Chapter 11
Paisley stood quietly behind the pair, not missing the shock that flashed across Christina and Brittany’s faces as they turned and saw her.
“P–Paisley?” Brittany blinked, a moment of surprise crossing her face before she quickly plastered on a grin, her voice overly bright. “When did you come back?”
Paisley’s lips curled into a wry smile as she regarded Brittany’s feigned excitemem. She scoffed under her breath, “I heard you became an actres Your acting skills still need somer work, though.”
Brittany’s expression stiffened, her eyes narrowing with barely contained irritation before her eyes quickly turned stony.
Christina’s voice cut through the tension, sharp and commanding Paisley, what nonsense are you talking” The woman who should have been overjoyed to see her own daughter after years of absence didn’t show an ounce of warmth. Instead, she immediately snapped at Paisley in favor of Brittany.
Paisley’s eyes hardened, a coldness settling deep inside her chest. She had long since grown accustomed to Christina’s attitude and stopped expecting anything from her–or the Sullivan family, for that matter.She had learned years ago not to hold her breath.
“What are you doing here? This isn’t a place for someone like you, Christina said coldly, her words laced with disdain. “You chose to leave the family, remember?
“Don’t think that just because you’ve come crawling back, we’re going to welcome you with open arms. Get out of here before you embarrass yourself‘
“Mom, don’t be like that Brittany interjected smoothly, her voice laced with faux sympathy. She gently looped her arm through Christina’s, her eyes glinting with a practiced understanding, “Paisley’s probably just out of options. That’s why she came here, right
At that moment, Brittany still wore the same guise of the sweet, understanding adopted daughter. But Paisley had long since seen through the act the layers of sweetness that hid a much darker core.
A few years ago, Paisley might have been enraged by Brittany’s theatrics, by the way she played the part of the golden girl in front of the Sullivan family. But now, she was beyond caring
The Sullivan family didn’t hold any power over her anymore–least of all Brittany.
Paisley merely smiled, her expression distant, and took a leisurely step toward the gown that had caused all this fuss. “So, you want this gown!” she asked, her voice dripping with quiet amusement.
Brittany blinked, her large, doe eyes widening with mock innocence.
“Do you like it, too?” she asked, her voice shifting to one of feigned sweetness. “Well then, maybe Mom should just buy it for you, since you like it so much. I can always go check out the ready–made gowns while you take this one.
“Brittany, what are you talking about? She doesn’t deserve to wear something so nice” Christincï’s eyes swept over Paisley from head to toe, a look of distaste clear on her face
Paisley had dressed simply today for convenience–a casual outfit that didn’t scream luxury or any recognizable brand.
It was just something she’d grabbed quickly from a small local shop outside her neighborhood, enough to keep her warm. On top of that, she hadn’t slept well the night before, and the dark circles under her eyes were more pronounced than usual, making her appear tired and worn.
Christina looked at her like that, and her judgment was swift and harsh. To her, this was proof that Paisley hadn’t amounted to much in the outside world, that she had returned crawling to the Sullivan family in desperate need of a handout
Christina scoffed inwardly. She must have known she wouldn’t be able to get past the gated community, so she’s been lurking around, following us to the mall. I bet that’s what happened”
As Paisley listened to Christina and Brittany, who seemed to be playing a perfect late duet of disdain, she couldn’t help but find it laughable. Why did I ever waste so much energy trying to earn the love of people like this?
Ti’s only when I stepped outside and looked at things from a distance that I realized what I once valued was just trash, nothing more
Paisley walked up to the gown on display, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “You wanted to contact the owner of this gown, right?” She paused, letting her words hang in the air. “Well, I’m the one you’re looking for.”
“Paisley.” Brittany’s voice was laced with false pily, her expression one of barely–contained amusement, as if looking at some stray dog. “Don’t the in front of me and Mom. I know you’re upset that Mom wanna buy me this gown. It’s okay. I don’t want it anymore”
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Chapter 11
Christina’s face was as cold as ice, her eyes narrowing as the crowd around them began to notice the tension. Her gaze was practically burning through Paisley “Get out of here, do you hear me? Stop embarrassing yourself.”
