Austin’s face lost all its color.
“Be quiet, Summer,” he snapped through clenched teeth.
“No. I stayed silent for two years,” I replied. “I confessed to the police because you dropped to your knees and begged me to take the blame.”
My mother burst into tears, though they were not for me. She cried because the truth had finally been spoken.
“Sweetheart, Austin had a heart condition,” Abigail wept. “If he had gone to prison, he wouldn’t have survived. Besides, he had only just married Sheila. You were unmarried, you were strong…”
“Strong?” I cut in. “I sold my car to compensate the victim’s family. I lost my career, my reputation, and two years of my life.”
Lawrence finally stood up from the couch.
“That’s enough,” my father shouted. “Don’t come back here making demands. This family suffered because of you too. The neighbors whispered about us every time we went to the market. Having a daughter in prison brought us nothing but disgrace.”
