Chapter 2

2 My stomach twisted into knots, but I kept my face blank. I took the cupcake, setting it aside.

"Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad."

My flat tone seemed to catch them off guard.

They were expecting me to be excited, I guess.

But they thought I was sick, so they dropped it.

Then I went and brought up the ten grand again.

"Hey, I'm really in a tight spot. I need it sooner than a month."

Their faces froze. I could see I had touched a nerve.

"Is that what the headache was all about?" Dad snapped, "Asking for money?"

"Didn't we tell you? We used it on the debt!"

Mom gave me a disappointed look.

"Jessica, what could you possibly need that much money for? Where are we supposed to get that kind of cash?"

"Who have you been hanging out with? You never used to be like this!"

Their lectures made me think of the necklace.

The pink diamond necklace. The diamonds were like sugar cubes.

I heard people gasp, whispering that it went for over ten million at auction.

Ten million dollars, a hundred times what I asked for.

But these same parents, who could drop that kind of cash, were acting like I'd committed some terrible crime just for asking for my money back.

I smiled, feeling utterly exhausted.

"Nevermind," I said, "Forget it."

I laid back down.

They exchanged a look, still frowning, but didn't say anything else.

The apartment went silent.

I couldn't sleep, listening to them whispering.

"Is she asleep?" Mom asked.

"Probably. I'll check."

I squeezed my eyes shut, pretending to be out cold.

Once they were sure I was asleep, they let their guard down.

"Ugh, how much longer do we have to live in this dump?"

"Hang in there. Just one more month, then it'll be three years. We can finally take Jess home."

"Do you think she'll be mad we kept it from her?"

"Why would she be mad?" Dad scoffed.

"Tons of people are clamoring to get into the LeBlanc family. If it weren't for Harper's little scheme, how could we be sure Jessica wanted us for real?"