Annalise glanced from one girl to another, a lump forming in her throat, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about," she stated, blinking before turning sharply and striding toward the door.
Behind her, their voices rose. She frowned inwardly. Were they drunk, or had the news finally reached everyone? It was impossible; she had gone to great lengths to hide every detail, keeping even her closest friends in the dark. How could it be that everyone was aware of their bankruptcy?
The party continued, the loud music filling the air. As she walked through the crowd, Annalise could see only their smiling faces, their pointed fingers. Their stares haunted her, making her light-headed. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and her stomach knotted tightly.
"Her downfall finally, serves her right," she heard as she passed by, and she wondered just how far the news had traveled.
"Annalise always acted like a bitch; I feel nothing for her. If anything, she deserves this." The remarks stung, and her eyes threatened to water, but fear gripped her as she questioned whether her friends had figured it out. Would they reject or humiliate her? At that moment, she wished she had stayed home, trapped in that disaster, lying to them over the phone.
"Anna, is it true?" Astrid approached her, and Annalise felt her heart race.
"What?" She forced a tone of oblivion, though her voice trembled slightly.
"That your family went bankrupt— is it true?" Remi joined in, her gaze unyielding. Annalise looked from one to the other, nausea rising within her. She had to escape, and fast.
"I don't…" Annalise began dramatically, "I swear, I'm not feeling well. I need to go home." She clutched her stomach, beads of sweat forming on her forehead making it evident that she was unwell.
"I'm sorry, girls, but I have to go… I'll inform you later," she said, brushing past them without a second glance. The anxiety gnawed at her—what would happen if they discovered the truth? But for now, she needed to leave.
"Annalise, I hope it isn't true!" Astrid called after her as she hurried out. The music, the laughs, and the fingers pointed in her direction intensified her desire to escape. She felt nauseous and craved nothing more than the solace of her bed.
She found a cab quickly and directed the driver home. As the car took her away from the party, thoughts of what awaited her at home spiraled in her mind. Anxiety turned her stomach, and she had to turn her face to throw up in the car.
"How can you do that in my car, miss?!" the driver exclaimed, clearly bewildered and frustrated that he'd now have to clean up a mess.
Annalise leaned back, exasperated. "I'll pay you. Just drive," she replied firmly.
The driver considered arguing but thought better of it, keeping his frustrations to himself for the remainder of the ride home. She stepped out of the cab and handed him the fare without a word.
"Do you think this is enough to clean my car?!" he shouted.
Annalise retrieved more cash until he was satisfied. She had no interest in conflict; she felt sick—truly sick.
The car rolled away as Annalise pivoted firmly toward her home, resolute in her decision to confront whatever awaited her. She was prepared to face the situation head-on; there was no backing down now. As she swung the door open, Marcus's piercing gaze met hers, his fury palpable. He scrutinized her with a steely expression, making it abundantly clear that he was far from pleased.
Ah. She forgot to change her clothes; now she couldn't lie freely without getting caught that night. Today was an absolutely bad day.
Keira, on the other hand, had swollen eyes from crying, she was crying because her card had gone and all she could think of was that someone had come in to steal it from her and then she was worried about Annalise's disappearance, her phone wasn't even going through.
Annalise thought she could just go to her room and lock herself up, but Marcus's voice cut through her like a knife. "You took your mom's card, didn't you?" He filed up straight at her.
Keira hurriedly turned to her husband. "That's not what I told you, I said someone came to steal it. Anna has nothing to do with it" she said.
Marcus's gaze shifted to his wife. "How long are you going to ignore what Annalise has done? She took the money. Nobody else could have spent it. And you saw the evidence—new clothes, shoes, bags! She can't hide it any longer," he exclaimed, his eyes fixed on Annalise with an intensity that made her tremble.
Keira turned her attention to Annalise, her eyes glistening with tears. Keira quickly averted her gaze, unwilling to accept that her daughter could be responsible. "It's okay...Let's not dwell on this," she insisted.
"No," Marcus shot back, causing Annalise's legs to shake and her heart to race.
He then stepped closer to her. "We will address this now," he declared, his voice sharp as he confronted Annalise, who was on the brink of tears.
"Aren't you aware of our financial struggles? We are barely managing as it is, and you chose to steal from your mother to indulge in this nonsense! How could you do this to us?" he pressed, his frustration palpable. "This is the last straw. You've crossed the line, and I won't let this slide. It's about time I realized you're nothing but a burden to us"
Annalise swallowed hard, tears streaming down her face. "Am I a burden to you, Daddy?" she asked, her voice breaking.
"Absolutely!" Marcus responded coldly, showing no empathy for her cries. "While we work tirelessly to make ends meet, all you think about is your extravagant lifestyle. I can't keep up with your demands, Annalise, your attitude as well. It's time for you to leave."
Keira rushed to Marcus's side. "What are you saying, Marcus?"
"Annalise has to go. I don't want her here anymore," he stated firmly.
"Daddy, please! I only borrowed the money. I promise to pay you back," she pleaded, desperation in her voice.
"Pay me back with what? You don't even have any money! You're selfish and have shown no remorse for your actions. We've sacrificed so much for you, and all we ask is for your understanding, yet you've failed us. You have no place here; you need to leave," he demanded.
Keira intervened, "Honey, you can't do this. Anna has been a good girl. Please, let's talk about this."
"Good girl!?" he retorted incredulously. "She doesn't care about you like you care about her, Keira. Just the other day, she had money but chose to keep it for herself. I've kept quiet until now, but she stole from us and expects us to just accept it. No, she has to go!"
Annalise was stunned; the truth hurt more than she could have imagined. The thought of being cast out was unbearable—where would she go?
Without hesitation, she sank to her knees. "Please don't send me away! I promise to be better. I'll put your needs first, I swear I'll do whatever it takes. Just don't make me leave!" she sobbed.
For a moment, Marcus was taken aback, surprised by her outburst. But he quickly regained his resolve. He knew Annalise and her penchant for drama. She had sprawled through too many chances already.
"You've had your opportunities to do right by us, Annalise. My decision is final: you're leaving tonight," he declared, unmoved by her cries.
Keira's heart ached for Annalise, and she swiftly moved to her daughter's side. "If you throw Annalise out, then I'll leave as well," she insisted, knowing her words would have an impact.
Marcus scoffed, "Keira, don't even think about it. This girl isn't even our real daughter. You're willing to abandon me for her? This orphan we took in!?"
Annalise felt a jolt of shock. Her jaw dropped as she met Marcus's piercing gaze, tears brimming in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
She was... She was... An orphan?