Chapter 18: How Dare You?
1630 Words
Emily’s POV
Apparently, yes.. today could actually get worse because Austin’s loyal little fan club.
Tiana, Becca, Lila.. were right in front of me
“Well, if it isn’t Emily Reed,” Tiana drawled, arms folded, a smirk curving her lips. “The girl of the hour. You’ve been trending, sweetheart.”
Lila giggled. “That video of Austin and Gina.. wow. Painful much?”
My jaw clenched. “Excuse you?”
“We saw the post!” Lila dramatically announced.
I blinked. “What post?”
They exchanged looks as their lips curled into smiles.. too sweet to be kind.
“You haven’t seen it yet, have you?”
“Seen what?” I asked again, more sharply and a bit too impatient.
Becca and her fake blonde wig held up her phone. “Austin’s post.”
And that was how the world slowed.
There on the screen was Austin’s face.. smug, polished, infuriating and beside him was Gina..
The caption read..
“Cheers to my beautiful baby girl #MineForever #OneAndOnly”
My throat went dry.. isn’t this the same fool that disturbed my sleep this morning..
And then, as if my humiliation hadn’t already reached its limit, one of the girls murmured, “Guess your forever ended for ever, huh?”
I smiled.. It was small, sharp, and a little broken. “And how is that your business?”
“Oh, we’re just concerned honey,” Becca said with mock sweetness. “Imagine your man moving on with your best friend. That’s a different level of humiliation. I almost felt bad.. almost.”
I smiled, the kind that didn’t reach my eyes. “Don’t bother yourself my dear. Sympathy looks terrible on you.”
Tiana smirked wider. “Still got that attitude, huh? Guess that’s why Austin got bored.. He once told us you were more trouble than you’re worth.”
“Funny,” I said, tilting my head. “He also told me you were desperate enough to beg for his attention in his DMs. I guess that was true, too.”
Her smirk faltered, Lila’s eyes widened, Becca’s jaw dropped.
I crossed my arms in pure bliss. “You wanted a reaction? Here it is. Congratulations to your darling Austin and dearest Gina. I wish them the best the universe has to offer.”
Becca scoffed. “You’re acting high and mighty for someone who got dumped.”
I shrugged. “Oh, darling, I’d rather be dumped than play the part of a recycled object.”
They gasped and so did the little crowd. I could practically see the offense bloom across their faces.
Lila took a step closer with her voice low. “You should really be careful, Emily. People might think you’re losing it.”
“People already think you’re irrelevant,” I replied sweetly.
Lila snorted. “At least we’re not pretending to still be rich.” Her gaze flicked down to my hand. “Wait.. hold up.. is that a black card?”
I blinked, looking at the sleek card between my fingers.
Becca leaned in. “That’s not yours is it.. it can’t be.”
Lila laughed, her voice loud enough to draw eyes. “Oh, come on. Emily Reed with a black card? Please. You might not come from a poor home, but we all know you can’t afford one of those especially as ya dada went bye bye. So, tell us.. which man did you sleep with to get it?”
My smile turned razor sharp. “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you? Maybe you could try the same thing. It might help your wardrobe.. who knows it might be your daddy..”
Lila gasped. “You..”
Becca cut in. “Don’t act like you’re someone now. You’re still the same cheap girl Austin dumped or wait could it be because you’re following older men.. ohh maybe that’s why he replaced you with someone with actual class.”
I took a slow breath. “Well at least he got himself someone with class and not someone like you, who has zero personality and a face full of filters, then yes, congratulations to him.”
Lila’s expression twisted. “How dare you.. ”
And before I could give her another befitting reply, her five fingers flew across my face.
The slap cracked loud enough to silence the entire boutique from the corner of my eyes I say the attendant walk away.
My head turned with the force of it and my cheek burned.
For a second, I just stood there, my eyes slowly watered.. not from pain, but from absolute disbelief.
Then I straightened slowly. “You really shouldn’t have done that.”
“What are you going to do?” Lila hissed. “Cry? Like you did when your father died?”
The words hit harder than the slap. And Lord help this stupid lowlife biatch.. the moment I was about to give her a resounding slap.
