Chapter 3
Chapter 3
When Stella got home from the ER, only Ivy was there.
As soon as she walked in, Ivy was leaning against the stair railing with this fake-concerned look.
Stella! I heard you were sick today. If I’d known, I totally wouldn’t have called Ryan over. He’s so dumb ometimes leaving you when you’re sick just to come comfort me. What was he thinking?”
tella almost rolled her eyes.
ver since she’d moved back in with the Reeds, Ivy had been passive-aggressive as hell, taking every shot
he could.
And knowing full well that Stella and Ryan had history, she still swooped right in when he lost his memory.
efore, Ivy’s little digs would’ve cut deep. But now that Stella was planning to leave, and with her fever still aging, she didn’t have the energy for Ivy’s drama.
he dodged Ivy’s fake comforting touch and headed straight for the stairs.
But Ivy wouldn’t let it go: “Hey, Stella, why are you ignoring me?”
vy grabbed her shirt, and Stella’s patience finally snapped: “Let go.”
hey tugged for like two seconds, then suddenly Ivy let out this piercing scream.
One moment Ivy was gripping her shirt, the next she was falling backward down the stairs.
he sound of her body tumbling down the steps mixed with Ryan’s furious voice behind them.
Stella! What the hell did you do to Ivy?!”
Both sounds hit Stella at the same time.
She spun around to see Ryan already rushing to scoop Ivy into his arms, holding her like she was made of glass.
Ivy’s eyes filled with tears as she buried her face in Ryan’s chest: “Ryan, I don’t know why Stella pushed me. I just asked if she was feeling better today… Did I do something wrong?”
Before Stella could say a word, Mr. and Mrs. Reed walked into the foyer and heard everything.
Mr. Reed exploded: “Stella, I get that you’re jealous Ivy’s been part of this family for so long, but we’ve
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The Last Toxi L Cout MY L
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Chapter 3
treated you well since you came back. Why do you keep picking on her?”
Mrs. Reed started crying.
“Poor Ivy never got to grow up with her real parents. You have us now, Stella, but what does Ivy have? Even if she wasn’t perfect, couldn’t you just be the bigger person for our sake?”
The three of them stood there ganging up on her, like they were the real family and she was some outsider.
These were her biological parents, and they automatically took Ivy’s side every damn time.
she wanted to say she didn’t push Ivy. She wanted to say she had nothing either. She wanted to tell them about being kidnapped and sold, about her foster parents treating her like garbage every single day.
But she opened her mouth and nothing came out.
She looked at Ryan out of habit – whenever she felt lost, she’d always turned to him.
But his eyes were ice-cold, full of disgust.
That one look sent chills through her entire body.
She realized nobody in this room believed her. Not one person.
Their eyes met and Ryan’s jaw clenched, his voice dripping with contempt.
Stella, I can’t believe you’d do something this twisted.”
Those words hit like a punch to the gut.
he flashed back to Ryan holding her tight, whispering: “Whatever happens, I’ve got you. All that crap from your childhood? It stops here, with me.”
Now he was the one tearing her apart.
The three people who were supposed to love her most were all teaming up with Ivy against her.
Between this nightmare day and her fever spiking, Stella’s face was burning and her head felt like it was gonna explode.
Her chest was so tight she could barely breathe.
She swayed on her feet, voice barely a whisper.
“I didn’t push her.”
tapter 3
hat just pissed them off more. Ryan’s voice turned vicious.
stella, you were the only one down here with Ivy. Who else would it be? If we hadn’t walked in, what were ou gonna do next?”
e wasn’t even letting her talk.
‘hen Stella realized it was hopeless, she gave up and headed for the stairs.
he was barely staying upright, about to face-plant any second.
- Reed’s nasty voice followed her up: “This attitude at her age – zero class. Honestly, if she wasn’t my ological kid, I never would’ve brought her home. Ivy’s our real daughter.”
- Reed nodded along: “I mean, Ivy’s been with us since she was little.”
ght before her vision went fuzzy, Stella made it to her room.
e slammed the door, cutting off their toxic BS.
nally quiet. Just her and this crushing pain eating her alive.
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The Last Text I Sent My Ex: “Rot in That Wheelchair. I’in Off to Marry a Better Man”
