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Each word lashed out in a low hiss, striking her in the vulnerable parts of her psyche that had never completely healed from childhood, ripping them open to expose the feelings of inferiority, shame, ugliness, and that she would never be able to measure up to those she wanted to love her.

“Desmond is only using you for sex. It’s embarrassing you let him use you like a common whore. Dad said you’re even living in the apartment he keeps for his mistresses. You’re breaking your mother’s and father’s hearts! All of us have told them that they should completely disown you. They wouldn’t have come today if Dad hadn’t pressured them to. Anyway, Desmond will get tired of you in a couple of months, and then we can all go back not to seeing you again.”

“You all think I’m a whore for living in his apartment and don’t want anything to do with me, but it doesn’t affect the family’s relationship with Desmond?” she managed to choke out.

Amelia became even more cutting. “Boys will be boys.” Giving a dismissing wave to the photographer as he approached, Amelia continued without taking a break in her cruel ranting. “He’s just sowing his wild oats. It’s understood that he and I will be together once he’s ready to make a commitment and start a family.”

“He’s hasn’t told me that.”

“He wouldn’t, would he?” Amelia looked at her as if she was slow on the uptake, her face becoming even more condescending. “You were always such a brat, not understanding how these things work out when money is involved.”

“I understand. I was the one whom your father was determined to sell off to Gabriel,” she said caustically.

Far from being upset at the two men’s sickening plans for her, it fueled Amelia’s anger even more. “Which you even fucked that up, too.”

“You are aware he’s in prison and all his money has been confiscated by several different governments, right?”

“If you don’t think Gabriel didn’t plan for that eventuality, then you’re a bigger fool than I took you for.”

Haley’s instinct was to move away from her cousin, but she remained by her side. She had heard worse insults from Amelia, and if she wanted back into her family’s fold, she was going to have to let them bounce off her back. She needed to take any chance to find out any information that could benefit the people Gabriel had taken.

“You could have had it all. Instead, you’re at the beck and call of a man who will never put a ring on your finger.” Amelia gave her a contemptuous sniff, as if she was smelling something foul. “I don’t see why he’s fucking you, anyway. You look like you have health issues. Have you thought about getting the gastric sleeve? You need to lose at least fifty pounds. You resemble a pineapple Squishmallow in that dress.”

“I’ll have to tell Desmond you dislike his taste in clothes,” Haley lied, turning sideways to completely face her. “The dress is a present from him.”

Amelia gave her a warning glare.

“Furthermore, why do people think that a woman’s endgame is to have a ring on her finger?” she mocked. “Maybe I’m the one using Desmond for fun and games until I decide to settle down. He may be hell in bed”—Haley nearly broke out in laughter at the look on her cousin’s face. She had no idea how Desmond was in bed, taking a wild guess just to infuriate her cousin even more—“but for a husband, he is the last man on earth whom I would pick.”

“Is it because I fell asleep before I gave you the foot massage last night?”

Kill me. Please strike me dead, Haley pleaded with the big guy upstairs.

Only when it became obvious her silent prayer was going to be unanswered and Amelia was unable to speak, did Haley turn around, saying the first words she could think off, “You don’t do dishes.” She had no idea if he did or didn’t, but she didn’t know how he was in bed, either, and that hadn’t stopped her from telling that lie.

Giving her a disarming smile, which melted her insides to mush, Desmond fitted her intimately to his side, furthering the impression that they were involved in an affair.

Painfully aware of his body so close to hers had her wanting to pull away, yet she forced herself to stay still and ignored the scorching heat in the portions of her body that came into contact with his.

Clucking his tongue at her, he gave her a side hug, which had her hand going to his waist to catch herself from melting into a puddle at his feet.

“Your cousin is a demanding little thing, isn’t she? A warning would have been extremely helpful so I could mind my Ps and Qs.”

Not even Amelia’s masterful acting skills could hide the fact that she was shocked. “Yes … well … Dad needs my help to escape Aunt Naomi.” Slowly gathering herself, Amelia looked like she had witnessed a zombie apocalypse.