“How could this happen? I thought Joe and Maisy were in a relationship,” Samuel muttered, clearly disappointed.
“Enough,” Jeffrey snapped. His patience was wearing thin.
Maisy had once boasted to her friends about her plans to marry Joe Martin. She’d even shared the news in a group chat—hoping to stir envy. But instead, someone sent back a picture.
In it, Joe was standing beside Annie at John’s engagement party.
The Williams family hadn’t even been invited to that celebration.
They simply weren’t part of the elite social circles that people like John and Joe belonged to.
Maisy was humiliated.
“Where is Skylar?” Samuel huffed, checking the time. “It’s already past six. Why isn’t she here yet?”
The room was tense, heavy with unspoken frustration.
Meanwhile, Skylar had just arrived at the Williams residence. It had been just over a month since she left, but returning now felt surreal—like stepping into a dream that used to be a nightmare.
The housekeepers, who had always preferred her over Maisy, greeted her with quiet warmth.
One of them whispered kindly, “Ms. Williams, your parents are upstairs. You’re still family. If you just explain things, I’m sure they won’t be too harsh.”
Skylar had always treated the staff with dignity—never condescending like Maisy. They remembered that.
She gave the housekeeper a polite nod. “I’ll go up and see them.”
As she ascended the stairs, she turned on the voice recorder hidden inside her bag. She wasn’t taking chances this time.
When she reached Sadie’s bedroom door, she overheard Samuel’s voice.
“She doesn’t treat us like family,” he said harshly. “If she cared that Mom was sick, she’d be here already. She’d show concern—like any decent daughter would.”
Skylar scoffed inwardly. In her past life, after Sadie had become paralyzed in an accident, not one of them had shown true concern. They’d rush out of her room, covering their noses, complaining about the smell. And now they dared to act like they cared?
She stepped into view, standing right at the doorway.
“Do you even consider me part of this family?” Her voice was calm, but the sarcasm cut through the room like ice.
Everyone turned to stare at her in shock.
“I thought you’d never come back,” Samuel sneered.
“Wasn’t it you who had my mom call me, practically begging me to return?” Skylar said with a bitter smile. “If she hadn’t called, do you really think I’d ever step foot in this house again?”
Sadie’s heart twisted. The way Skylar said my mom—not Mom—stung more than she expected.
“Why is she being so aggressive?” Sadie wondered silently. “She used to be so obedient…”
“Skylar, please don’t say that,” Maisy chimed in with a soft voice. “You’re really upsetting Mom and Dad.”
The contrast between Maisy’s calm demeanor and Skylar’s sharp words made Samuel scowl even harder.
“Watch your mouth,” he snapped. “Don’t forget who your real mother is. Call her properly.”
Skylar’s eyes narrowed. “Samuel, most people use their brains to tell right from wrong. Yours seem to be reserved for maintaining double standards. Your darling sister calls someone else ‘Mom’ all the time—did she forget who her real mother is too?”
Samuel fell silent, unable to come up with a retort.
Maisy jumped in, flustered. “It’s not the same! How can your foster mom even compare to our mom?”
“You’re right. They’re not comparable at all,” Skylar said coldly. “The level of shamelessness is worlds apart. My mom is gentle, kind, and has never once used me like a pawn.”
Her voice was steady, but each word landed like a slap.
Maisy was speechless, her face burning with frustration.
And for the first time in a long while, the Williams family had no immediate response.
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