Chapter 256

Percy explained dejectedly, "I just want to stand up for Alice. "Because of him, Mom and Dad don't even dare visit me. And the one time Alice managed to come, he grounded her. If this keeps up, my whole family's going to be too scared to come near me. "Why does he have to treat me like this? Why push my family away from me? Just because he's an orphan, does he want to turn me into one too—mmph!" Scarlett immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, glancing nervously toward the open door. She was afraid that someone might have overheard. "You are not allowed to say things like that!" she scolded, her face unusually stern. Percy was stunned. When she finally took her hand away, he looked even more upset. "Why are you treating me like this, too? Fine, I'll just smoke and choke myself to death then." Scarlett walked over and closed the door. Then she turned back, took the cigarette from his hand, and sat down beside him. "Let me finish. If you still want to smoke after that, I won't s