Ivy trembled as her father's voice thundered through the room.

He had never yelled at her before.

She lowered her head, eyes stinging with tears. Her heart pounded, and her legs felt weak. She couldn’t even look up. For the first time in her life, she was truly afraid of him.

A few minutes earlier—

“Oh, my bad!” Arona had said with a mocking grin. “I guess you all don’t know about her relationship with her uncle, do you, brother?”

Mr. Franklin stood abruptly, his eyes fierce as ...