“You’ve got it all wrong, I’m…”
424
She shoved the bat in my mouth, twisted it.
Pain ripped through my gums and teeth, and the taste of blood filled my throat. I choked and spat out a mouthful of red.
“Wrong, my ass! Don’t think I don’t know you
conned Tony into buying you this mansion! You think I am stupid?”
“You know I’m marrying Tony, and you come
back trying to steal him from me.
She kicked me in the ribs, sending me
sprawling. My head smacked against the edge
of the coffee table, cracking it open.
I was furious and terrified. Gulping down the
blood, I blurted out, “You really have the wrong
idea! I’m Tony’s sister!”
<
7:44
“A sister, like a good little nun?” Brittany laughed sarcastically.
424
One of her goons leaned in and whispered. “I
did hear the boss had a sister out of the
country, but nobody’s ever seen her. Something about the accident…”
Brittany sneered at my face. “Sister, my ass!
She doesn’t look anything like Tony!”
Just then, a woman walked in
–
Tony’s right-
hand woman, Frankie!
She’s been with Tony forever. She’d recognize me!
“Frankie, help me! It’s me, Amy!”
Frankie did a double–take. “Who the hell is
this? How does she know me?”
Frankie was hesitant but before I could finish
>
7:44
424
Frankie was hesitant, but before I could finish, Brittany smacked me hard across the mouth
with the bat again. I clutched my bleeding
mouth, unable to speak.
“Just a little tart who heard us talking. Trying to get a leg up.”
Frankie shook her head. “No, she said she was
Amy. Only family calls her that. This doesn’t make sense.”
She hurried to me, grabbed my face, studying me hard.
“Doesn’t look like Tony’s sister.”
My heart sank. This was my new face, the one
she hadn’t seen.
“Wait a minute! She got major surgery in
Europe, didn’t she? Changed her whole face?”
<
7:44
424
never let anyone touch me, and he would have their hands hacked off if he saw this.
Frankie was still cautious. “Why beat her up
this bad? What if she really is his sister?”
Brittany smiled weakly and offered her a cigarette.
“Relax. We are getting married. He will forgive me for being protective.”
Frankie nodded, taking the cigarette. “True.”
They grabbed my wallet.
Brittany snatched it open and laughed. “See? I knew it!
Frankie peered over her shoulder and said, “Jennifer Smith.”
Then she flipped to my college ID, “Jennifer
<
7:45
Smith. Not Amy.”
My heart went ice–cold.
42
After the accident, Tony had my name and records changed, even moving the address of where I lived.
He hadn’t told anyone. I wasn’t a Smith, I was supposed to be Amy Costello, and I was his baby sister.
