-25-
Yasmi n
I sat across from my Amirah at my favorite corner cafe. The sun streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the table between us. I pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear, fiddling with the edge of my napkin as I gathered my thoughts. Lunch with Amirah was becoming a tradition, a small refuge from the chaos that seemed to follow me everywhere. Today, however, was anything but ordinary. I just didn’t know it yet.
“You wouldn’t believe what happened at the meeting with Dad, Rafael, and Roman,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced around making sure no one was eavesdropping before leaning in closer. “Ethan was also there, and it was... intense.”
Amirah’s eyes widened with curiosity. She set her fork down and gave me her full attention. “Tell me everything.”
I took a deep breath and launched into the story. “I’m sure you must have heard by now that Dad was considering going into business with Ethan. Shocking, I know. Dad told me he wanted me to take over this new project since it was originally my idea, so he asked me to meet with him and Ethan the next day.”
“Wait, Dad’s finally going with your idea?”
I smiled. “I’m as shocked as you are.”
“It’s about time,” she laughed. “He should have done it years ago.”
“You might be right, but everything happens for a reason.”
Amirah nodded, urging me to continue.
“Rafael went with me and when we got there, we saw Roman. Things seemed fishy from there, but I didn’t question it. It turns out it was all a part of his elaborate plan, and he made them compete to see who deserved his money. Then Dad dropped the bombshell: he told them who I was.”
Amirah’s eyebrows shot up. “He told them about your real identity? That you’re not just Yasmin but his daughter?”
I nodded, the memory of their shocked faces still vivid in my mind. “Exactly. I told Roman myself just in case and Rafael already knew, but Ethan... well, he just stared at me like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. It was surreal.”
Amirah let out a low whistle. “Wow. I knew something like this would happen eventually, but hearing it is different. What did he say?”
“What could he say? Dad made it a point to tell him Rafael and I were engaged. It’s like he wanted all the shock to kill him.”
Amirah’s expression shifted from surprise to amusement. “That sounds like something he would do.”
I sighed, feeling the tension knot in my shoulders. “He fumbled his presentation so badly I almost felt sorry for him. We didn’t announce a winner, but he lost.”
Amirah reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “There’s no reason for you to feel sympathy for him. He dug his grave when he treated you like shit. I say he deserves everything that’s coming to him.”
I nodded, my appetite waning despite the delicious food in front of us. “I know. That’s not even what I’m worried about. What if he does something in retaliation? What then?”
For the past two days, that’s all I could think about. I wanted revenge and wouldn’t stop until I got it, but I wasn’t eager to find out what cruel thing Ethan had planned for me. There was no way he’d take this lying down and not knowing made this so much harder than it had to be. We lapsed into a comfortable silence, each lost in our thoughts. I was just about to order another serving of fries when the door to the cafe opened, and I saw Cheryl and Ava walk in. Their eyes locked onto mine immediately.
“Oh great, just what I need,” I muttered.
Amirah followed my gaze and groaned. “What are they doing here?”
Cheryl and Ava made a beeline for our table, their faces plastered with fake smiles. I arched an eyebrow, maintaining a steady stare as they approached. Ethan let it slip who my father was, and they were here to make a show of their newfound knowledge. Would they continue to be the vile human beings I knew them as, or would they soften towards me because of my father’s money?
“Yasmin! What a coincidence running into you here,” Cheryl chirped, her smile not reaching her eyes.
“Yeah, what a small world,” Ava added, her voice dripping with insincerity.
I didn’t bother to hide my disdain. “What do you want, Cheryl?”
They exchanged a glance before Cheryl responded. “We just wanted to say hi. It’s been a while.”
It could be longer, I thought as Amirah, and I exchanged a look. We both knew this shift in attitude was only because they knew who my father was. When we didn’t respond, Cheryl and Ava just stood there, awkwardly smiling.
“Well, you’ve said hi. You can go now,” Amirah said, her tone icy.
Cheryl’s smile faltered for a split second before she regained her composure. “And who are you? There’s no need to be so hostile. We’re all friends here, right?”
I narrowed my eyes, not giving a hint as to who Amirah was. “Since when?”
Ava shifted uncomfortably, clearly not enjoying this. I imagine it was hard for her to watch her mom suck up to me when they were always eager to bring me down. “We just wanted to catch up. Ethan mentioned how much he missed you and wanted to be with you again. Sounds like there’s a lot for you two to talk about.”
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “Whatever Ethan told you, I’m sure he left out a lot of details.”
“Like what?” Cheryl asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Like how it’s none of your business,” I shot back.
“Oh, this must be your sister, Amirah,” Ava chimed in, her tone a mix of condescension and forced friendliness. “I’ve heard so much about you. Yasmin always talked about how wonderful you are.”
Amirah’s eyes narrowed, her smile vanishing. “That’s a lie and also funny. I’ve heard nothing good about either of you,” she said coolly.
