My sister pu.s.h.ed me d.o.w.n the stairs at 8 months pregnant. “Apologize for making her angry,” mom demanded as I bl*d. “You know how stressed she is with her divorce.” I apologized. Then I made one phone call. They had no idea what I would do next…

Sixteen with her car vandalized while her parents demanded she apologize for upsetting her sister.

Twenty-two after Khloe stole thousands from her bank account and her parents called it “family business.”

Every memory stood in that hallway beside her.

Diane finally crouched near Emma.

Not close enough to touch the blood.

“Apologize to your sister,” she whispered.

Emma blinked in shock.

“What?”

“Apologize,” Diane repeated firmly. “For upsetting her.”

Emma stared at her mother in disbelief.

“I fell down the stairs.”

“You escalated things,” Diane replied coldly.