However, very few people knew the whole story.


    Yelena''s mother was Ezra''s second wife. He had married her almost immediately after his first wife passed away. Three monthster, Yelena was born. Anyone with inside knowledge understood what that implied.


    Yelena detested the term "homewrecker" and lived in constant fear that someone would discover her mother had also been the other woman. So, she took out her frustrations on J. The more people who knew J was the daughter of a homewrecker, the more secure Yelena felt in her own position as a legitimate heiress.


    "I''ll say this onest time. My parents did nothing wrong," J said, clutching her backpack tightly as she tried to push past them. "Say one more word, and I''ll tear your mouths apart."


    She was already on edge from the past two days and was itching for a fight.


    "You dare!" Yelena scoffed. She wasn''t afraid of J. The girl was a nobody who had only gotten into Era High on a schrship. Everyone looked down on her for living in the slums. Now, all she had left was a broken home and a dying mother. If Yelena hadn''t been away at a training camp this semester, she would have crushed her long ago.


    "Yelena, I think a teacher ising this way," the girl with the bangs whispered nervously. "We should go."


    "You just wait," Yelena hissed, pointing a finger at J before storming off.


    "Yelena," Ynda said, hurrying after her. "The only reason J dares to talk back to you is because of my so-called wonderful stepsister."


    "Stepsister?" Yelena asked, turning her head.


    "Yes," Ynda said, her voice full of feigned grievance. "Ever since shended a rich boyfriend, she''s be so arrogant. And that J''s mother is her aunt."


    “Birds of a feather flock together. They''re all trash,” Yelena sneered. “I''ll find a time to put her in her ce. Otherwise, she might actually start believing that sharing the Wilcox name gives her a im to our family."


    "Exactly," Ynda nodded. “And don''t forget about Juniper.”


    The thought of someone else doing her dirty work made Ynda''s heart leap with joy.


    ...


    After searching everywhere, Melvin finally found J sitting forlornly under arge tree by the back gate. She was sitting quietly, her backpack op herp her eyes red and her ga?e fost in thought.


    "J." A wave of relief washed over Melvin as he strode toward her. "Why didn''t you answer your phone?"


    "Melvin?" J jumped, startled.


    She quickly rummaged through ker bag for her phone and saw that it was on silent she''d been ambushed by Yelena right after her exam and hadn''t had a chance to check it.


    “I''m sorry,” she mumbled, shrinking back slightly. She was a little afraid of Melvin;


    she was afraid of most adults, the way a student is afraid of a teacher.


    "Why are your eyes so red?" Her sudden apology made him feel ufortable. He softened his tone. "What happened?"


    "Nothing," J shook her head.


    She didn''t know how to exin it As


    far as Era City was concerned,


    her mother was a homewrecker, and she was the homewrecker so


    daughter.


    "Alright." Melvin frowned, not believing her for a second, but he didn''t press.


    "Juniper is waiting for you at the front gate. You should-"


    “Juniper''s here?" At the mention of her cousin''s name, J immediately grabbed


    her bag and hurried off,pletely forgetting he was even there.


    Melvin was left standing alone.