I fought back the lump in my throat, looked
out the window at the sky, and spoke softly.
“I don’t think I’ll be in that house for long.”
