Chapter 7 Vincent deliberately avoided Alicia's eyes . warning glare , then disappeared into his study He shot Mira a wa No matter how desperately Alicia stood there , struggling and silently pleading for help , he acted as if she didn't exist . This was his punishment - he was convinced Alicia had brought the cookies just to provoke Mina Miras lips curled into a smirk .

She and Cecilia and Henry shared a laugh - sharp , jarring , cruel , the kind of laughter that only devils would make " Why don't you come sit with us , sweetheart ? Mina's tone remained gentle , smiling as she beckoned Alicia over But Alicia couldn't move at all . Her legs felt like they were filled with lead , her mind spinning with memories of how these three had tormented her back in school . " Hey , isn't this Alicia ?

Our little prom queen …" Henry's voice dripped with sarcasm as he spoke . Mina's face lit up in mock surprise . " Oh , you're all classmates ? Well , then , I'm sure you'll get along just fine . Alicia stood.frozen , her only coherent thought : Run . !! * Mina " Alicia's voice quivered . " I just remembered I have something urgent at home .

I'm so sorry , I need to go ." She spun around , desperate to escape , but her knees buckled after only a few steps and she fell hard to the floor " Let's see our old friend out " Mira said , already getting up and leading the others toward her . Alicia wanted to run - God , she wanted to run - but her body wouldn't respond . Fear paralyzed her , not just fear of them , but of everything . shed ever been through . " What's wrong ? Can't get up ?

" Henry grabbed the back of Alicia's collar and yanked her roughly to her feet . " Don't tell me our prom queen's going to wet herself again_ Alicia hung her head , the deafening ring in her left ear making her dizzy , her face pulled tight with shame . She tried to break free , but she couldn't . She never could . " Vincent's getting married , and it's to my sister , " Henry sneered , draping an arm around Alicia's shoulders and dragging her toward the door .

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" So what's it called when you chase after your own brother - in - law , huh ? " ! I Alicia knew Henry didn't need a reason to torment her . He'd been relentless since their first day at university , when he'd tried to hit on he and shed rejected him in front of everyone . Back then , Alicia didn't know what it meant to catch a devil's eye From that day , it became her nightmare .

Henry used her refusal as justification to strip her in public , take humiliating photos , burn her with cigarette butts , sic Mira and Cecilia on her , lock her in a trunk , force her to sleep in public bathrooms . If she refused , they'd threaten to get her expelled , or worse , go after the kids at the orphanage where she grew up . She was the only one from the orphanage to make it to college - their hope , the one shining example . She couldn't afford to be expelled .

So even when they made her swallow nails , she forced them down . " Say something ! Cecilia snapped , kicking Alicia to the ground and glaring at her in disgust . " What's your problem , huh ? Vincent doesn't want you , can't you get that through your head ? If you keep acting up , there's nothing stopping us from shutting down that pathetic little orphanage of yours ! " Alicia sprawled in the grass , brushing dirt off her clothes . She had to wear this outfit tonight to meet Mr.

Lynch - she'd wanted to make a good impression That hope was gone now . " What you deaf and mute now ? " Cecilia slapped her hard across the face . A maid passed by in the backyard , saw everything , and kept walking , pretending she hadn't seen a thing . Everyone here knew the rules : the golden children of the house could do whatever they wanted to Alicia Alicia never spoke , never begged for mercy . She just sat there , stubborn and silent , taking whatever cruelty they dished out .

Once , Henry had asked her what she was thinking , sitting there so stubbornly while they hit her . Alicia never answered . ? But the truth was , every ery time , she thought about ending it all - dying , taking the three of them with her . If she really wanted to , she could kill them ; it wouldn't even be that hard . But every time the thought crossed her mind , another always followed : If she died , who would look after those unwanted kids at the orphanage ?