111

111
Writer’s POV

“We know!!” The girls screamed in unison.

“Well,” she began, her voice smooth and almost sweet. “You’ve done a fine job so far. I’m impressed.”

“We will continue to do better,” one of them said.

“Perfect,” Gretchen said, her eyes narrowing with satisfaction. “And I trust you’ll keep it that way. But we’re not done yet.”

Before any of them could respond, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. A lanky boy emerged from the shadows, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. He was clearly uneasy, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he approached Gretchen.

“Ah, right on time,” Gretchen said, her tone turning businesslike. “Tell me, have you been doing your part?”

The boy nodded quickly, pulling his phone from his pocket. “Yeah, I’ve been spamming her just like you said. Messages, emails, everything. She’s gotta be feeling the heat by now.”

“Show me,” Gretchen demanded, extending her hand.

He hesitated for a moment before unlocking his phone and handing it over. Gretchen scrolled through the endless stream of messages he had sent Emily—each one more degrading than the last. Her lips twitched upward in approval.

“Good work,” she said, handing the phone back. Then she reached into her purse and pulled out a crisp wad of bills. “Here. Double, as promised.”

The boy’s eyes widened as he took the money. “Thanks, Gretchen. Don’t worry, Emily’s school year is going to be a nightmare.” He tucked the bills into his pocket, gave her a quick nod, and walk away.

Gretchen watched him go, a satisfied smirk spreading across her face. The boy had proven to be a valuable pawn in her game. Everything was working perfectly, and Emily was crumbling right on schedule.

One of the girls, however, wasn’t as impressed. Her brow furrowed as she stepped forward, a spark of doubt flickering in her eyes.

“Gretchen,” she began cautiously. “Why are you doing this? I mean… she’s your friend, isn’t she? We only agreed to mess with her because you made it sound like a joke, but this… this is getting serious.”

Gretchen’s expression turned icy in an instant. Her sharp gaze pinned the girl in place, and her voice dropped to a deadly calm. “Mind your business.”

The girl flinched, shrinking back into the group.

“You do what I say, and you don’t ask questions,” Gretchen continued, her voice carrying a chilling finality. “If anything goes wrong, or if any of you think about betraying me, I’ll make sure you’re the ones who go down for this. Understand?”

The girls nodded frantically, their fear palpable. They had underestimated Gretchen’s ruthlessness, and now they were trapped.

“Good,” Gretchen said, her smile returning. “Now, let’s move on. I have another job for you.”

She stepped closer to the group, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. Whatever she said was barely audible, but the effect was immediate. One of the girls gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

“Are you serious?” the girl stammered. “I… I don’t think I can do that.”

“Don’t worry. I know the perfect person for the job,” another girl quickly chimed in.

Gretchen nodded, satisfied with the answer. “Good. Make it happen.” She waved them off, dismissing them with a flick of her hand.

As the girls hurried away, Gretchen stood alone she tilted her head back, staring at the sky as if searching for answers in the stars.

“You’ll regret it, Emily,” she muttered to herself, her voice filled with venom. “You’ll regret ever taking my father away from me.”

Her expression hardened, and for a moment, the mask she wore so well slipped away entirely, revealing the fury and bitterness that simmered beneath.

“Emily, watch me step on your tail and ruin your life piece by piece,” she muttered through gritted teeth.

She glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before stepping further, blending in with the crowd passing by the junction.

Soon, she arrived home and found Emily in a deep sleep. The urge to press the pillow hard against her face surged through her veins, but she managed to keep her composure, taking a deep, steadying breath.

“Let’s make this step gentle,” she whispered with a wicked smile. “Gentle enough to gain your trust.”