Chapter 40
She smiled, calm and unhurried, before making her move. “Emma, if you admit that you worked with those traffickers to have me taken all those years ago, I’ll help you find your precious necklace. How about it?”
Only Emma understood what she really meant. In other words: admit what you did, and I’ll give back the thing you planted on me. It was both a threat and a deal.
Emma’s face flushed with panic and anger; her voice trembled. “I–I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ivy… I’ve explained myself so many times. I never met those people, I never helped them! How could you keep blaming me for something so awful?”
Baillie, still unconvinced, craned his neck and scanned the room, searching for any possible hiding place.
Hearing his little sister’s pitiful defense, he jumped in to back her up. “Ivy, this is ridiculous! Why would Emma ever do such a thing? She’s always been the good one, your little shadow since you were kids, looking up to you, defending you. How could she possibly be capable of something so cruel?”
Ivy’s reply was sharp, her words ringing with conviction. “Exactly because she’s always been my shadow. She could never measure up – always overlooked, always in my shadow. That kind of jealousy can twist a person. She wanted to get rid of me, so she could finally have her turn in the spotlight.”
The Windsors’ faces darkened. They didn’t believe a word.
“She thought that if I was gone, she’d finally get noticed, finally be the center of attention, adored by everyone in town, just like I used to be.” Ivy let out a cold, scornful laugh. “But let’s be honest – a barnyard hen can’t become a swan. I was gone for three years – did she ever amount to anything?”
“No! That’s not true!” Emma’s composure crumbled. She burst into tears, her voice ragged with desperation. “You’re accusing me of something I never did! I never tried to hurt you, I never wanted to replace you! Mom, Dad… I swear, I could never do something so horrible. You gave me everything, you adopted me and gave me this life – I’m grateful every single day. How could I possibly think something so twisted? What do you want me to do, Ivy – do I need to die just to prove I’m innocent?”
Watching her sister slip into yet another melodramatic performance, Ivy only smiled, her voice airy and dismissive. “Then go ahead. If you really have the guts to die for this, maybe then I’ll believe you’re innocent.”
“Ivy! That’s enough!” Adkins’s voice thundered through the room, cutting the tension with parental authority. “We’re trying to have a normal family, and you’re tearing it to pieces every day! If you want to live here, fine. If not, then leave! Just because you suffered for three years doesn’t mean the rest of us have to pay for it for the rest of our lives!”
Ivy listened to her father’s rebuke. She blinked, feeling the old ache welling up inside, and a cold smile curled her lips. “I’ve done nothing wrong, and yet somehow I’m always the one on trial.” She looked at her parents, anguish in her eyes. “Tell me – who’s really your daughter?”
Rosetta’s gaze faltered; guilt flickered across her face as she looked away.
Beside her, Emma was sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath, nearly collapsing. Rosetta’s heart ached for her youngest; she wrapped an arm around Emma, gently patting her back with a sigh. “Let’s just forget about tonight, okay? Come on, Emma…”
“But Mom, my necklace-” Emma choked out, tears streaming down her face, refusing to let the matter drop. She was determined – no matter what, she wouldn’t let Ivy get away with this. She needed to know where her necklace was. She needed to get it back.
Rosetta’s brow furrowed with worry. She was about to say something reassuring, but Ivy’s cool, distant voice cut through the air.
“Is this what you’re looking for?”