I gave another shrug. “That’s what happens when you threaten innocent people with lawsuits. That’s what happens when you lie and manipulate.” She had made me believe that Ford wanted nothing to do with me. Had said he couldn’t live with the guilt of killing my sister and that he never wanted to see my face again. I could forgive her for a lot, for pressuring me to be someone I wasn’t, for not being able to love me for who I was, but I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive her for that.

My mother’s face reddened to an unhealthy level. “That Hardy boy never should’ve shown his face here again. And you—you will have nothing to do with him. That’s an order.”

I chuckled, but it was low and ugly. “Mom, I have everything to do with him. I always have.”

She gasped. “You didn’t. You wouldn’t.” She was assuming something that wasn’t exactly true, but I didn’t care. Ford was going to be in my life for the rest of it. It didn’t matter in what capacity. He was my family, more so than the woman in front of me ever was or would be. Her eyes narrowed. “You might as well spit on your sister’s grave. He killed her.”

“No, the rain killed her by making the road slick. That deer killed her by darting into the street. The truck killed her by driving at that exact time and not stopping fast enough.” My voice hitched. “I killed her because I sat in the front seat. No one killed her! It was an accident!” I screamed the last words so loudly, I swore plates rattled.

Heat blazed in my mother’s eyes. “It should’ve been you. Both of you.” Her voice cracked. “Not my beautiful Violet.”

Hunter appeared at my parents’ backs. “I think it’s time for you to leave, and I’m going to have to ask that you don’t return.”

“This-this is my daughter’s place of employment. I’ll come anytime I like,” my mom blustered.

“I’m not your daughter.” I said the words low, but everyone heard them. “You already lost one child. Congratulations, now you’ve lost another.”

My mother gasped and I couldn’t even look at my father. His reaction didn’t matter. He was too much of a coward to stand against his wife, so none of it mattered at all.

I took off towards the back door. Hunter jogged after me, grabbing my elbow. “Where are you going?”

“I need to be alone.” Hunter opened his mouth to argue but I cut him off. “Please—I’ll stay within sight of the back windows, but just let me pretend I have some sense of privacy. I just need to fool myself into thinking I can be alone for five minutes.”