George couldn''t lie to defend Queena, so he remained silent, his face a cold mask.


    Teresa, however, sighed in disbelief. "Queena, why would you try to frame your sister?"


    "I... I..." Queena stammered, at a loss for words. Her tried-and-true trick had failed.


    Yvonne smirked. "Queena, if you had the guts to jump from the roof, I might actually respect you. But a few stairs? You can only fool idiots with that."


    George, Teresa, Jeffrey, and Joseph all flinched, feeling the insult hit its mark.


    With no other options, Queena burst into tears. "I''m sorry! Mom, Dad, Jeffrey, I''m so sorry! I was just so scared." She sobbed, her face pale and pitiful. "I was afraid that when my sister came back, you wouldn''t love me anymore. I love you all so much. I don''t want to lose you..."


    With a final, dramatic gasp, Queena''s eyes rolled back, and she copsed as if she had fainted from grief.


    "Queena!" George cried out, catching her in his arms.


    "Queena, what''s wrong? Don''t scare me like this!" Teresa''s own eyes filled with tears. Jeffrey and Joseph crowded around, their faces full of worry.


    Queena slowly came to in George''s embrace, her eyes glistening as she looked at her concerned family. "Mom, Dad, I was wrong. Can you forgive me? I don''t want to


    lose you."


    "My dear child, stop crying," George said, his voice filled with pain as he squeezed her hand. "It''s our fault. We didn''t give you enough security. Don''t be afraid, Queena. You will always be our most belovedo princess."


    Teresa nodded in agreement.


    Yvonne leaned against the wall, watching the tearful family drama with growing impatience. "Are you done with the melodrama?" she finally cut in.


    She walked over, yanked Queena out of George''s arms, and delivered two sharp ps across her face. Then, with a swift kick, she sent Queena tumbling down the stairs.


    "Ah! Mom, Dad, help!" Queena managed one shriek before she hit the wall at the bottom of thending, the impact knocking her out cold.


    "Yvonne, you animal! What are you doing?" George''s eyes zed with a murderous rage.


    "Yvonne, how could youy a hand on your sister? What is wrong with you?" Teresa clutched her chest, looking heartbroken.


    Yvonne swept a scornful gaze over


    them. "Queena used me of


    pushing her down the stairs. If I didn''t do it, I''d be taking the me for nothing. And I, Yvonne, don''t take haven''t


    He me for anything take


    done."


    "Yvonne, you''ve gone too far!" Jeffrey roared. He grabbed her arm roughly, as if he might throw her down the stairs himself. "Queena was just feeling insecure! This is all your fault you''re just jealous that she had the life you think you deserved, so you''re always picking on her."


    "So you all knew she took my ce," Yvonne retorted, yanking her arm free. "All those times you imed she was innocent, you were just pretending to be clueless!"


    She raised her hand and pped Jeffrey twice, hard, across the face. The force of the blows left him stunned.