Chapter Seven
Amber smiled as she let herself into the house. Her happiness took a nosedive when she caught sight of her mother and sister with their arms crossed and scowling.
“Hi.”
“Where have you been?” her mother asked.
“Out to lunch with a friend.”
Her sister snorted. “You don’t have any friends.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I want you to tell me who you were with right now.”
“What’s the big deal?” Amber asked.
“Because I got a few phone calls from my friends telling me you were having lunch with Cesar Hammond. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Bianca gasped and then turned to her mother. “Do something. She’s making me look like a fool.”
“How am I doing that?” Amber asked.
“Because he’s mine.”
Amber snorted. “No, he’s not. He doesn’t like you.”
“He would if you didn’t interfere and spread lies about me.”
Amber’s mouth dropped open in shock. “I’ve never done that. What are you talking about?”
“Your sister and I have been telling people that before long, she and Cesar will be engaged, and then they see you out to lunch with him.”
Amber almost laughed. “Engaged? How are you going to make that happen if he doesn’t even like her?”
“He’ll like me just fine. He just needs a chance to get to know me.”
Amber almost thought she was in the Twilight Zone. Did they not understand that Cesar disliked Bianca, and it would only worsen the more time he spent with her? They didn’t understand because they were both selfish and only saw what they wanted to see.
“I want you to stay away from him.”
She stared at her mother. There was no way she’d let her mom take away the best thing that had ever happened to her. She shook her head. “I won’t.”
“You will.”
“You can’t make me stay away from him.”
“I will kick you out of the house and cut you off if you don’t. You have nothing, so how would you be able to live?”
“I could get a job.”
“You’re too stupid. No one would want you,” Bianca said.
The insecurities came rushing back, but this time, she was going to defend herself. “I’m not stupid. I got straight As in high school.”
Her sister sneered. “Like that would get you far. Face it. You’re nothing.”