A deep, cold voice cut through the air.
“What’s going on here?”
The crowd immediately parted.
Dario was walking toward us, his expression was unreadable, his presence felt suffocating. Another man on suit followed closely, every step sharp and deliberate.
The girls went rigid.
“Oh my God,” Tiana whispered. “That’s.. that’s Dario Davin.”
Becca’s mouth fell open. “As in the Dario Davin? Of Davin industries?”
Lila’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait.. Emily, you.. ” She gave a brittle laugh. “You must not know him.. Austin once said you were too insignificant to meet his family. Don’t worry, my father works for him.. I’ll introduce you properly.”
I smiled faintly as I strongly resisted the urge to pull her hair and give her the beating of her life. “Go ahead.”
When Dario stopped in front of us, even the air seemed to bow. His gaze landed on Lila.
“You look oddly familiar” he coldly spoke
Lila smiled proudly as she stared at him while giving me that ‘I told you so’ look.. pathetic.
“Yes Sir.. I’m Lila Delis, I’m the daughter of…”
Before she could complete her sentence he interrupted her.
“You’re Marco’s daughter,” he said, his tone quiet but lethal.
Vanessa blinked. “Y-yes, sir.”
“Marco the thief?”
I alongside ninety nine others.. Tiana and Becca included couldn't help but gasp cause what!!
Her lips parted. “Excuse me?”
“Wait, what?” Becca stammered.
The attendant arrived with a middle aged lady and the lady immediately signaled two security guards from the entrance.
“Hold them” Dario calmly spoke and they approached quickly, gripping Lila, Tiana and Becca by the arms.
I stepped forward. “Dario, what are you doing?”
He didn’t look at me as he spoke, his voice was calm, almost casual. “Nobody slaps my wife and gets away with it.”
The word wife seemed to detonate like an atomic bomb in the air.
Becca’s eyes went wide. “W-wife? Your wife?”
Lila’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. “That can’t be true..”
Dario finally turned his gaze to her, and she froze instantly.
He looked at me again. “Slap her.”
“What?”
“The one who hit you,” he said evenly. “Slap her back.”
“Dario..”
“Or would you prefer I do it myself?”
The silence amongst everyone was absolute. Even the air conditioner seemed to stop working.
Without warning, I raised my hand and.. Smack!
The sound cracked through the store. Lila staggered back, clutching her cheek.
Dario’s brow lifted slightly. “Not as hard as I heard hers. I literally heard it from the entrance.”
My chest heaved. “You can’t be serious.”
He didn’t blink. “Try again my love.”
I stared at him, at the girl trembling in front of me.. then swung my hand again.
Smack!
Dario turned to the manager, his tone smooth but cold. “Do you want to lose your job?”
The woman shook her head furiously. “N-no, sir!”
He nodded toward the girls. “Then handle it.”
The manager spun around sharply. “Security! Escort them out.. permanently!”
The guards dragged the girls toward the exit as the manager snapped, “If they ever set foot in here again, call the police!”
Tiana struggled. “You’ll regret this! You don’t know who you’re dealing with!”
Dario’s voice was soft but lethal. “Oh, I do.”
The manager straightened her suit. “Sir Davin, Mrs. Davin, I deeply apologize. Please.. join me for tea. It would be our honor.”
I just stared at him, still stunned. “Tea?”
He glanced at me briefly. “You need to calm down.”
“I’m calm,” I hissed under my breath, following him as he began walking. “I just can’t believe you made me..”
“Defend yourself?” He yawned as he spoke. “You should thank me. I merely reminded them who you belong to.”
I stopped dead. “You don’t own me.”
He turned just enough for his eyes to meet mine.. dark, steady, dangerous. “Is that so?”
My mouth felt dry as I couldn’t find the words to say and then he took my wrist gently but firmly and guided me forward again.
Every pair of eyes in the store followed us. Every whisper faded the moment he glanced their way.
From being humiliated by Austin and his puppets to being protected and claimed by his father.
Vengeance or should I say Karma.. has never been this sweet.
- Writer
