After we lost our parents, she took on the impossible role of being both my protector and my parent, raising me single-handedly.
When I was fifteen, she made a promise to spend my birthday with me. I had waited eagerly for that day, but instead, she ran off to face down our greatest rival.
I was furious and terrified and I didn’t say a word to her for a month.
Only when she came to me, tears streaming down her face and vowed to leave that dangerous world behind did I find it in my heart to forgive her?
I couldn’t believe it; after all these years, her subordinates were still tangled up in these shady dealings. To make it worse, they had gone as far as tying me up!
If it hadn’t been for her flashy, over-the-top appearance, I might not have even recognized her.
The thought left me both anxious and furious.
"Margaret, have you completely lost it? How dare you tie me up like this!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over.
Before I could say another word, one of the girls stepped forward and kicked me hard.
"Shut your mouth! Do you think you’re worthy to call our Maggie by name?" she snarled, her eyes blazing with contempt.
She raised a whip, poised to strike when Margaret suddenly stopped her. Her gaze locked on me, sharp and suspicious.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded.
Realizing I hadn’t mistaken her identity, I straightened up, summoning a shred of confidence.
"Because I’m Brenda’s brother!" I declared firmly.
"Let me go now, or if my sister finds out, you won’t get away with this!"
The moment Brenda’s name escaped my lips, Margaret’s demeanor shifted. Her tense posture eased, but her sneer deepened.
"You? Brenda’s brother?" she scoffed. "Do you have a death wish, impersonating someone like that?"
Panic surged through me.
"I’m serious! I’m her real brother, Orson Martin!" I insisted desperately. "I’m not lying!"
Margaret stepped closer, her fingers wrapping tightly around my neck. Her sneer was ice-cold as she said, "Brenda’s surname is different from yours. How does that make you her brother?"
"You must think we’re fools!"
I quickly explained, desperation tightening my throat.
"Brenda is really my sister. We just have different last names, one from our dad and one from our mom! If you don’t believe me, call her yourself!"
Margaret studied me for a moment, suspicion clouding her face. Finally, she pulled out her phone, her fingers hesitating over the screen.