You Faked Your Deaths to Punish Me?! That’s Illegal, Family! novel Chapter 61

Chapter 6

That day at the hospital, when I overheard Jett say Cormac’s name, I knew this moment would come.

Cormac exchanged a few words with Jett, then left. But before he did, his eyes swept across everyone in the room-and lingered on Sienna for a few extra seconds.

Relief washed over me.

But then panic set in. When were they planning to make their move?

Was it today? Did they put something in the food?

I racked my brain trying to remember which dishes Mom and Jett had touched, but I couldn’t recall.

I kept watching Sienna closely for the rest of the meal. She seemed fine. Normal.

When dinner ended and everyone went their separate ways outside the restaurant, I realized I’d been sweating the whole time.

Maybe I was just paranoid.

When I got home, Dad had already packed up and moved out.

Mom dragged her suitcase to the door and left too.

“The buyer’s taking over in three days. Find somewhere else to live.”

I stood in the living room for a long time after she left. Then grabbed a rag and cleaned the whole apartment until it was spotless.

The next day, I moved out too. Took my stuff to a tiny rental across town.

For a while, life felt almost normal again. I went to work. Came home. Repeat.

But then I got a call from Liam-Jett and Sienna’s son, my cousin. He’s in college out of state.

“Sloane, I can’t get ahold of my mom.”

Jett and Sien

er told Liam about the divorce. Said they didn’t want to “distract him from school.” But really? They were just embarrassed.

rst train back. The second he saw me, he asked, “What the hell happened?”

everything. Starting with Dad and Sienna’s affair, all the way to them getting glued together and ending up in the ER.

rubbed his face. “Jesus Christ. What a mess.”

We sat in silence for a bit.

Then he said, “Honestly? I get why my mom did it.”

“Aunt Linda’s always been good to my dad-paid for his school, helped him get jobs, bought him a house. She’s been great to me too. Growing up, whenever she bought you something, she’d get me the same thing. Sometimes I’d get stuff you didn’t even have. Even now in college, she sends me money.”

“But for my mom? Aunt Linda wasn’t like a sister-in-law. She was like a second mother-in-law. Always controlling everything. Never respected

her. And my dad never stood up for her.”

11:30

You Faked Your Deaths to Punish Me?! That’s Illegal, Family!

55.0%

“I just… I didn’t think my mom would actually sleep with Uncle Greg…”

Liam sighed. “Anyway. Forget it.”

“Sloane, can you get in touch with your dad? Is my mom with him?”

I looked him in the eye. “They’re not together.”

“You should ask Jett.”

Liam froze.

I’ve looked into Cormac before. He’s not a good guy.

When he was younger, he ran with gangs. In and out of jail like it was a second home.

Later he and some buddies opened a few auto shops. Looked like he’d gone straight, but really? Still doing shady shit on the side.

After I came back, I thought about going to the cops. But I had no proof. No connection to him. What would I even say?

I also thought about staying out of it completely. This time, Cormac wasn’t coming after me.

But I couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t stand the idea of him getting away with what he did to me.

And there was Liam. Last time, he was the only person who actually tried to find me.

I remember Cormac complaining once: “Your parents sold I you to me, and that cousin of yours kept making a scene and even called the cops. Caused me so much trouble.”

The cops came, but Mom and Dad sent them away. Said I’d left town because of “family issues.”

Still. Liam tried. I owe him that much.

So I told him a mix of truth and lies.

“After everything with the affair, Jett was furious. Felt humiliated.”

“One time I overheard him and my mom talking. He said he wanted to teach Sienna a lesson.”

“At that dinner, some friend of Jett’s stopped by. The way he looked at your mom… I don’t know. It felt wrong.”

haybe I’m overthinking it. But now that you can’t reach her, I think something’s seriously wrong.”

n’s face grew darker and darker as I spoke.

Finally, he said seriously, “Sloane, don’t tell anyone else what you just told me. Ever.”

I understood what he meant. My chest felt warm. I didn’t read him wrong.

“What are you gonna do?”

He smiled bitterly. “I know the kind of people my dad hangs out with.”

“I just didn’t think he’d hate her enough to…”

His face twisted in pain. His voice cracked.

11:30

You Faked Your Deaths to Punish Me?! That’s Illegal, Family!

55.4%

I got it then. Last time, he must’ve figured it out too. That’s why he looked for me. Why he called the cops,

But I was never found. Did he believe Mom and Dad’s story? Or

Or…

For a moment, my emotions were all over the place.

After Liam left, I kept thinking about what happened last time.

But no matter how I looked at it, there was only one conclusion: Liam chose his family over me in the end.

Once I accepted that, I felt lighter,

Even my own parents sold me out. Why would a cousin be any different?

Liam moved fast. The next day, he found Sienna. Apparently, he stormed Cormac’s house with a few guys and dragged her out by force.

When I heard that, I was stunned. So last time, his “search” for me was definitely watered down.

(0)

-(0)

5572