Page 21 of Sinful Blaze

Skank.

Whore.

Unforgivable.

Unlovable.

Unworthy.

Disgusting. Disgusting. Disgusting.

It was my mother’s worst nightmare. My father’s, too. All this money and prestige, and yet Mr. and Mrs. Hamish couldn’t afford to bring up perfectly chaste daughters to marry off into high society. And so the inevitable conclusion…

There must be something wrong with them, too.

Whoever exposed Melanie did it for a reason. I still think it had less to do with my sister and more to do with my parents. Why waste time and energy on your enemies when a simple, fact-based rumor can destroy them while you sleep?

“So I must ask you again, Daphne Elizabeth Ha?—”

“Covington.” I narrow my eyes at her in low warning. “My last name is Covington now.”

“Don’t remind me. Your sister’s idea, I’m sure.”

Wrong again. I’m the one who chose to give myself a new name. A fresh start.

Mother shifts in her seat, straightens, and does her best to regain control over this conversation that’s gone wildly off the rails. “I must ask you,” she firmly repeats, “do you, or do you not, know who the father is?”

I sigh. Might as well concede a little here. “I know who he is.”

“What’s his name?”

I just shake my head.

“Daphne! My God!” Mother sighs with exasperation and no small amount of frustration. “You cannot sit here and tell me you plan on raising this child by yourself. Without any help, financial or otherwise, from the father. What will people think?”

“That I’m a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man?”

She rolls her eyes. “Please. That’s only what ugly, poor people think. You?—”

“I cannot believe you just said that.” I pluck my napkin off my lap and plop it onto the table, because fuck propriety. “I need to use the restroom. Excuse me.”

“Daph—”

I avoid looking at her while I shove my seat back. I need a moment to collect myself before I lay into her and really cause a scene. But when I take another deep breath and flick my gaze up to try to soothe things with a small smile, I stop.

Mother is staring over my shoulder, wide-eyed and pale.

Like she’s seeing a ghost sitting behind me.

“What is he doing here?” she hisses under her breath.

“Who?” I twist around to see for myself.

My stomach flips.

My lungs forget how to function.

“The man who ruined us. Who ruined our lives. The man who exposed your sister.”

---