What was Scarlett planning?
But the feeling vanished as quickly as it came.
She scoffed, her gaze full of disdain.
“As if you could do anything,” she said with a laugh. “Go ahead. Try.”
Her tone sharpened, turning vicious.
“Let me make one thing clear-no matter what you do, you’ll always be nothing more than a rat living in my shadow.”
“James is mine.”
“Your mother? Mine too.”
“You’ve already lost, Scarlett. Completely.”
Scarlett looked at her the way someone might watch a clown on stage.
One brow arched slightly, her expression lazy, almost amused.
“Don’t you think you’re celebrating a little too early?”
“Oh? Still not giving up?” Sadie smirked.
Then, glancing quickly at James-making sure he wasn’t watching-
She lifted her hand and slapped herself.
SMACK-
Instantly, her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry, sis!” she cried, her voice shaking. “It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have taken James from you! I-I didn’t mean to… I just love him too much… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
Scarlett felt a wave of disgust watching the performance.
And yet-
There were always fools willing to believe it.
James rushed forward, pulling Sadie into his arms.
“Sadie! Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine…” she whispered weakly. “Don’t blame her… it’s my fault…”
Her trembling voice and tear-streaked face only fueled his anger.
He spun around, glaring at Scarlett, his eyes blazing.
“Scarlett! How can you be this cruel?! If you’re angry, take it out on me! This has nothing to do with her!”
Scarlett’s gaze drifted lazily toward Sadie.
“I didn’t touch her.”
“You’re still denying it?!” James snapped, his fists clenching.
Scarlett let out a quiet, almost amused breath.
“I can prove it.”
Prove it?
Both James and Sadie froze, confusion flashing across their faces.
How could something like that even be proven?
Before either of them could react-
Scarlett raised her hand.
Then-
CRACK-
Her arm lashed out like a whip.
The impact was explosive.
Sadie spun in place like a top, stumbling in circles before crashing hard onto the ground, limbs sprawled.
Her hair fell into complete disarray.
The right side of her face swelled almost instantly, turning an ugly shade of red.
When she opened her mouth-
Blood poured out.
Along with several teeth.
She looked utterly wrecked.
Sadie stared at Scarlett in shock, her jaw slack.
James stood frozen, his mind completely blank.
No one had expected-
That Scarlett would actually hit her.
And certainly not like that.
In the suffocating silence, Scarlett gave a faint smile.
“See the difference?” she said lightly. “That’s what it looks like when I hit someone.”
If they insisted on framing her-
Then she’d make it real.
Not just real-
Unforgettable.
James’s hands trembled with rage.
“You need to apologize to Sadie!”
Scarlett let out a soft scoff.
“Idiot.”
Even after that, he still couldn’t tell?
She didn’t bother sparing him another glance.
Turning on her heel, she walked away.
“Don’t ignore me!” James roared, lunging forward and grabbing for her shoulder.
Scarlett stopped abruptly.
Her eyes darkened.
Cold. Sharp. Dangerous.
Without even turning fully, she shifted slightly-effortlessly dodging his hand.
Then she moved.
Fast.
She caught his wrist, twisted, and-
In one smooth motion-
Flipped him over her shoulder.
James flew through the air in a clean arc before slamming face-first into the ground.
Hard.
A sickening crack echoed.
Blood gushed from his nose.
Sadie’s face drained of all color.
She had expected James to defend her-
Not… this.
Her neck turned stiffly toward Scarlett, disbelief written all over her face.
Since when was she this strong?
James staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his nose.
The way he looked at Scarlett now-
Was pure hatred.
Scarlett casually raised her fist, a wild grin tugging at her lips.
“What? Want more?”
She took a step forward.
James immediately backed away-again and again-putting distance between them.
Scarlett let out a mocking laugh.
“Pathetic.”
Humiliation burned through him, but he didn’t dare move.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.