"Oh, and the wedding starts in an hour. Eustace's and mine. Hurry up and come be the best man. Apologize to Eustace in front of everyone. If we're going to put on a show, we need to commit to it."
Then, in a tone that was neither gentle nor harsh, she added:
"Be good. If you keep throwing tantrums, I can't guarantee I'll still marry you in three years like we planned. Remember, your mother is gone. I'm the only family you have left in this world."
I shook with rage.
Once, she had stood at my mother's bedside, held my hand, and sworn she would be my last family, that she would take care of me for the rest of my life.
And now this was how she treated me.
Tears were already falling when my phone buzzed with a new message.
"Mr. Fox, there's something I'm not sure I should tell you."
"I have surveillance footage from the day of the incident with Eustace Simmons. I think you need to see what actually happened that day."
I watched the video as it loaded onto my phone, and my body went rigid.
The graduation ceremony, one month ago.
Eustace, who was supposed to be onstage for the tassel-turning, had vanished. So had Sabina.