Chapter 28: CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: SABOTAGED

My lips twitched as I gazed at the well-sculpted abs the men on the front cover ha and the enormous tool they wield. I never had the chance to read a magazine like that growing up… Still had zero reasons to use it now.

With a sneer on her lips, Mother threw the book at me, repeating her demand for an explanation. 

"I have not a single clue about that." I said with my chest puffed out. 

"Artemis Mercedes, I never knew you were into such a disgusting act. I mean, why would you try to get yourself *** with the help of a magazine? She spat. 

"I have not the slightest hint of what you're talking about. I don't even know what this is doing here." I let out a sigh. 

She stretched forth her hand, bringing me closer to her. "Artemis. You can just hire a man to get you laid; there's nothing in it. There's Alexander. He can also perform, or does he have any  dysfunction?" She glared.

I stood there struck. My head pounding like I had been hit by an elaborate bullet. It was impossible to wrap my head around such a nameless atrocity such as this. 

Something was wrong. This magazine had no legs, couldn't just crawl up onto my bed and lay there waiting for mother to walk in. Unless…

A giggle emanates from the walls, bringing my attention to the door. With a turn of the knob, it swung open, revealing Bella. 

"You did this..." I moved towards her. 

"Don't blame me for your sh*t. You're the one who likes reading and staring at naked men. Don't try to pin it on me." She held up a plain face, waiting for me to do my possible worst. 

"Now you're blaming her for it? Come on, Artemis, you can do better than that." Mom walked out, a look of disappointment pinned on her face. 

"You bitch." I grabbed her by the neck. 

"You really should stop blaming me for your sh*t. It doesn't help calm your nerves." She giggled.

"I will conquer. Trust me, I will." I shoved her aside, storming into my room. 

"The stakes are on Artemis." Her voice echoed in my ears as her footsteps faded. 

I had once underestimated her ability in the past, and she had dealt me a fatal blow. It couldn't happen again; I had to make sure of that. 

The night wind sailed through the window as I reminisced on dinner. I couldn't stop thinking about it… her monstrous plan, her early devotion to becoming my enemy while playing the role of a sister, and her undeniable hatred for me. 

She loathed me, and so did I. The feeling was mutual, and I was planning on keeping it that way forever. 

"She has not a single idea about it." Her voice crawled into my room. 

I motioned towards the door, trailing the down gap for hints of her. I couldn't spot her legs, but her voice kept resonating in the passage. 

"She might still be onto you. I have a feeling about that; you can show up tomorrow at the house." She giggled.

My skin suddenly went cold, shivers crawling in as the receiver volume increased and the main voice came up. 

"She's still a little outcast. She can never be the perfect Mercedes heiress; she's much weaker than you. Fret not… She'll crumble," Jarvis's voice came creeping. 

Crumble? What were those two rascals planning? They really wanted to show me what they had in stock. 

"I heard she's with the Prince of Heights now. So you think he knows that she and Jamie rammed into each other and produced a flushed-out typo?" Jarvis's voice penetrated my ears. 

Did he just call my baby a flushed-out typo? He was definitely going to get it. 

I stormed out of the room, letting my anger get the better of me. The stairs creaked as I stomped on them, my hands clutched, prepared to deliver that perfect blow to her. 

"She's going to freak out when she figures." Her phone buzzed as the voices played. It turned out I had been fooled, toyed with, and manipulated. 

I grabbed her phone, staring at the screen. "Recording Edit 193_240" playing right before me. She had used a voice modulator to print Jarvis's voice in. 

What a smart-ass move. 

"What are you doing with your sister's phone?" Mother walked down the stairs. "Don't tell me you took it from the dining."

"I couldn't sleep, and I felt the need to drink something so I could maybe clear my head and fall asleep." I said in a soft voice. 

"Or you were going through my phone so you could sabotage me and make me look like the villain here.She raised her eyebrows.

I couldn't believe it. I had fallen right into her trap, like a blind little mouse, because I let my emotions flow. 

"Is that true, Artemis?" Dad intervened, his hands busy with the railings. 

"I found it lying right here on the table. Why would I want to sabotage her?" I said. 

"Maybe because you couldn't find it in your heart to forgive me for spilling coffee on your cloth in the presence of the prince."

"I would do no such thing." I said in a clear voice.

"Why is my phone unlocked then? How do you know my password?" She let out a grin, her hands sitting pretty on her waist.

"It was open." I stammered, "You really don't think I know the password, right?"

They glared at me, the look on their faces interpreting what I needed to know. 

It was more believable that I had stolen the phone to get back at her. She really had planned this out perfectly. 

"I didn't think you would be so cold-hearted, Artemis. She's your sister, for God's sake. Treat her like one." Dad growled.

"It's okay; I forgive you." Bella strode towards me, helping her phone out of my hand and bringing me in for a deep hug. 

"This is only just the beginning, Artemis."