That night, Yvonne had gone out alone to dig through the trash, finally finding the shredded toy. She had held it in her arms and cried for hours.


    Thinking of Yvonne''s pain, Yvonne''s gaze on Joseph turned ice-cold. She stepped into the room and locked the door behind her.


    "Hey, what are you locking the door for?" Joseph asked, confused.


    “To discipline an unruly dog, of course," Yvonne replied with a chilling smile, her eyes like a wolf sizing up its prey. She picked up a feather duster from the corner of the desk and brought it down hard on Joseph''s backside.


    The sharp crack of the duster against his skin was followed by a piercing scream.


    "Aah!"


    The vi had good soundproofing. Yvonne didn''t hold back. She may have been an only child, but she had plenty of younger cousins she''d kept in line growing up. She knew how to handle a brat like Joseph.


    "You witch! How dare you hit me! I''ll get you for this... Ah! Ow! Oww!"


    "Such a filthy mouth for someone so young. Say one more word," Yvonne warned, the duster whistling through the air with increasing speed.


    Joseph''s bottom stung with a fiery pain. His curses quickly turned into tearful pleas for mercy. "I''m sorry! I''m sorry, sister! Please stop!"


    as


    Yvonne, her arm growing tired, finally tossed the duster aside and released him. Joseph, his behind swollen and red, limped quickly to the door. Once he thought he safe, he turned and red at her. "You just wait, you witch! I''m telling Mom and Dad! They''ll beat you to a pulp!"


    "Go ahead," Yvonne said, her arms crossed,pletely unfazed by his threats. “But


    I should warn you, tattling will only earn you a much worse beating."


    She emphasized the words "worse beating," and the threat clearly hit home. Joseph scrambled away, his short legs carrying him as fast as they could.


    That evening, the whole family was home. Teresa nearly burst into tears


    bruised backside. Jeffrey


    when she saw her yo


    immediately got the first-aid kit and began applying ointment white Joseph wailed, recounting Yvonne''s supposed crimes.


    "Yvonne probably didn''t mean it,” Queena said, seemingly defending her but actually fanning the mes. "She wouldn''t have hit him so hard otherwise. Joseph is her brother not her enemy


    “She did mean it! That witch is not my sister! Queena is my only sister!" Joseph shrieked.


    "Yvonne is cold-blooded," Jeffrey added. "No matter how nice we are to her, she''ll never see us as family."


    Just as Yvonne came downstairs, George, in a fit of rage, threw his teacup at her. She sidestepped instinctively. The cup shattered against the wall, sending porcin shards and hot tea everywhere.


    "You''re worse than an animal! How could youy a hand on your own brother?” George roared.


    "Yvonne, why did you hit him? How could you be so cruel? You''ve disappointed me


    so much," Teresa added, her voice filled with reproach.


    Yvonne nced at them coolly. “I didn''t hit him. He''s lying.”