Introduction
My sister-in-law lied about being slammed at work and dumped her daughter at my house.
She wore this saintly expression like she was doing me a favor, said since I was pregnant, it'd be good practice for motherhood.
Yeah. Right.
The second that spoiled little brat showed up, she refused to walk through the door. And then she opened her mouth and said something that shattered every illusion I had left.
Chin up, strutting like a peacock, she looked me dead in the eye and said in this ice-cold voice: "Kneel. Then say, 'Please come in, Princess.'"
I thought she was joking.
So I crouched down to humor her, smiling, ready to coax her inside.
That's when she lifted her foot and slammed it into my stomach.
I screamed. Blood pooled on the floor beneath me.
My mother-in-law came running at the sound.
And that little monster threw herself flat on the ground, sobbing her eyes out, shrieking that I'd hit her, that I'd hurt her, that I owed her money.
She actually pulled out a payment QR from her pocket and shoved it in my face, demanding I cover her medical bills on the spot.
I was hemorrhaging. They rushed me to the hospital.
And as I was being wheeled out, that little girl smiled. Smug. Triumphant.
"That's what you get for being prettier than me. Bitch."
Chapter 1
"Get on your knees and say, 'Princess, please come in.' Otherwise I'm never stepping foot in this house."
My niece Mia Ashford stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, decked out in a red princess dress, chin tilted up like royalty. My sister-in-law Quinn Sutton had already dumped the suitcase and bolted.
"Are you deaf? The princess is talking to you."
Mia's shrill scream sent goosebumps crawling down my arms.
Last time, she'd kicked me in the stomach hard enough to make me hemorrhage. I'd nearly lost the baby. This time, I wasn't crouching down to coax her like before.
"Sorry, sweetheart. This house already has a beautiful princess, and you're looking at her." I flipped my hair and turned back toward the living room.
A nine-year-old demon. I used to think she was just a brat who liked making trouble. Then she kicked my seven-month pregnant belly.
I'd barely saved my baby. Barely saved myself. I wasn't taking it lying down this time.
Behind me, something crashed to the floor. She threw herself down and started wailing.
My mother-in-law, Doris Harlan, came rushing out and scooped Mia up off the ground.
"Mia, baby, who hurt you?"
"It was her! She pushed me down. She said I'm not welcome here!"
I shot her a look over my shoulder and made a show of clutching my stomach.
"Mom, my stomach hurts. You can play servant to the little princess yourself."
Doris stepped right in front of me and blocked my path.
"Taking care of her is your responsibility. Quinn is busy with work, she doesn't have time. We're family. How can you be so selfish?"
"Yeah! You don't respect your elders or take care of kids. Whatever, I'll let it slide. Just send me a Christmas's cash gift and I'll forgive you." Mia pulled out a payment QR code from her pocket and held up five fingers.
"It's not much. Fifty grand!"
