Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 39740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
“I see. And you know the history behind this ring, so I take it.”
“Yes, it was my great-great-nan’s though I think there might be another great in there somewhere. Anyway, she was married to a sheik, and this was the ring he gave her when their first son was born.”
“It was passed down to the first son to give to their future brides, and before you ask, Grandma’s ring also came from the maternal side. I don’t think it was ever worn as an engagement ring, though, now that I think of it. Though it fits the purpose.”
“At one point, it was stolen and ended up in a museum somewhere, but the family sued and got it back. No one has worn this ring in more than, I think, three hundred years. Cute story: I think Dad wanted to give it to Janice because he’s the only son or something like that. Grandma almost had a stroke.”
“Ah, so that’s why you want to tell your father that you’re engaged. And what happens when he asks to meet your fiancé? What are you going to do then?”
“He won’t ask because I won’t answer.”
I hadn’t told her about Lacey’s call and what had led to this impromptu weekend getaway yet because I didn’t want to spoil the mood, but now was as good a time as any since we were leaving the next day. “What is it?” How does she always know when something is on my mind?
“I was going to hold off on giving you the ring, but your sister called me on Friday to talk about planning our wedding.” She jumped up, ready to fight, until she remembered that I was hers and no one could take me away from her.
“Delusional twit. You better not even pretend.”
“We knew this was coming. That was part of the promise I made, after all.”
“I know; I mean, don’t buy her a ring, and don’t even think about going to see venues and stuff like that with her.”
“I won’t have time since I’ll be planning our wedding with you, your Mom, and Grandma.”
That answer seemed to please her vengeful little heart, and she rolled over on top of me, keeping the covers between us as she licked my bottom lip with her tongue before diving in.
LILY
It’s been a while since I visited my Dad’s place and a whole lot longer since I wanted to. Just the sight of the gate leading to the driveway makes my heart sink, and I regress to that scared little girl who was tormented here for a few seconds. And then the anger tries to seep through and I have to fight to contain it.
I’d made up my mind a long time ago, ever since I signed the papers, that I was going to harness all that anger and years of rear into revenge. I know Janice had only ever been in it for the money, but in the process, she’s trampled all over my mother’s heart.
Not only that, she and my dad had tormented my mother for years and had gone so far as to try to turn me against her. When that didn’t work, the abuse only got worse, and I know she absolutely hates the fact that my grandparents would have nothing to do with her after all this time.
I used to overhear their arguments at night when they thought I was asleep. That’s when I realized that the reason she would take my things and give them to her daughter was that she thought she deserved them as much if not more, than I did.
Once everything came out though, Mom had made sure that anything of value that they had taken and claimed I had lost was returned. No one realized that I knew exactly what I was doing when I waited until I was older to tell Mom the truth about what went on in that house.
They thought it was a coincidence and that I just had enough and snapped. That would be a no. I planned it all. I started doing my research on custody laws in our state at the age of eleven. Until then, I didn’t know there was such a thing as a minor choosing which parent they wanted to live with.
I overheard a conversation between Mom and one of her friends, and that’s where the idea was planted. I did my research for a couple of years and gathered all the evidence I needed. Pictures of the bruises Janice would leave.
Recordings of her screaming vile abuse at me and my Mom while her spawn cackled in the background. I went that route because I didn’t want to hear my Mom crying in her bed alone at night because of something my father had done or said.
I didn’t want her wasting her money going to court only to have to send me back there again, so I bided my time. Dad still claims to this day that he has no idea, but he’s still married to her, so his word means nothing in the scheme of things.