Chapter 2

My words shut everyone up. After a second, Miranda comes up to me, kneels down, and slaps me hard.

“Hold her down! You little bitch, how dare you  hit me! So what if your last name is Jones?  Plenty of people have the last name of  Jones!”

“What are you doing? Hold her down. I want  to show her what happens if she messes with  me.”

The guards grab my shoulders and pull me  up. Someone kicks the back of my knee. It  hurts, and I fall to the floor.

Scott comes up to Miranda, looking down at  me.

“So what if your last name is Jones? We’ve been engaged for so long. What do you even do? So what you have a little money.”

“You can’t be compared to Miranda. You should be  thankful that you can even marry me. Ask around before acting like you’re the big  shot.”

“Your dad still loves his wife, so Miranda doesn’t have the Jones name and uses her  mom’s last name, Williams.”

“Just because you  share a last name doesn’t mean you can  pretend to be her, Chelsea. You’re so clueless!”

My mom was killed when I was five. My dad has been protective of me ever since. Everyone thinks I’m studying in a different country.

Even Scott last time didn’t even know my real  identity until after we got married. So it’s  normal that he doesn’t know now.

As for following the mom’s last name, that’s absurd. My dad is in love with my mom, that is right. But he didn’t remarry and built his business empire.

I still have the Jones name. Miranda crosses her arms and spits on me. She commands the guards.

“Hold her down.”

Miranda pulls out a Swiss Army knife. She starts rubbing the blade, looking at me evilly.

“If you behave, I’ll let you have the party. But you mess with me, and I’ll mess with you.”

I try to struggle. I need to stall.  My dad will come to the party. I just need to hold on until he shows up. I look up at Scott.

“It’s our engagement party. What will you tell everyone if she hurts me!”

Scott doesn’t even look at me. Instead, he kisses Miranda.

“It’s just to announce the engagement. You don’t have to be here. I’ll explain it to my  grandad.”

“I suggest you listen. Otherwise, if you tick off  Miranda, you’ll never be able to marry me!”

Scott fixes his suit and walks out, locking the  door behind him. Miranda stands with the knife by my face.

“Your face is pretty. If it gets messed up, how will you seduce other men?”

As Miranda speaks, my face starts to hurt. I see my dress has red blood coming from my  face. I try to pull away.

“Miranda! You’ll regret messing with me.”

“What about a man? Scott is trash. I don’t  want him…”

Miranda smashes an ashtray on my head, and I pass out a little. I hear Miranda.

“Scott? He just does whatever I want. I’ll play with him. But I am not going to marry him. I  am a Jones. He is just a Scott!”

“Be quiet! Someone stop her from talking!”

I don’t see what is happening, but I have trash in my mouth. Miranda kneels down to see my face.

“Which hand hit me? Your right hand, right?”