She was handcuffed and led away, the cold metal biting into her wrists, and the embarrassment of being paraded in front of so many people stung like salt on an open wound. She could feel their judgmental stares on her back, the whispers that echoed in her ears.
Kourtney held back the tears that threatened to spill. No way would she show them the satisfaction of seeing her break down. No way would she show them her vulnerability. She had been painted as the villain in this twisted play, and she wouldn’t let them win by seeing her crumble.
As she was escorted to the police car, she caught a glimpse of Kathlyn being wheeled away on a stretcher, her face pale and contorted in pain.
Disgust and anger coursed through her veins like a running waterfall.
That Kathlyn would harm herself and her own child just to get her in trouble was simply sickening and repulsive.
She couldn’t understand and fathom why Kathlyn’s hatred for her was so deep. What had she ever done to deserve such torment from her own sibling?
Kathlyn had orchestrated this whole mess; she was the one who had come to provoke her. And she was stupid enough to come here in the first place.
Hours later, Kourtney found herself sitting in a cold, gray holding cell at the police station. The fluorescent lights above buzzed incessantly, adding to her sense of dread. She was alone, the silence thick and suffocating. As she waited, her thoughts raced.
Would she be charged?
Would she be imprisoned?
Would anyone believe her innocence?
Her mind was still in turmoil when she heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching.
“Ms Allen, you have visitors,” one policeman informed her, opening up her cell.
She looked up to see her mother, Margaret, rushing toward her, flanked by her father, Luke, her aunt Denise, Uncle Eliot, Aunt Matilda, and a few other Allen family members.
A small wave of relief washed through her momentarily, but that was quickly replaced by terror when Margaret’s palm came crashing against her cheek. It felt like time had stopped.
“M-Mom?” Kourtney stammered, her voice barely a whisper as she lifted a trembling hand to her cheek, the heat from the slap radiating through her skin.
When Kourtney saw her mother running towards her, she thought Margaret was coming to give her a comforting hug and then tell her everything was going to be okay.
But she had been so wrong.
What did she get?
A very hot slap!
This was the first time that her mother would ever slap her. It was always Margaret who would protect or shield her in the times when her father hit her for the slightest reason.
But now….
“Look what you’ve done!” Margaret’s voice was a piercing accusation that echoed off the cold, gray walls of the holding cell. “You caused Kathlyn to lose her child. How could you? I never raised you to become like this!”
Kourtney’s tear-stung eyes threatened to spill over, but she blinked furiously, fighting back the wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
As usual, they didn’t even give her a chance to explain her own side of the story. As long as it involves Kathlyn, she is always going to be the villainess.
Her face twisted into a mask of anger. “I didn’t do anything! Kathlyn is only trying to frame me. I didn’t push her!”
“Shut your little trap, young lady. Can you even hear yourself? Kathlyn killed her own child just to frame you?” Aunt Denise, who always hated her with passion couldn’t resist adding more fuel to the fire.
“I know it might sound unbelievable… but that really is the truth!”
“Stop lying, Kourtney! Too many eyewitnesses at the scene said you pushed her. You’ve always been the black sheep, haven’t you? You’ve always been jealous of Kathlyn. Look what your envy has led to! You’ll never be able to get out of this one. I’ll make sure of that. You’ve embarrassed us all. I can’t believe I’m related to someone like you. You committed murder. You deserve to rot in jail.”
Kourtney’s heart sank further at the upsetting words of her Aunt Denise. The woman had never missed an opportunity to belittle her.
Her favorite uncle, Eliot, and her ever-supportive Aunt Matilda both stood silently watching the drama unfold. Their eyes were filled with pity and sympathy, but they said nothing. Their lips were sealed as if they too believed Kourtney had crossed an unforgivable line.
Kourtney wished they would speak up, wished someone would stand by her even just for a moment. But the silence was deafening.
“I didn’t want this to happen! I would never hurt Kathlyn!” She turned her gaze to each of their faces, one by one, searching for a hint of understanding, a glimmer of trust. But all she found was a sea of disappointment.
“Then what were you doing there? Uh? You have no place or position in the Allen Corp,” Margaret wasn’t having it.
“Mom, please, you have to hear me out!” Kourtney sobbed. “I… I wasn’t there to cause any trouble. I only came because-”
“Enough!”Luke, Kourtney’s father, finally spoke up, his deep voice commanding silence. And the look in his eyes was no better-disappointment mingled with anger. “We’re not here to listen to your excuses. You need to take responsibility for your actions, Kourtney. You’re an adult now. Start acting like one.”
He then turned to one of the officers and spoke in a tone that left no room for negotiation. “Get her back in the cell.”
“W-what?” Kourtney’s heart sank even further.
She couldn’t believe it.
Her own father gave the go-ahead signal to lock her up again, and the rest of the family was okay with that.
As they turned to leave, abandoning her to face her fate, Kourtney felt utterly alone. The crushing weight of her family’s disdain felt like a noose tightening around her neck.
“Mom…. please… I’m innocent… please,” her tears flowed freely now as two bulky officers dragged her back to the cold cell.