Every purchase charged to my authorized user credit card.
Yet somehow, in her eyes, that counted as abuse.
I canceled the card on the spot and told her I'd only be covering what the law required from now on.
She wanted luxury goods? Her biological father could buy them.
Next thing I knew, my social media feed exploded with her posts.
"HELP! My evil stepmom finally dropped the act—she's kicking her underage stepdaughter out!"
...
That post had been live less than ten minutes before my phone started blowing up.
Relatives. Friends. Business partners. Even teachers from Blanche's school.
Everyone asking the same question:
"Ms. Fox, you always seemed so kind. How could you abuse a child?"
"Is there some misunderstanding? Little Blanche was crying her eyes out."
I hung up and looked at Blanche, lounging on the couch with her phone.
Legs crossed, she was replying to comments calling me every name in the book, letting out little snickers as she typed.
"Evil stepmom." "Old witch." "Drop dead."
The words stabbed at my eyes like needles.
I took a deep breath, forcing down the anger rising in my chest.
"Blanche. Delete it."
She didn't even glance up.
"Why should I? Everything I said is true."