Chapter 3

She didn't notice I was standing behind her. She just kept on doing her own thing, completely absorbed in it.

I watched as she poured filthy, dark oil into the pan and then tossed in vegetables still caked with dirt.

She was cooking with grease scraped from the kitchen vent hood.

I rushed forward and turned off the stove.

"Doris! Saving money doesn't mean poisoning people! That stuff causes cancer!"

She jumped, startled by my sudden movement, then rolled her eyes with a sneer.

"Cancer, my foot. You've been eating it for a whole month, haven't keeled over yet."

I stood frozen, barely believing what I just heard.

"What did you say?"

She looked at me with disdain, her gaze slicing into me. Her words made my brain go blank.

I'd been working myself to the bone every day, only for her to fry my food in vent grease?

Rage surged through me like a fireball straight to my skull.

I couldn't hold it in any longer—I stormed out the front door.

"Emily?"

My younger brother, Ryan, stood outside, holding a gift bag in his hands, apparently on his way to visit.

He looked puzzled. I was so furious that I didn't even greet him, just grabbed his arm.

"I'm going home for a few days."

The moment the words left my mouth, Doris came strolling out of the apartment.

Her sharp, bitter expression was replaced with a fake smile.

"Ryan! Come on in!"

Ryan smiled politely and greeted her.

Looking at her phony face made my stomach churn.

"You coming or not?" I snapped at my brother.

He nodded quickly, set the gift down on the ground, and let me drag him off.

Once we got in the car, he glanced at me through the rearview mirror, concern written all over his face.

"What happened?"

My chest was heaving. I told him everything—how she'd been feeding me with used grease and the way she treated me.

Ryan fell silent for a long time, then sighed.

It was the holidays, so traffic was heavy.

By the time we got home, it was already dark.

I opened the car door, but before I could get both feet on the ground, Doris shoved me hard.

She had somehow tracked us down, and she wasn't alone. A group of grim-looking middle-aged men surrounded our car.

She grinned at me with a twisted look.

"There she is! Grab her!"

My heart dropped. Ryan tried to lunge forward, but two men pinned him back.

I stared at the men inching closer, shouting.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Doris gave a snort.

"Like it even matters if you stay loyal to my son—he's gone. If you really want to be a good daughter-in-law, you'll marry Old Earl. He's offering ten grand cash!"

My eyes widened in disbelief.

Before I could react, a cloth was shoved over my face.

A strong chemical smell rushed up my nose. My head spun, and everything went black.

When I woke up, I was in a bed.

A man in his sixties or seventies was hunched over me, leering.

"From now on, you're my wife," he said, moving in to kiss me.

Disgust surged through me. I raised my knee and drove it hard into his gut.

I'd taken a few self-defense classes. Normally, I wasn't sure I could overpower a grown man.

But someone like Earl? No problem.

I threw him off in seconds, scrambled up, fixed my clothes, and dialed a number.

Then I bolted downstairs and flagged a cab.

By the time I got home, my parents had arrived with backup—my uncles, cousins, big guys with tools and tempers.

I kept calling Doris's phone, but she didn't answer.

When everyone was gathered, I looked at the house lit up like nothing was wrong.

I raised my arm and gave the signal.

We stormed in.

Just outside the door, I heard Ryan's voice and hers.

Something felt wrong.

I motioned for the rest to stay back, then pushed the door open with my parents at my side.

What I saw made my blood run cold.

Doris was half-naked, sprawled on top of Ryan, grinding against him like a lunatic.

Ryan was tied up at wrists and ankles, face flushed red with shame and horror.

I was shaking, gasping for air. I lunged forward, yanked her off him, and slapped her across the face hard.

That was when the rest of the family burst in.

I couldn't take it anymore. Every nerve in my body was screaming.

I didn't care about any promise I'd made to Jack.

"Drag this filth out of here! If she dies, I'll take the blame!"