Chapter 3

The Fox family's plane touched down on schedule the next day, and the whole drive home they didn't hit a single red light. Everything went so smoothly it was almost absurd.

By the time they reached the house, Mr. Fox wore a rare smile, and he couldn't help praising her. "Rosie really is this family's little good-luck charm."

Rose said, in that coaxing way of hers, "Thank you, Daddy."

Then, a second later, her eyes went red.

Mrs. Fox asked quickly, "Rosie, what's wrong?"

Rose choked out, "Mom, do you really think my sister can accept that I exist?"

Before Mrs. Fox could answer, Antony jumped in first. "Why do you even care about her? That country bumpkin Gladys Henson should be grateful just to get to live in Harbor City. What right does she have to complain?"

"Antony, how can you talk like that? Gladys is your sister too." Mrs. Fox frowned in disapproval.

Antony rolled his eyes. "You want to claim her, fine, claim her. I don't."

Mrs. Fox let it drop and turned to comfort Rose. "Don't worry, Gladys will accept you for sure. Didn't you buy her a present?"

They talked as they walked into the courtyard, and suddenly the mood felt off.

The household staff seemed unusually busy. For the longest time not one of them was in sight.

Right then, Freda messaged me to say she and her husband would be arriving any minute.

I figured that after everything she'd done for me, the least I could do was step out and greet her.

I didn't expect to walk straight into the Fox family the moment I stepped out the door.

Mr. and Mrs. Fox stared at me, startled, while Rose pressed her lips together and said in a small, downcast voice, "Sis, that bracelet of yours…"

Then she stopped, as if something had just occurred to her.

Antony's face darkened, and he stepped forward and slapped me across the face.

"Gladys Henson, so now you're stealing right here in the house!"

Mrs. Fox hurried to stop him. "Antony, how could you hit her?"

Rose pleaded through her tears too. "Antony, that piece was always meant to be hers anyway…"

Mrs. Fox heard that, sighed, and said to me, "Gladys, if you wanted the bracelet you could have told me. Why steal it?"

Mr. Fox's face went cold too. "Gladys Henson, the Fox family doesn't need a daughter who steals!"

I touched the spot on my face where Antony had hit me. It didn't really hurt, just went a little numb, and there was no rusty tang of blood in my mouth. He hadn't broken the skin.

Good, good. City rich boys don't have much strength.

Even hitting that hard, he came up short of one careless slap from my foster mother.

I turned my head and said calmly, "This is my own bracelet. I didn't steal anything."