Chapter 3

3

The two of them were kissing the moment they stepped through the door. But when they saw the funeral decorations in the living room, they stopped.

Tamsin let out a scream and hid in Dad's arms.

Dad looked at Mom's photo, his face turning pale and then red with rage.

"Margot Sterling, get out here right now! Have you lost your mind just because you're jealous? Why the hell did you turn the house into this?"

"You're making our child play along with a fake funeral! Haven't you had enough?"

Tamsin stared at the photo, her brow furrowing.

"Margot knows she's lost her looks, so she had to use an old photo!"

Dad suddenly grabbed the framed photo of Mom and smashed it onto the floor.

"You think you can just glare at me? I'll smash this piece of trash!"

Dad looked terrifying. I was shaking all over.

I said in a small, trembling voice:

"Daddy, Mommy is dead. She's sleeping in that little box. She can't come out anymore."

SLAP!

Dad gave me a stinging blow to the face. I fell to the floor.

"Margot, get the hell out here! Look at what you've taught our daughter! She's full of lies and manipulation, just like you!"

"If you don't show yourself right now, pack your bags and get out of this house!"

The villa was eerily quiet. The only sound was the distant neighing of the chestnut stallion in the stables.

Dad turned around and saw the saddle in the corner.

It was the same saddle from before. I hadn't even touched it, but Tamsin had insisted I broke it.

That was why Dad got so angry at Mom and made her play the sled game.

Tamsin spoke up. "It's all that woman's fault. If she hadn't put the kid up to it, my brand-new saddle wouldn't be ruined."

Dad picked up the saddle and started hitting me with it.

The heavy leather kept slamming into me, tearing my skin.

"Daddy, it hurts..."

"Daddy, I didn't break the saddle..."

"Daddy, Mommy... she's really dead..."

Seeing me cowering only made Dad angrier.

"You still have the nerve to lie! You're teaming up with your mother to trick me, even faking a death! If I don't give you a proper beating today, my name isn't Sterling!"

WHAM!

The saddle hit me so hard it actually split in two.

Tamsin frowned. "I can't believe the quality of these imported saddles is so poor. What a waste of money."

Dad roared, "Margot! Are you still not coming out? You used to be so protective of her. Are you really going to let her take a beating just for your little act?"

I whispered weakly, "Daddy, Mommy... she's really dead. That trainer lady killed her..."

Dad froze for a second, then picked up half of the broken saddle and kept hitting me.

"Still lying! And now you're dragging Tamsin into this? Did your mother teach you to say that?"

"I told you I'd be back for our anniversary. Are you really that insecure?"

"Your health is too poor for another round of IVF. I just wanted a son, and I did it all for your sake. How can you be so selfish?"

CLATTER!

The broken piece of the saddle flew out of Dad's hand and smashed into my pink crystal case.

"Mommy!"

I crawled toward it. The crystal case was sturdy and hadn't shattered yet.

"Daddy, please don't hurt Mommy anymore!"

Dad picked me up by my collar. "What did you say?"

I hugged the crystal case containing Mom as tight as I could. "Daddy, Mommy's sleeping. Please don't wake her up."