Chapter 6
“Your room is so clean and organized and I’m a complete opposite of all that. Yet you let me sleep here,” I continued. “You even care enough to notice when I overuse my brain. Anyway, since you treat me well, I’ll treat you well too. That’s what my parents taught me.”
By parents, I meant my adoptive parents, the Lutz.}
“What’s gonna happen now?” Alden asked. “Mom and Dad controlled every aspects of my life. I-“}
“Forget about them,” I interrupted.
“If you want, I can take you somewhere no one will ever control you again,” I said it with absolute certainty.”
Alden opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but ended up swallowing the words.
I really wanted to know what he was thinking, but I didn’t know how to ask.
***
Alden woke me up the next morning. He had slept next to me, but nothing happened. Honestly, I had both the guts and the dirty mind for it, but I was just too exhausted. I passed out the second my head hit the pillow.
After washing up, we went downstairs.
Lheld Alden’s hand tightly–the sight of us together was sure to kill any lingering dreams my biological parents had about forcing Alden into a marriage.}
Their faces darkened the moment they saw us.
Especially dad. As soon as Alden sat down, he snapped, “Alden, you’re fired from your position at the company. And I’m cutting off your credit cards too.”
Mom chimed in sweetly, “Sweetheart, just listen to your dad. Agree to the marriage. We all know that Sherrie was just acting.”
They weren’t completely stupid, apparently. They could see through that act.”
Dad added, “Alden, without your position, you’ll lose all your face in the business world. Without your cards, you’ll lose the luxury you’ve always lived with. Are you really ready for that?“}
Alden kept his head down, quietly eating his breakfast without saying a word–his silence was his rebellion.}
I rummaged through my pockets, pulled out a card and slid it in front of him. “Use this. Spend it on whatever you want,” I said casually.
Celia couldn’t hold back a snort. “Sherrie, you’re a country folks. How much money could you possibly have? Your adoptive parents worked in the mines, aren’t they? No offense, but what kind of money can a bunch of dirty miners have?“>
I shot her a cold look and said, “Those ‘dirty miners‘ you’re talking about are your real parents, Celia.”}
Celia’s face froze, then she quickly said, “Blood doesn’t matter as much as love!“}
She turned to Mom and Dad and said, “Mom, Dad, in my heart, you’ll always be my real parents.“}
They nodded approvingly, but I could see the contempt in their eyes.
Because seriously–if someone can turn their back on their birth parents, who’s going to believe they’ll care about anyone else?}
My heart ached for my adoptive parents. They had really hoped Celia would come back to them.
Celia turned to me again. “But Sherrie, you’re a Spencer now. The future of the family rests on us. You should start pulling your weight too –just let Alden go through with the marriage.”}
I stared her down and said, “When I get tired of talking, I start throwing punches. Don’t test me, or you’ll see if I mean it.”
She must have remembered yesterday’s kick because she shut up immediately.
And Mom and Dad didn’t defend her either.
I could tell–even if they didn’t like me much, they cared about me.
Because I was the true Spencer heir, the one carrying their bloodline.}
My adoptive parents had warned me: families like the Spencer, with deep, tangled roots, care about blood above all else.
After breakfast, mom and dad offered to drive me to school.
But Celia jumped in quickly, “Mom, Dad, I know the school better. Let me take Sherrie. Save you from all the troubles.“>
1:01 PM ·
C