I would have continued to ignore them if it wasn’t for the insults that started pouring from Amirah’s mouth. She was relentless, not holding back in the slightest. And honestly, they deserved every word.
“Your pathetic pleasantries,” Amirah spat. “You’re just as fake as you were days ago. Yasmin doesn’t need bullshit.”
Ava and Cheryl exchanged uneasy glances, their forced smiles faltering. “We regret everything that happened,” Ava said, her voice faltering. “We treated you horribly, and we’re truly sorry.”
I lost my appetite. My stomach churned with a mix of anger and disgust. Rising to my feet, I decided I had heard enough.
“You regret everything, huh?” I said, my voice shaking with suppressed emotion. “You think saying sorry is enough to make up for the torment you put me through?”
Ava opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. “If you want my forgiveness, you’ll kneel and beg for it.”
Cheryl’s eyes widened in shock. Ava’s expression turned to one of disbelief. “Are you serious?” Ava scoffed. “I’m not kneeling.”
“Fine,” I replied, turning to walk away. “Let’s go, Amirah.”
But to my surprise, Cheryl grabbed Ava’s arm and pulled her down with her, falling to her knees. “Please, Yasmin,” Cheryl said, her voice trembling. “We’re sorry. I’m sorry. Please forgive us.”
Ava struggled, trying to stand, but Cheryl held her down. “Mom, let go of me!” Ava hissed.
“No,” Cheryl insisted. “We need to do this. We need to make it right.”
I watched them, a cold satisfaction settling in my chest. “An apology from both of you, kneeling, is the only thing that counts,” I said, crossing my arms. “Otherwise, it’s meaningless.”
Cheryl looked over at Ava, pleading with her eyes. Ava’s face flushed with humiliation and anger, but eventually, she gave in.
“We’re sorry, Yasmin,” Ava said through gritted teeth. “Please forgive us.”
The sight of them on their knees, the mighty brought low, filled me with a sense of power I had never felt before. They had made my life a living hell, and now they were at my mercy. Maybe I should have told them who I was sooner.
“Louder,” I demanded, my voice icy. “I want everyone in this cafe to hear you.”
Cheryl looked up; her eyes filled with tears. “We’re so sorry, Yasmin. We treated you horribly. Please forgive us.”
Ava’s voice wavered, her humiliation complete. “We’re sorry, Yasmin. We shouldn’t have treated you that way. Please forgive us.”
I let the moment stretch, savoring it. “Forgiveness isn’t something either of you deserves,” I said. “Not ever, and certainly not from me.”
I looked around at the other patrons, their eyes fixed on Ava and Cheryl, their whispers like a wave of justice washing over me. “Do you remember when you called me a gold digger?” I asked, my voice cutting through the silence. “And all the times I assured you I wasn’t?”
Ava flinched, her eyes widening in shock. “Yasmin, that’s in the past. We didn’t know any better. You should have told us who you were.”
“The past?” I echoed, my anger rising. “The past was a mere few days ago. Have you already forgotten accusing me of being a prostitute? Is the ‘past’ so easily forgotten?”
Cheryl’s voice was barely a whisper. “We’re sorry. We are.”
I stepped closer, my voice low and fierce. “Do you remember the pictures you sent? The way you painted me as a cheater when I wasn’t?”
They shared a confused look, but I was too far gone to notice. “Yasmin, please...”
“You want forgiveness?” I said, my voice trembling with rage. “You want to make things right? Travel to the depths of hell and make a home down there.”
Amirah stepped forward, her eyes blazing. “Stay away from my sister or forgiveness will be the last of your troubles. Consider this first and only warning.”
Together, we turned and walked away, leaving them kneeling there, the eyes of the other patrons on them, their humiliation complete. For the first time in a long time, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I stood up for myself. I had reclaimed a piece of my pride. And I had my sister by my side, supporting me every step of the way.
As we exited the cafe, the sunlight hit my face, and I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of liberation I hadn’t felt in years. Amirah wrapped an arm around my shoulders, her fierce gaze softening as she looked at me.
“That was exceptional.”
“You’re right. It does feel awesome.”
I’ ve always wanted to stand up to them, to give them a piece of my mind, but I always refrained from doing so. I didn’t want to burn the already fragile relationship I had with my in-laws, so I sucked it up and pretended it didn’t bother me. It bothered me a lot, but I handled it. That was, until Ethan followed in their footsteps, tearing down whatever love I had left for any of them.
Now all I wanted to do was seek revenge for the woman who put up with so much just to be dumped. She didn’t deserve any of that; she deserved to be catered to and protected. She deserved to be treated the same way in which Rafael treated me, like a queen. And after proving to myself that I could be better, stronger, and protective. I finally felt like I could do what I’ve been wanting to do for a while now.
It was time I admitted a few things, starting with my feelings for Rafael.