I turned slightly, letting her swing pass with ease.
Then backhanded her, hard, sharp, merciless.
Slap—
The sound was crisp enough to pierce through walls.
Evangeline was stunned.
Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, trailing down her chin—
Dripping onto her white dress, a shocking red.
She stared at me, blank, as if her mind had short-circuited.
When she finally came to her senses, the hatred in her eyes erupted, thick and feral.
I could almost feel her urge to leap at me and tear me apart.
“b***h! You hit me! I’ll kill you!”
She screamed and ran out,
“Mom—! Help me!!”
I didn’t chase her.
I didn’t even move.
Marielle had been drinking tea; Evangeline’s shrieking startled her upright.
She cried as if her whole life had been ruined—pitiful, tragic.
But I knew it was a
