Before I could say another word, one of the girls stepped forward and kicked me hard.
"Shut your mouth! Do you think you’re worthy to call our Maggie by name?" she snarled, her eyes blazing with contempt.
She raised a whip, poised to strike when Margaret suddenly stopped her. Her gaze locked on me, sharp and suspicious.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded.
Realizing I hadn’t mistaken her identity, I straightened up, summoning a shred of confidence.
"Because I’m Brenda’s brother!" I declared firmly.
"Let me go now, or if my sister finds out, you won’t get away with this!"
The moment Brenda’s name escaped my lips, Margaret’s demeanor shifted. Her tense posture eased, but her sneer deepened.
"You? Brenda’s brother?" she scoffed. "Do you have a death wish, impersonating someone like that?"
Panic surged through me.
"I’m serious! I’m her real brother, Orson Martin!" I insisted desperately. "I’m not lying!"
Margaret stepped closer, her fingers wrapping tightly around my neck. Her sneer was ice-cold as she said, "Brenda’s surname is different from yours. How does that make you her brother?"
"You must think we’re fools!"
I quickly explained, desperation tightening my throat.