Chapter 2
I made my way through the bustling crowd, heading upstairs to my room.
Everyone's attention was on the glamorous Charlotte, and no one even glanced at me, the girl in the grubby school uniform.
At the corner, I wasn't paying attention and bumped straight into someone's arms.
I looked up and found myself staring into a pair of disgusted eyes.
"It's you," Andrew Grant said, wiping his hand like he'd just touched something gross.
He was my fiancé, the guy my family had me engaged to since we were little.
Back when I was just the nanny's daughter, he wouldn't even spare me a glance.
Because he only took Charlotte as his fiancée.
When he saw my school uniform still smeared with black ink, the look in his eyes grew even more repulsed.
"Why are you back here now? Get out and go to your dorm. Do you want to be a stain in Charlotte's photos?" he snapped.
Was I... a stain?
I looked up and stared straight at him.
After I came back, when everyone else acted like I was invisible, he was actually the nicest to me out of all of them.
When nobody else remembered my birthday, he was the one who actually gave me a cake.
I thought maybe there was still some warmth left in our childhood betrothal.
But when I opened the cake box with tears streaming down my face, the cake blew up right in my face.
Cream splattered all over me, covering my eyes, and Andrew just watched as I fell down the stairs. He could've easily caught me, but he let me crash down, totally humiliated.
He came down the stairs slowly, and then grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him.
He said, "Remember, never dream about things that aren't yours, and don't ever think I'll fall for you.
"If you even try to take anything from Charlotte, you'll end up just like this cake. Got it?"
That was when I realized that his so-called kindness was just a harsh warning.
"Can't you understand what I'm saying?" Andrew snapped, his voice icy.
Andrew clearly hated it when I stared at him, his tone colder than ever.
I shot him an impatient look. "Move aside. I'm heading upstairs."
He blocked my way at the stairs, looming over me, his voice deep and commanding.
He said, "I told you to go back to school.
"Everyone here is celebrating Charlotte's birthday. You shouldn't even be here.
"If you need me to remind you of my warning, I won't hesitate to do it again.
"If you mess up Charlotte's birthday party, I swear I'll—"
Before he could finish, I threw a whole glass of red wine right in his face. He turned his head, clearly caught off guard.
I said, "Enough with your warnings! Who the hell do you think you are?
"Do you seriously think I'm head over heels for you, that I'd just run off whenever you say so?"
I didn't care that he was a prestigious nobleman in Riverdale. I wasn't about to show him any respect.
I said, "You want me to leave? Open your damn eyes and see for yourself. This is my home!
"Who the hell do you think you are, blocking my way?
"Andrew, let me make this clear. I never liked you, not in the past, not now, and not ever.
"You're nothing to me. You've never had any right to boss me around!"
The whole place went dead silent.
Everyone gaped, eyes glued to the noble Andrew Grant, in his sharp suit, getting absolutely roasted by a girl in a filthy school uniform.
Andrew just stood there, stunned. He was a neat freak, but he actually forgot to wipe the wine off his face.
"Wh-What did you just say to me?" Andrew stared at me, his brows drawn tight.
I gripped the empty wine glass, glaring at him.
"I said, Andrew Grant, who the hell do you think you are?" I shot back.
"You!" Andrew blurted out, totally stunned, his voice catching in his throat.
His eyes went wide with shock.
But before I could continue, someone yanked my shoulder, twisting me around by force.
Then, a slap smashed across my face, sending me crashing to the floor.
Ethan's eyes were bloodshot with rage as he glared at me.
He said, "Charlotte's taking pictures. What the hell is your problem? This isn't just some regular birthday. It's her eighteenth, a milestone in her life!
"Are you really that pathetic? You just have to steal the spotlight, even on a day like this?"
My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning like fire. I could taste blood in my mouth, the metallic tang sharp and bitter.
It was hard to believe that my own brother had just slapped me.
I pushed myself up, my voice steady but cold.
I said, "Charlotte's eighteenth birthday?
"Just because it's her birthday, does that mean she gets to do whatever she wants?"
The next second, I smacked him hard across the face, my voice fierce.
"Did you seriously forget that it's my eighteenth birthday, too!" I snapped.
Everyone froze, my question hanging in the air. Suddenly, nobody cared about Charlotte's celebration anymore.
Ethan clutched his face, staring at me in shock. "Did you just hit me?"
Without hesitation, I slapped him again, this time on the other cheek. I gave him a cold gaze.
"This one is for screwing me over with the birthday lie," I spat.
"Mom..." Charlotte's voice quivered as she whimpered.
Charlotte's eyes welled up with tears, and she shrank into Mom's arms, looking utterly pitiful.
Mom wrapped her up in a hug, murmuring soft reassurances.
I gave her a cold, mocking smile.
"Seriously, what's there to cry about? You've got a whole crowd here just for your birthday," I scoffed.
Then I shoved Andrew aside. "Don't worry, I'm not here for you. Just carry on with your little celebration."
Dad's face was thunderous with rage. "Stop right there!"