Chapter 4

Something in me went cold, all the way through.

I got slowly to my feet. "Fine. I'll go back with you."

My father could barely draw a breath.

His face was ashen. "You can't," he forced out. "You can't go."

I lowered my voice. "Dad, don't worry. I'll be back soon."

Bartholomew sneered at my father, mocking. "Dad, aren't you being petty? You could stand to learn a thing or two from Charlene. See how well she handles herself."

He stepped aside to let the doctors and nurses through.

As for me, he took hold of my arm and pulled me toward the door.

I glanced back once. My father's condition had already steadied a good deal.

I let out a breath and followed Bartholomew out of the hospital.

In the car, Bartholomew said, "Let me remind you one more time. At the party, not a word about dead people. Otherwise don't blame me for what happens."

I nodded.

"Plenty of the relatives already know you slipped off," Bartholomew went on.

"When we get there you apologize, and you do it properly. No talking back. No arguing."

I nodded again.

Beside him, Carly spoke up. "My boyfriend's family came today too. He's the heir to the Jennings Group. Sebastian Jennings."

"Rich, powerful, and good-looking. A golden goose landing right in our family's lap."

"Watch your mouth when you talk. If you give them the wrong idea about how this family runs, if you make a bad impression, I'll never forgive you."

I froze for a second, and all at once I understood why the Donaldsons had treated me so viciously today.

They thought they'd hooked the heir to the Jennings Group.

And me, the one who'd done so much for them, had simply been thrown aside.

Bartholomew hadn't spared a single thought for how I felt. He'd forbidden me from seeing my own mother, all so Carly's boyfriend would come away with a good impression, so he'd think the Donaldsons were close, harmonious, one big happy family.

Thinking of it, I nodded slowly and said to Carly, "I understand. Don't worry. I know what to do."

Seeing me so obedient, Bartholomew was satisfied.

"Once the party's over," he said, "I'll send a funeral wreath for your mother. Call it a reward for being sensible."

Soon the car stopped.

We'd arrived at the Donaldson house.

The ten tables of banquet food were still set out in the yard, and the relatives who'd come to eat were still there.

They were talking away, the whole place buzzing.

But the moment I walked in, everyone stopped.

The Donaldsons all stared at me with open displeasure.

The neighbors and friends wore the look of people settling in for a show.

Only the table where the Jennings family sat carried on, flattered and fawned over by the Donaldsons, laughing and chatting, with no idea what was going on.

My mother-in-law came over, her face dark as iron, spat at my face, and cursed under her breath. "Your father-in-law's birthday, and you, the daughter-in-law, run off first? Is that any way to act? Is that how you were raised?"

I kept my head down and said nothing.

Bartholomew's uncle came over too, looking me up and down with disgust. "Where did you go? Off gallivanting somewhere?"

"The Jennings family wanted to get to know our family just now, and of course you weren't here. Do you have any idea how awkward that was?"

Still I said nothing.

The neighbors and friends put their heads together, murmuring about me.

"That Donaldson daughter-in-law looked so meek, who'd have thought she'd be this ill-bred."

"You never really know a person, do you. She needs someone to teach her some manners."

Bartholomew pinched me hard and hissed, "Have you gone mute?"

I forced three words out through my teeth. "I'm sorry."

My mother-in-law shot me a look. "Stop embarrassing yourself out here. Go to the kitchen and bring out the dishes."

"If the Jennings family asks later, you say you went out to buy groceries."

I didn't move. Instead I said quietly, "I left without a word just now, and I ruined Father-in-law's birthday. I feel terrible about it."

"I'd like to perform something, to make it up to Father-in-law. And to the Jennings family too."

My father-in-law nodded. "At least you've got some sense."

For his birthday he'd specially hired a few performers to sing and dance.

The truth was no one was actually watching them sing or dance. They were just background noise, something to keep the place lively.

But when I stepped up onto the stage, every eye turned to me.

I took the microphone, drew a deep breath, and said loudly, "You're probably all wondering why I suddenly left."

"It's because my mother was dying and wanted to see me one last time."

Bartholomew's face changed in an instant.

He pointed at me and snarled, "Shut your mouth!"

But my voice only grew louder.

I'd come here today to blow it all open anyway.

Grief and fury broke out of me. "I told Bartholomew, and he wouldn't let me go."

"All I could do was sneak away, but he came after me and beat me right in front of my mother."

"My mother was driven to her death by him."

"The last thing my mother ever saw in this world was Bartholomew hitting me."

I broke down, sobbing. "I never imagined I'd married a monster like this."

And the Donaldsons' friends and neighbors shot to their feet, staring at the family in disbelief.