Chapter 60
I didn’t hearthe rest of the conversation between Kaylee and my friends. Anger, exhaustion, and annoyance spurred me as I pushed the door open. A glance showed me no one else was inside. I locked the door and glanced at Sylvia. She had scattered her makeup supplies all over the counter. I didn’t need this immature shit right now.
Remembering my lessons from my self-defense classes, I acknowledged the turbulent emotions whirling inside me and tried to separate myself from the storm. It was the only way for me to resolve this matter efficiently. Anger only clouded my judgment. I gathered everything I had to stay calm. Inhaling a deep breath, I stepped up to her and grabbed an eyeliner from the scattered supplies.
Sylvia shot me a sharp look as I twirled the eyeliner in my hand. Then I gripped it like a weapon, stabbing the air as though it were a dagger.
“Did you know this tiny little thing can puncture easily?” I jabbed it into the air, this way and that. “One powerful stab in the right place can injure someone’s heart. Or someone’s eye.”
She glared at me. I could tell she wanted to bark at me but hesitated when I demonstrated a jab near her throat.
“What do you want?” she asked, keeping her gaze on the eyeliner.
“I want you to grow up.” I jabbed it forward as though an opponent was in front of me. Relaxing my stance, I twirled the pencil between my fingers again. “The sharp point can easily penetrate vulnerable human skin. Be careful with this thing. It can make someone beautiful or ugly.” I placed the eyeliner back with the other supplies. “As an adult, you need to be careful of what you say and do. There are repercussions to your actions.”
Sylvia pouted. “She keyed my car!”
“Was there proof?” I asked, even though I already knew the evidence had disappeared. Kaylee had confessed everything to me. “I apologize for what my little sister did. She shouldn’t have done it, and you could’ve called Arrow. He would’ve told me, and I would’ve dealt with it.” The fatigue from the past few months surged through the surface, forcing me to release a heavy sigh. “She’s only thirteen. Her actions stemmed from the fact that you hired two people to attack me in public. Kaylee just wanted justice for me.”
Sylvia looked away from my gaze and said nothing.
“If I had wanted justice for myself, I would’ve sued you. It wouldn’t be hard to ask those women to talk. And your perfect persona wouldn’t be so perfect anymore.”
She looked at me, and fear swam in her eyes.
“But I have more important things to deal with than this immature behavior. We need to talk. Like adults.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” she said.
“Then listen up. One, you stay away from me and my sister.” A headache bloomed and pounded my temple. I glanced down at her knee-high boots. “If you don’t, I’ll shove that heel up your ass until it reaches your throat. The internet would love seeing their beloved influencer like that, wouldn’t they?”
She flared her nostrils.
“Just because a man doesn’t want you anymore doesn’t mean you attack your competition and her little sister.” I rubbed my temple, trying to ease the pressure. “Find yourself a man who loves you. Stop wasting your time on someone who doesn’t. You’re a gorgeous woman, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding someone.”
Hurt flickered in her eyes, but disappeared quickly. “Does he love you?”
Arrow had never said those words to me. But this conversation wasn’t about his love for me. It was about a bully who couldn’t accept rejection and was trying to bully me and a younger girl.
“That’s none of your business,” I said.
“If he hasn’t said those words to you, he doesn’t. He’ll leave you soon.”
“Even if he does, I wouldn’t hire people to hurt the next girl. That’s insane—and illegal.”
“She scratched up my car!” Sylvia threw out her arms in defiance.
She glared at me, probably wondering how she could hurt me. If she attacked me, I’d have no choice but to defend myself by breaking her arm.
“I think you’ve acquired a lot of enemies over the years, Sylvia. You should watch your back from now on. You don’t know who could retaliate. People turn ugly when you give them no way out.”
I could tell she was thinking about my statement. I was sick and tired of this childishness.
“Arrow said he’s replacing your car—which he didn’t have to.” I gathered her scattered makeup products on the counter and placed them back into the bag. The gesture was like me putting pieces of her back. I didn’t know why I did it. Maybe because I also felt like I was scattered.
Sylvia’s brow furrowed, gauging what I was doing to her makeup bag. She probably thought I wanted to whip it at her or something.
“He’s my boyfriend now. So I suggest you move on. I’m very possessive and . . . can turn crazy.”
Sometimes, bullies needed to know the pain they inflicted on others. I considered myself a decent person, but that changed when those I loved were threatened.
“Are we clear about where things stand?” I zipped up her Versace pouch.
Glaring at me, she seethed, “You stay away from me, and I’ll stay away from you.”
“Excellent.” I watched her shove her beauty pouch into her giant purse.
She shot me a hateful look before stalking to the door without apologizing for the attack. But that was okay—I didn’t need one. I simply wanted her to realize I knew she was behind the attack.
Relationships were so strange. They could make people commit horrible crimes. I hoped this eyeliner event would be etched in Sylvia’s mind whenever she wanted to hurt someone again.