Chapter 84: A Failed Marriage
"Mom!" Emily screamed, tears streaking down her red cheek as she clutched it. Natalie had never even raised her voice at her before, and now she’d slapped her? All because of this wretched woman? She turned to glare at Evelyn, fury burning in her eyes, her pride refusing to vow an apology.
"Look at her," Avery scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "She still has the nerve to keep up that attitude."
"Emily, apologize!" Dominic snapped, his frustration evident in the tight control of his tone. He could no longer stand idly, committing the same mistakes as in the past. His mother had already caused enough havoc in Zevian’s life—he wouldn’t let Emily add to that pile.
"Why should I?" Emily shouted, her hot tears continuing to stream down her face. She turned toward her parents, her voice trembling with anger. "She’s the one who filled shit in Mom’s mind! She’s the reason you’re divorcing! It’s all her fault!"
"Girl, you better shut your mouth before I do it for you," Avery growled the urge to slap Emily again barely restrained. "Stop being such a selfish brat. You’re not a kid anymore, and it’s about time you understood why your parents want to divorce and what your mother’s been going through."
"Avery!" Rosalind grabbed her niece’s arm, trying to stop her from exploding any further. Emily might have deserved such a harsh wake-up call, but she was still just a child.
But Avery wasn’t stopping tonight. She thought Evelyn had ended everything for good but forgot about this pampered princess for whom Natalie endured the shit after Katherine’s death.
"Do you think your mom’s been happy in this nine fucking years of marriage? First, your grandma hounded her for not having children. When they finally realized it was because of Dominic, they quickly adopted you to save their faces"
Emily flinched at the words, already aware of her adoption when she was around three, but hearing it like this still stung.
"And then they tried forcing Zevian into marrying your aunt—only to plan his murder later on!" Avery spat, her anger flaring. "Sadly, your aunt Katherine died, and they immediately shifted the blame onto Natalie. If you hadn’t begged her to stay three years ago, she’d have left this toxic mess already. It’s all because of them so stop playing victim like your goddamn grandmother!"
Evelyn, listening quietly, felt a deep pang of sympathy for Natalie. She hadn’t known the full extent of what she had endured, and now her heart ached for her. These greys had caused so much damage to the Reign siblings—both Natalie and Zevian had been victims of their shitty manipulations.