3: 3
After the meal, some of the relatives paired off for card games, others huddled together to gossip.
The whole time it felt like they were picking me apart behind my back.
I went upstairs to find my parents and set them straight. There was no way I would agree to date Jordan Whitney.
"Sister-in-law, you saw it yourself, didn't you? The girl's got her heart set elsewhere. A gold bracelet worth thousands, handed right to her, and he never once said it had to be a done deal first."
"Free gold, and your daughter won't take it. She should think about giving it to her own mother, showing a little gratitude."
"Sister-in-law, listen to me. Get an engagement locked down for little Sophie now, or once she's off at school and her wings are strong, you won't get a thing out of her."
"You can't raise a grown girl for nothing!"
I couldn't stand at the door and listen to any more of it. I kicked it open.
"Belinda Fox, you eat too much garbage or something? All that comes out of your mouth is crap!"
She jumped, then went straight to shrieking, jabbing a finger in my face.
I screamed right back at her.
She looked ready to hit me, and I wasn't the least bit scared of her.
My mother slapped me across the face.
"Is that any way to talk to your aunt?!"
The tears came and I couldn't stop them.
Belinda spat.
"Ha! All those books rotting in your dog's belly, and now you've got the nerve to talk back to an elder. You ungrateful little thing. Turn your back on the people who fed you and I hope a car runs you down the second you step outside!"
"If you hadn't scored into an Ivy, you really think anyone would've looked at you twice?"
"If I hadn't gone and made this connection, who would even know your name?!"
She hadn't expected me to fire back, and it left her shaking with rage. She swore up and down she wouldn't lift a finger to help with my mess.
My mother was the one who panicked then, telling me to apologize to my aunt.
I stiffened my neck and refused.
She grabbed the back of my neck and forced my head down.
"I told you to apologize to your aunt. Did you hear me?!"
"Sophia Fox, are you saying you don't want me for a mother anymore?!"
I bit down until my mouth bled, and squeezed out the word sorry.
Seeing me pinned under my mother, Belinda pressed a hand to her chest, playing it up like I'd worked her into a heart attack.
My father and the others heard the commotion and came running.
When he heard Belinda's version, that I'd cursed her out, his face went dark, but he didn't raise a hand.
He'd never once hit me my whole life.
Between the two of them, my mother with her sons-over-daughters mind, my father was the one who came off as the softer on me.
My father said:
"No matter what, you don't get to call your aunt by her name, and you sure as hell don't get to curse at her!"
I was too choked with hurt to speak, my throat like it had a hand around it.
My father's heart gave, and he turned to Belinda.
"If she doesn't want to, then let it go."
Belinda said:
"This isn't for her to decide!"
"You won't think of yourself, fine, but you'd better think of your little brother. Do you have any idea how many people would kill to marry into the Whitney family?!"
My father fell silent.
Then he tried to talk me around.
"Sophie... it's only an engagement, not the wedding right away. If it really doesn't work out, you can break it off later..."
Me: "I won't agree to it!"
My mother snapped:
"Sophia Fox, what is there to be unhappy about? Where is he beneath you? Don't think getting into an Ivy makes you something special!"
My brother chimed in from the side.
"Right. The guy's worth hundreds of millions. Him even looking at you is a favor. You really think a fancy degree makes you special? You'll graduate and end up grinding away as somebody's mule in the big city like everyone else!"
I glared at him.
And saw the brand-new iPhone in his hands, the one he was playing with.
"Who said you could touch that!"
I lunged to grab it and my mother shoved me back.
"I said he could!"
"Sophia Fox, your father and I did not have it easy putting you through school. If you have any conscience at all, you'll think about us for once!"
