Chapter 34 Slapped twice
Dandelion.
"You think the world stops spinning because your little scandal has paused?" Mildred's voice dripped with mockery, but I caught the flicker of fear in her eyes. She was trying to sound confident, but her hands were trembling slightly.
Good, because I plan on teaching her a lesson today.
"Who are you using this time, dear sister?" She practically spat the last word, her lip curling in disgust. "Which man did you crawl to for help?"
I stared at her for a long moment, letting the silence stretch.
Then I smiled calmly. Nothing like the broken girl she always knew.
"Did you really think the video would stay online forever?" I kept my voice stable almost pleasant and nonchalant. "How disappointing that must be for you."
Her expression flickered. Just for a second, but I saw it. She panicked.
"I don't know what you mean," she said quickly, Too quickly.
"Sure you don't." I took a step closer. "But here's something you should remember, dear Millie. I might be down right now, but I'm not out. And when I get back everything that belongs to me, you'll be the first person I come for."
She stared at me with wide eyes at first then quickly tried to recover, forcing that familiar sneer back onto her face. "Get back what? You have nothing anymore. No career and no dignity." Her voice rose ugly. "You're just a slut who slept her way to fame. Everyone knows it. And now that your lies are exposed, you're probably--"
The slap cracked through the air like a gunshot.
Mildred's head snapped to the side, her words cutting off mid sentence.
She stumbled, pressing a hand to her reddening cheek her eyes wide with shock.
"You--"
I slapped her again, harder this time.
The sound echoed across the parking lot. The security guard nearby looked up, startled, but didn't intervene.
Mildred staggered back, tears springing to her eyes. "You bitch!"
She lunged forward, her hand raised to strike back.
But I raised my own hand again, and she suddenly froze, actually froze mid motion with her eyes wide and she cowered away from me like I might hit her again.
I scoffed, how pathetic.
I lowered my hand slowly. "That's what I thought."
She was shaking now with anger and humiliation written on her face.
"Let me make something very clear," I said, my voice dropping into something mean and cold that surprised even myself. "You will never call me a slut ever again. Do you understand?"
She opened her mouth to retorted.
"Do. You. Understand?"
She nodded jerkily, still holding her burning cheek.
"Good." I stepped even closer, until we were almost nose to nose. "Because the next time you throw around accusations about me sleeping with men for favors, I'll remind everyone exactly what kind of family you come from. Starting with that dog brother of yours who tried to crawl into my bed when I was sixteen."
Her face went pale. "Malcolm never--"
"Don't you dare cover up for him." My voice was quiet but sharp as a blade. "I was a minor, Mildred. A child. And he knew it. So before you call me a slut again, remember that your precious brother is the one who should be in prison."
Tears spilled down her cheeks now, but I felt nothing.
No pity, or guilt. Just a cold, burning satisfaction.
"I'm older than you," I continued. "And for years, I put up with your disrespect, your insults and your lies. I let you walk all over me because I thought being the bigger person mattered." I smiled without warmth. "But that version of me is dead. So consider this your only warning. Cross me again, and you'll regret it."
Mildred flinched as if I had struck her a third time.
Then I did something that clearly terrified her more than the slaps.
I smiled brightly, a slow, calm, terrifying smile.
And I reached out to gently smooth her hair back from her face.
She froze with her eyes darting around like she was looking for help.
"W...what are you doing?" Her voice shook.
I brushed an invisible speck of dust off her shoulder, still smiling. "Just making sure you look presentable, dear sister."
"Stop it," she whispered.
"Why? We're family." I leaned in close, my voice dropping to a whisper only she could hear. "And family should take care of each other. Don't you think?"
She swallowed hard. "We're in public. If you try anything, Malcolm will--"
"Malcolm will what?" I interrupted softly. "Take revenge? Oh Please. Tell him to try."
Her mouth snapped shut.
I leaned even closer, my lips almost brushing her ear.
"I know you had something to do with my scandal," I whispered.
She stiffened.
"I don't have proof yet," I continued, my voice soft and deadly. "But I will. And when I do, Mildred, I'm going to make you and everyone else involved wish you were never born."
She was trembling now, her full shaking.
"I pity you dear sister," I murmured still caressing her hair gently. "You've spent your entire life living off my achievements. Stealing what's mine. Riding my coattails because you don't have the talent to make it on your own."
"That's not true," she choked out.
"Isn't it?" I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. "You have my roles now. My endorsements and my spotlight. Congratulations. Enjoy them while they last."
Her jaw clenched.
"Because I'm coming back," I said. "And when I do, I'm taking everything. Every single thing you stole from me. And then you'll no longer have any career. Just the pathetic reality that you only ever mattered because of me."
Tears streamed down her face now, but I didn't care.
"When this all falls apart for you," I whispered, "and it will, you'll have no one else to leech off. No one else to steal from. You'll finally have to face what you really are."
"And what's that?" she spat through her tears.
I smiled brightly. "Since you insist on knowing dear sister it's my pleasure to tell you, with hope that you'll probably change your dirty ways someday. Because you are A Selfish Envious Leech, always snatching people's hard work, you've always been this way since you could speak as a child, I noticed this when we were younger but of course you're mom wouldn't listen, now here you are even as an adult still can't work hard on your own"
I could see the veins bulging on her temples, I shook my head in disappointment, out of both my step siblings I could only tolerate Mildred because she was born after my dad married her mom so I was more connected to her than Malcom who was born and raised out of wedlock.
I used to think she was just being childish at first but as she grew she became more chronic that I couldn't describe it, she would try everything possible to get what she wanted that wasn't hers with or without her mother's help and it was always in vicious ways, because I grew up seeing countless kids who would turn up at our home crying their eyes out because something precious was taken away from them.
I stepped back, my expression shifting instantly into something cheerful and warm, like we had just had the loveliest sisterly chat.
"Well, this has been fun," I said brightly. "But I really should get going. Grandma's waiting."
Mildred stared at me like I had lost my mind.
I turned on my heel and walked away, my head held high, my heart pounding with adrenaline.
That felt good. Too good.
For five years since I started my career, I'd given up roles for her. Stepped aside so she wouldn't feel overshadowed. Swallowed insults and cruelty because I thought it would keep the peace, but I still somehow managed to surpass her by far.
And how did she retaliate? By betraying and causing my humiliation. My career destroyed and my name dragged through the mud.
Well, no more.
They wanted to see me broken? But they'll see me rise instead soon.
And when I did, every single person who hurt me would pay.
Starting with Mildred.
I reached the car where Grandma Winifred was waiting, her sharp eyes studied me carefully.
"Everything alright, dear?"
I smiled with a real smile this time. "Everything's perfect, Noona."
She didn't look convinced, but she didn't push.
As the car pulled away, I glanced back at Mildred one last time.
She was still standing there, frozen, tears streaming down her face.
And I felt absolutely nothing, because she doesn't deserve my pity. And If I know Mildred well she'll definitely look for ways to revenge.
Well at least we have one thing in common, but let's see who will have their cake at the end.