People swarmed around them with compliments.
"Mr. Fox is so accomplished for his age! Old Mr. Fox, you and your wife are truly blessed to have raised such an outstanding son!"
"Absolutely! Unlike that ungrateful daughter of yours, stealing the family's money and disappearing. What a disgrace!"
I stood in the corner, listening to every word of their lies, and a cold smile crept across my face.
Ten years ago.
For $230,000 in blood money, they had crushed sleeping pills into my birthday cake with their own hands.
When I woke up, I was locked in the bottom hold of a smuggling vessel. Around me were dozens of other girls, all just like me.
If that ship hadn't hit a reef during a storm.
If I hadn't clung to a piece of driftwood with the last breath in my body, floating on the open ocean for a day and a night, I wouldn't have survived.
So what right did they have to live like this?
I drew a deep breath and stepped into the light.
No one noticed me.
Not until I walked up to the head table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"Waiter. A glass of water, please."
I rapped my knuckles on the table.
The laughter and conversation at the head table died instantly.
My mother recognized me first.