Chapter 4 Never Wanted to Come Back

Amanda looked disdainfully at Violet as she tried to enter, but Violet grabbed her arm. "You smeared paint on the back of my dress!" Yesterday, Violet attended a party wearing a new white dress, thinking she would dazzle everyone. Instead, she became the butt of jokes. A red paint stain marked her buttocks—not large, but glaringly obvious. "Yes," Amanda admitted. Could I be blamed? Violet loved to play the innocent, buying a plethora of white dresses to feign purity. Hearing Amanda's admission, Violet grew even angrier. She was about to strike again when she noticed a red mark peeking out from Amanda's collar. Marks from Matthew covered Amanda’s neck to her chest. "Absolutely shameless!" Violet sneered disdainfully, "Amanda, you're only twenty and already so disgraceful!" Amanda pondered. Who is shameless, who lacks dignity? It wasn't Violet who had refused to marry Matthew—William and the others had plotted for Amanda to take her place and be with Matthew. "Just like Rachel, both of you are disgraceful girls!" Violet looked at Amanda and scoffed coldly. Hearing Violet insult Rachel, Amanda’s expression chilled. She spoke sternly, "Say that again!" Violet and Amanda's raised voices caught the attention of William in the living room. Amanda had been bullied by mother and daughter alike, even being coerced into marrying Matthew. Violet thought she was easy to bully, but the chill in Amanda's eyes made her tremble, swallowing hard, "I'll say it!" "Amanda, you and Rachel are both shameless tramps, hooking up with men before you were even of age." As soon as Violet finished, Amanda's hand swung fast and hard, slapping Violet across the face. Amanda was quick, and Violet was unprepared; the slap landed solidly on Violet's face. Violet had been spoiled by William and Grace from a young age. Now struck by Amanda, whom she despised the most, her anger boiled over, and she exploded, "Amanda, you little wretch, how dare you hit me!" As Violet's hand swung towards her, Amanda swiftly stepped aside and then quickly moved toward the living room. Years of enduring Violet's abuse had honed Amanda’s evasion skills to near perfection. "Dad!" In the living room, hearing the commotion, William didn't come out. He was reading the newspaper, accepting an apple sliced by Grace. Seeing Amanda enter, he looked up briefly. Violet trying to block and even strike Amanda must have been with William's approval. Amanda had long lost any hope in this father for protection, even just once. If it weren't for Rachel still with the Sullivan family, she wouldn't have come back at all.