My Mother Killed Me For Her Stepdaughter novel Chapter 3

Mom whirled on me, eyes blazing. Before I could react, she slammed my head against the floor.

"Apologize to Bethany, right now!"

My vision went blurry, pain exploding in my skull. "I didn't... hospital..."

"Still lying!" She dragged me to the basement, flinging me inside. "You need to learn your lesson, you ungrateful little..."

I grabbed at her, desperate, but she just slapped me again and again until I went limp.

The basement reeked of mildew and something worse. Mom wrinkled her nose. "Think about what you've done. You can come out when you're ready to apologize."

The heavy metal door clanged shut, sealing me in the darkness.

I was going to die.

No. I was only thirteen. I wanted to go to college, find my real parents, ask them why they'd abandoned me.

I crawled to the door, hammered on it with my fists. "Mom! Help me! Mom!"

Silence.

My non-existent stomach twisted. Family. Right.

That night, snuggled up to Frank, Mom sighed. "I never thought we'd get a second chance."

Frank stroked her hair. "It was our youthful indiscretion, my love. My fault you couldn't have more kids."

"It's okay. Bethany's enough. She's the love of our lives."

Hold up. What?