I stepped forward and gently lifted the hat off her.

She had no hair left. Her bare scalp was dotted with tiny red cuts, as if someone had dragged a dull razor across it.

My mother came out of the house in an expensive silk outfit, heavy gold bracelets, a thick gold chain at her throat.

Behind her came my sister Paige, holding a new smartphone and a designer handbag, wearing so many rings she could barely bend her fingers.

“Don’t make a big deal out of this, Gavin,” my mother said, waving a hand. “Gwen used some cheap hair chemicals and it all fell out. And she got obsessed with losing weight on top of it.”

“She’s just crazy,” Paige added with a sneer. “She lives off your money and still wants everyone’s attention.”