Chapter 14 She Snapped
The café was nearly empty when I arrived, thirty minutes before closing.
Apple was already there at a small round table, drumming her fingers against an untouched cup of coffee.
Her jacket hung crooked, half-buttoned. Mascara was smeared beneath her eyes as if she had cried and wiped it away with anger instead of a tissue.
Her hair looked like she had dragged her hands through it too many times.
She looked… feral.
Her gaze snapped to me the moment I stepped inside. I crossed the room and sat across from her.
“I’m here,” I said calmly. “Let’s get this over with.”
“I knew it was you,” she hissed. “Back then. At the party. You sabotaged me. You ruined me.”
“You ruined yourself.”
Her palm hit the table, rattling the cup.
“You posted that video. I know you did. You did it then and you did it now!”
“I didn’t post it,” I said, tilting my head. “But I’m not sorry it exists.”
“LIAR.” She shoved the table, coffee sloshing over the rim. “You hated me. You always did. You couldn’t stand that people loved me. You always ruin everything.”
Two older men at the counter glanced over.
“No,” I said. “You did that on your own.”
“You took everything from me,” she snapped. “Nick. Dad’s love. And now you’re trying to take Knox.”
“People aren’t property. I can’t take anyone.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “If you don’t leave Sinclair Enterprises, I’ll burn her things. Every photo. Every letter.”
My chest tightened.
“You touch them,” I said quietly, “and I go to the police.”
She laughed, sharp and unsteady. “You won’t.”
I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone.
Her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”
I unlocked it and lifted it to my ear.
“Who are you calling?” she demanded.
“Emergency services.”
Her chair scraped. “Don’t you dare.”
I didn’t look at her as I spoke. “My sister is having a breakdown. She’s yelling and threatening to destroy property. I’m afraid she might hurt someone.”
Apple froze. Then exploded.
“YOU BITCH! She’s lying! She ruined my life! SHE DID THIS TO ME!”
I gave them the address.
“Yes. A café on Willow and Grant. Please hurry.”
“Hang up. HANG UP!”
“She’s been unstable for a long time,” I continued softly. “Depression. Anger issues. I’ve tried to help her.”
“She stole everything from me!” Apple screamed. “My men. My life. My future.”
“Apple, please,” I said gently. “Calm down. Help is coming.”
“STOP PRETENDING!” Apple shrieked. “You’re acting! You always act!”
I ended the call and placed the phone face-down on the table.
Then I leaned in, my voice low, expression soft enough to pass for concern.
“You’re not getting Knox,” I murmured. “I already have him. I’ll marry him. You’ll watch it happen.”
Her face twisted.
I reached across the table and touched her hand, like a worried sister. “He said I was a thousand times better in bed than you ever were,” I added softly, for her ears only.
Something in her snapped and she yanked her hand away.
“I’LL KILL YOU!” She lunged toward me, but someone caught her arm.
“Let go of me!”
“Miss, you need to calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” she screamed. “She is fucking my man!”
“Apple, please,” I said shakily. “You’re scaring me.”
“She’s pretending!” Apple shrieked.
Two customers tried to hold her back.
“Ma’am, sit down.”
“I SAID DON’T TOUCH ME!”
I stepped back, eyes wide, hands shaking.
“Apple,” I said. “You’re not thinking clearly.”
A man moved beside me. “Miss, stay back. It’s not safe.”
I looked up at him, tears spilling over.
“That’s my sister. I just want to help her. She’s been like this for weeks. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“LIAR!”
Sirens wailed outside.
When the officers entered, Apple turned on them immediately. “She’s lying! She’s trying to make me look unstable!”
I moved toward them first. “That’s my sister,” I said softly. “She’s been spiraling for weeks. Depression. Paranoia. Threats. I was afraid to leave her alone.”
Apple twisted against the man restraining her, still fighting his grip when the officers moved in.
“She’s lying!”
“She needs help,” I said, raising my voice over the noise.
“That bitch set me up!” Apple screamed.
“My sister needs to be evaluated,” I continued over her shouting, tears running freely now. “For her own safety.”
Apple was still screaming my name as they took her outside. Her voice echoed down the street until the cruiser door shut and the sound cut off.
The café fell silent.
I stood there shaking, arms wrapped around myself. One of the officers returned.
“You’re her sister?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He glanced toward the window where Apple thrashed in the back seat.
“We’re taking her in for an emergency psychiatric evaluation. Based on what we saw and what you reported, she’ll likely be placed on a seventy-two-hour hold.”
“Is she… in trouble?”
“No,” he said. “This is medical. But situations like this don’t come out of nowhere. We see this pattern often. Emotional fixation. Paranoia. Public breakdowns. It escalates fast.”
I nodded like the words hurt.
“I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You did the right thing,” he said. “You kept yourself safe. And you got her help.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He left. The car pulled away.
The café staff looked at me with sympathy. I offered to pay for the damage, but the owner waved me off.
“Just a few cups,” he said. “The table’s fine.”
When I finally slid into the back of my rideshare, a small smile tugged at my mouth.