CHAPTER 18 — THE SLAP （AGAIN）
Mrs. Tang stood so fast her chair scraped the floor.
Her composure cracked.
“You think you’re better than us?” she hissed.
I didn’t move.
I didn’t raise my voice.
“I think you’re here to bargain with me,” I said. “And I’m not for sale.”
Mrs. Tang’s face twisted.
Then her hand came up and struck my cheek.
The sound was sharp and clean.
For a moment, my vision blurred.
Not from pain.
From the shock of how quickly “family” turned into violence.
I tasted metal.
Ethan surged forward instinctively, but Vivian moved faster.
Vivian Cheng crossed the room and slapped Mrs. Tang back with a force that made her stagger.
“Don’t touch her,” Vivian said, voice low and lethal. “Not in my home.”
Mrs. Tang let out a strangled scream and lunged again, aiming for me.
Ethan stepped between us, catching her wrist mid-air.
He didn’t twist.
He didn’t shove.
He simply held her still, strong enough that she couldn’t pretend she was a victim.
“Stop,” Ethan said, teeth clenched. “Now.”
Mrs. Tang jerked against his grip.
Her eyes burned with hate.
“You should have drowned,” she spat at me. “We should have drowned you when you were taken. You bring disaster.”
The room went silent.
Even Mr. Tang looked horrified.
Vivian’s breath came slow through her nose.
Her hands curled into fists.
I stood very carefully.
I touched my cheek once.
Then I looked at Ethan, then Vivian, and said something calm enough to frighten even me.
“Please don’t touch her again,” I told Ethan. “Let her go.”
Ethan released Mrs. Tang.
Mrs. Tang stumbled back, chest heaving.
Mr. Tang grabbed her elbow.
“Enough,” he said sharply. “We’re leaving.”
Mrs. Tang tried to keep speaking, but Mr. Tang dragged her toward the door.
At the threshold, he turned back once, face tight with exhaustion.
“Ava,” he said, quieter, “Stella is your sister. You’ll regret this.”
I held his gaze.
“No,” I said. “I’ll regret letting it continue.”
After they left, Ethan reached for me.
I stepped back.
Not away from him.
Just enough space to breathe.
“I’m okay,” I said.
Ethan’s eyes looked wrecked.
Vivian’s voice cut through, practical.
“We have cameras,” she said. “Full audio. Full video.”
She looked at me, and for the first time that night her face softened.
“We will send it to your lawyer,” she added. “Tonight.”
I nodded.
A slap wasn’t just a slap now.
It was evidence.
And I was done letting violence be private.