Chapter 5

I stopped moping around and started acting normal.

Ryan's engagement might as well have been happening to a stranger.

I even called Daisy "sister-in-law" to her face.

She had a new outfit every day—either Ryan bought it or Mom took her shopping.

Maybe it was just me, but her belly seemed to be growing fast.

She insisted I walk with her. When we passed the neighborhood pond, she pulled my hand to her stomach:

"Feel that? Your nephew's kicking."

A bitter taste rose in my throat.

But then it hit me—Daisy wasn't as innocent as she seemed.

Before I could pull away, she whispered in my ear:

"Your boyfriend and your mom are *my* family now. They care more about me... and my baby."

"Oh, and your dad? He died for me. You wanna know what his last words were?"

That cut me to the core.

Before I could respond, Daisy dragged both of us into the pond.

The quiet neighborhood erupted into chaos.

Neighbors out for walks pulled us out of the water.

I coughed up water, my stomach heaving.

A stinging slap hit my face.

Mom, sobbing, kept hitting me:

"Scarlett, why can't you just let this go? Your father died saving her! How could you try to kill Daisy? What if something happened to her baby?!"

"What if something happened to you too? Do you want me to lose everything?!"

I screamed that I didn't do it.

But Ryan looked down at me, voice cold:

"Scarlett, I know you're jealous of Daisy. You think she stole me."

"But she's eight months pregnant! While she was carrying my child, you were trying to break us up! You need to apologize to her right now!"

His lies turned the crowd against me.

The neighbors had pitied me a second ago, but now they saw me as the homewrecker.

If I couldn't get out of this town, I'd be ruined.

I remembered Ryan holding my hand at Dad's funeral when I was seven, swearing he'd always protect me.

I remembered him getting seven stitches when he fought off my bullies in seventh grade.

Sixteen, picking me up from school, getting down on one knee with a soda tab ring, calling me his future wife.

All those memories were lies.

I laughed—a bitter, hollow sound.

Whatever. Why bother explaining?

Explanations are for people who care.

A month later, Mom and Ryan cooked a big dinner.

"It's Scarlett's birthday. We should smooth things over."

"Don't know why she's been so moody lately."

Daisy smiled, hand on her belly.

Ryan glanced at her, pausing mid-motion.

Something about her seemed different.

He dried his hands. "I'll go get Scarlett for dinner."

But when he opened her door, his smile froze.