Chapter 43 Below my standard
Tonia couldn’t believe those men had failed. After paying the huge deposit, she couldn’t trace them to add the remaining balance, and their phone number had been unreachable.
Somebody had saved Karen, so what had happened to those men? Tonia gulped down a glass of wine, her mind in a haze.
“Kat, it’s Karen, but I feel like I don’t even know her,” Gordon said with a blend of pride and anxiety.
His daughter was married to Roger Dawson, meaning a new contract was going to be signed, but Katherine was smarter than her husband.
“Looks like they have been separated for a while. I can’t hear what they are saying, but things are not looking smooth.” This was the way she always wanted Karen to dress, which she refused.
Now look at her, dazzling like a star. Not even her adopted daughter Tonia could compare with her real daughter, Karen.
“It doesn’t matter. We need to talk to her. Let’s come up with a plan and tell her that everything we did was for her good. All we ever wanted was to bring out the best in her,” Gordon insisted.
Tonia was at the brink of tears, completely ignored, her heart tightening in her chest. Her parents spoke as if she didn’t even exist in their lives anymore.
This party was strictly by invitation, so she couldn’t bring any of her minions, but Karen had always been weak. It was time to teach the bitch the lesson she refused to learn all these years.
Luckily for her, she was able to lock gazes with Karen, and the latter headed to the washroom. Tonia followed head-on, locking the door as soon as she entered the washroom.
Karen had just finished doing her business and was washing her hands when she heard the sound of the door locking. A smirk curled the corner of her lips as she saw who entered from the mirror.
Tonia’s reflection was exactly what she predicted. Her dress and makeup were something to write home about, but Karen had caught on.
This wasn’t her usual life like Tonia, but somehow, she felt fulfilled not only in knowing that her future was bright but also in the fact that she was joining Tonia to write her final exams despite missing lectures for months.
As for Tonia and her minions, she was ready for them but couldn’t say the same for Roger.
“Tonia, it’s only been two months, but you seem to have aged five years,” she observed without turning to face her sister. Her voice was calm, emitting a confidence that intimidated Tonia.
Tonia was stunned by the harsh words wrapped behind that serenity. Where had she been, and what had happened to her?
“Karen, we are sisters, remember? I’ve always loved you.”
Karen wanted to puke, her stomach churning from Tonia’s fake facade. “That doesn’t work on me anymore, Tonia,” Karen turned to face her, and Tonia wasn’t surprised she was without her eyeglasses.
Karen was no longer eating from the Fletchers, so Tonia didn’t have a way of lacing her food with harmful substances anymore.
Those eyes were too pretty, and that was why she felt they should be permanently hidden under eyeglasses. What she didn’t expect was for Karen to choose an ugly frame to match them.
Now, the frame wasn’t there, and Karen looked like she could do without those ugly eyeglasses.
“All this time, you were lacing my food with poisonous substances, and I don’t know how you did it, but that false pregnancy was all you, wasn’t it?”
Her phone recorder was on. If only Tonia would fall into her trap to give her the necessary evidence to jail her, but no, Tonia feared admitting it.
“Is that what you think of me? All I did was try to be good to you,” she put on her innocent facade, sniffing as if in tears, but Karen smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Pretend all you want, Tonia, but soon, your mask will fall off, and everyone will know you for who you are.” It pained her that she couldn’t get any proof to press charges, but this wasn’t the end.
As soon as things were sorted between her and Roger, she would focus on business, get enough money to hire a powerful attorney to take up her case.
She walked past Tonia, but the latter intentionally put her foot in the way for Karen to fall. Unfortunately for her, Karen pretended not to see but instead of positioning her leg in front of the trap, she stepped on it, earning a scream from Tonia.
The latter was already on the floor screaming. “Help, somebody help. The bitch wants to kill me.”
Karen couldn’t believe Tonia was doing this, but the best thing was to avoid the drama. “I don’t know what you want to prove, but it won’t work.”
Tonia had tears in her eyes. “You stepped on me with your heels. Can’t you see I’m hurt?” Her ankle was red, but Karen had no regret. Tonia had caused her eye problem for years, so this was nothing.
“Since you enjoy screaming, then take this,” Karen snarled, stepping hard on the injured ankle and this time earning real tears as Tonia sat on the floor in pain.
The knob turned, and they heard a voice. “Is anyone in there?” It was a female voice but Tonia took advantage of the person outside and screamed, “Please find help. She’ll kill me.”
“What exactly do you want?” Karen asked seriously. Tonia supported herself with the wall, stood up, elevated her injured leg, and limped on the other with raw pain in her eyes.
“You think you can compare to me because of some makeup and an expensive dress? Wake up, Karen, you will never be better than me,” she fumed.
Karen smiled, her head lifted high. “Comparing myself to you is below my standard,” her voice carrying her profound calm and confidence. This wasn’t the shy, timid Karen Tonia had grown up with.
“What’s with the attitude? Cut it.”
“What? That you are below my standard?” Karen asked mockingly. Tonia’s fingers balled as Karen continued. “Or that I’m still alive.”
Tonia shivered slightly. If Karen knows about her involvement, she would rot in jail. Quickly, she diverted the topic. “Look, I got you and Roger together, but I’m the one he loves, so why don’t you divorce him and, you know, vanish or something?”
Karen scoffed. “Sure. Why don’t you tell him to sign the divorce papers then?”
“Kitten, are you there?” Roger’s voice sounded from behind the door. Tonia instantly sat on the floor and began screaming. “Help, Roger, Karen has gone crazy.”
A scoff formed at the corner of her lips as she whispered, “do you remember something like this?”
Karen remembered quite well how Roger would always come to Tonia’s aid and carry her in his arms bridal style whenever she got into trouble. Pain seared through her at the thought, and she wondered why.
Why did it still hurt when she remembered how much Roger loved Tonia?
However, he managed to open the door from outside, and both women had no idea. But at the sight of him, Tonia broke into tears. "Roger, please help, she broke my ankle."