I slammed the door shut, but my gaze drifted back to the photo on the floor. The back of the picture was covered with neat, delicate handwriting. It was Margarette’s handwriting—so familiar, so unexpected.
“Marla rolled over for the first time today! Her smile is so beautiful!”
“My Marla is growing up. She looks so cute learning Taekwondo with the coach.”
“Marla said she hated me today. It hurt, but I know I’ve been too hard on her. One day, she’ll learn the truth about who she really is. Without real strength, no one can survive in the dangerous world of the Gregory family.”
I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My hands shook as I turned to the last page of the album.
“Marla, Holley, my daughters, I won’t live to see you get married…”
Suddenly, the rumors I had heard came flooding back.
The head of the Gregory family, Alexander, was always surrounded by scandal. While his wife, Amanda, who came from a humble background, silently endured her days. One day, a mistress confronted her, and in a fit of anger, Amanda pushed her, causing the mistress to miscarry.