CHAPTER 117

  "Mother, I said it's all my fault, no one should blame her for what happened!" Alonso was fast to interrupt when I made to speak up, which I was grateful for.

  "You are so shameless, Alonso! I don't care if you cajoled her into agreeing to such absurdity with you, she is still to blame as you!" Theresa blared, her nose flaring as she faced me.

  I was quivering, still keeping back the tears stinging the back of my eyes from falling. I knew this would happen. It's playing out just the way I had imagined it.

  Then in the blink of an eye, Paisley stood from her chair, hissed loudly, and stormed out of the room, her countenance promising death.

  At this point, I was wishing the ground would open and I would fall inside. That was when I felt Alfred's hand on mine underneath the table. My first instinct was to snatch my hand off his but I was emotionally mushed and needed that comfort even though it was coming from the last person I wanted it from.