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BELLE
"Belle, is that my dress?" Faye's voice sliced through the air. My heart lurched as I spun around to face the defying look on her face.
"What? N-no, it's a gift from Rowan, I swear... he specifically told me to wear it tonight. Otherwise, I wouldn't..." My voice faltered under her piercing glare.
She took a step closer, her lip pressing into a thin line before twisting into a sneer.
"Rowan? Buy you a dress? Don't make me laugh." She spat in my face.
"Faye, I promise you, I didn't-"
"Of course, you didn't." Her face twisted into a mocking grin. "Aren't you always innocent?" She took a step closer to the door with a sly grin plastered on her face.
"F-Faye, p-p-please," I wavered.
"What? I haven't even done anything yet," she chuckled before letting out a piercing yell. "Mom! Look what I found!"
Dread clawed at my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself as the sharp click of heels echoed down the hall.
Laura.
When she appeared in my room, the cold disapproval on her face was already set in stone.
"What is going on here?" Laura demanded. She barely spared a glance at Faye before turning her glare on me.
"I... I swear, I didn't..."
"She stole my dress, mom!" Faye cut me off.
Laura let out a weary sigh, shaking her head. "Do you ever learn?"
"Laura, I didn't..."
"Are you calling my daughter a liar?" She snapped.
I was cornered. I always was.
It's the only thing that is consistent in my life since my father died. Laura was a perfect mother figure while my father was alive. She never acted like the typical stepmother or maltreated me for once.
Little did I know it was all a ploy to get my father to leave all my mother's properties in her care. Alas! It worked, and I blamed myself every day for being so naive.
"No," my voice came out barely as a whisper as tears welled my eyes.
"Good." She said flatly. "Since you want to dress up so badly, you'll represent Faye tonight. You'll attend the meeting with Mr. Brown in her stead."
"M-mr. Brown?" My blood ran cold at the mention of the name. "You know that is not possible-"
Mr. Brown has the most infamous reputation in the business industry. It doesn't make sense that Laura would set up a meeting with Mr. Brown and Faye, let alone, making me go in her stead.
"Did I stutter?" She stepped forward, forcing me back with her sharp gaze.
"N-no."
"Good. You've five minutes."
"Mom! She can't wear my dress!" Faye whined.
"Let her. It looks cheap on her anyway, and we can't have her misrepresent the Anderson family," she shrugged.
Laura's heels clicked against the marble floor as she walked away.
Faye smirked as soon as we were left alone.
"I heard Mr. Brown is a pervert who loves young girls." She leaned in, her breath warm against my ear. "Try not to disgust him. Even he has standards."
The night blurred.
I was dragged down the stairs, shoved into a car, and just before we drove off, Faye slipped in beside me, grinning. "I have to watch this. Your downfall? Front row seat."
By the time we arrived, my head was pounding. Maybe it was fear, or maybe it was something else.
I felt hot from within, and I needed... I don't know what I needed. My throat feels dry, and my body feels weird. Every voice sounded like moans in my ear, and it made my pu**y throbbed.
What is wrong with me?
The club pulsated with loud music. Lights flashed in disorienting colors, stinging my eyes. The air reeked of sweat, alcohol and smoke. At this point, I just wanted to empty my stomach.
"Don't just stand there, bitch!" Faye snapped.
I tried to move, but my legs felt... heavy. The room spun around me, making me feel even more dizzy.
"Can you do anything right? I told mom you were useless," Faye hissed. She grabbed my wrist, her nails digging into my skin as she shoved me through a door.
"Just be a good girl and you will earn us a fortune, huh?"
The room began to spun around, as my knees buckled. I collapsed onto the floor, twisting my ankle in the process.
"Dumb bitch," Faye's laughter rang in my ear, adding to my headache.
Just then, the door cracked open, and a familiar scent hit me. Even through the haze, my body recognized it immediately.
Rowan.
I lifted my head to see Rowan, my fiancé and I couldn't explain the relief that washed over me. He came for me. He always did.
I blinked up at him, and my vision were blessed with the sight of his tall frame, his sharp gaze, the way his lips pressed into a frown. He was pissed.
Just then, Faye leaned closer to kiss his cheeks and his frown melted.
WHAT THE HELL?
"I missed you, babe," she cooed.
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