Before Paisley could respond, a voice rang out, cutting through the tension like a knife. “What’s going on here? What’s all this fuss about)”
Emery appeared, draped in a stunning gown of her own, hands on her hips. She stormed up, pushing Brimany aside with a firm shove, and stood next to Paisley, glaring daggers at Christina and Brittany, “You two are causing a scene in my shop?”
Christina and Brittany, caught off guard by Emery’s presence, managed to rein in their imitation, their tone shifting to something more polite- almost syrupy sweet–as they turned to her. After all, they still wanted the gown.
“Ms. Collins” Christina began, her voice smooth and practiced, “my daughter would really love this gown. We’re willing to pay anything for it” She stepped forward, pulling Brittany along with her, eager to make her introduction to Emery.
But before they could get any closer, Emery raised a single hand, halting them several feet away, her gaze scanning Brittany from head to toe like a
machine.
She clicked her tongue, shaking her head in mock disapproval. “This gown is custom–made for my best friend, Palsy. Your daughter’s shaped like a teenage boy. She decan’t exactly strike me as someone who’d be able to pull it off. You think she’s worthy of wearing something I made?”
With a flourish, Emery mimicked the way Brittany had held omo Christina earlier, looping her arm around Paisley’s. “Sorry, Paisy,” she said with exaggerated sweetness. “I wasn’t paying attention, and it seems some cockroaches have decided to crawl in. Sorry if they’ve grossed you out”
Paisley bit her lip, trying not to laugh at Emery’s ruthless wit. When she starts getting sarcastic, she really doesn’t hold back.
At the humiliation, Christina’s face turned bright red with fury, her mouth hanging open in disbelief as she glared at Emery and Paisley. You.” she sputtered, her voice trembling with indignation.
Britany, on the other hand, stood frozen, shocked. I can’t believe it. Paidey is actually friends with Ms. Collin” The realization hit her like a cold slap. It seemed like everything she knew about the situation had just been turned upside down.
Emery wasn’t fazed in the least, her expression cool and dismissive as she shot back, “What are you still standing around for?
“You’re waiting for me to lick your asses, or what?” Her voice was thick with irritation, and she didn’t care one bit that other customers in the store could bear.
“You’re kicking us out? Do you know who I am? Do you know who my daughter is Christina’s voice was sharp, but beneath her arrogance, there was a tinge of vulnerability. This was the first time anyone had dared to treat her like this, and she was seething.
Emery’s eyes gleamed with amusement as she dismissed Christina with a wave of her hand. “I don’t care who you are. Get out, or I’ll have security escort you out.” Her words were cutting, and the disdain in her tone was palpable.
The crowd around them had only grown, with several people now filming the scene on their phones. Brittany, eager to avoid further embarrassment, tugged at Christina’s arin and whispered urgently, “Mom, let’s just go. We don’t need this
Brittany had landed a leading role in a major production, and Christina, fully aware of how important this moment was for her daughter’s career, reluctantly conceded.
Before they left, Christina shot one last venomous look at Paisley. “You can forget about ever coming back to our family. We’ll never accept you.”
“Pif. Shut up already, you pathetic wretch, Emery muttered, as if Christina and Brittany were nothing more than a bad smell. She even waved her hand dismissively in their direction as they walked away, as if trying to push the negative energy out of the store.
She then turned to the cleaning staff, ordering them to wipe down the store again, as though the place had been tainted.
Paidley couldn’t help but chuckle at Emery’s fire, but at the same time, she felt a warmth in her chest. “Alright, enough of that,” Paisley said, trying to suppress ber smile, “Wasn’t this supposed to be our lunch date? We should go eat.”
“Let’s go, I’m starving,” Emery said, pulling Paisley toward the door. But just then, Paisley’s phone rang
Paisley glanced at the screen. “It’s Rema’s kindergarten,” she muttered under her breath, her stomach sinking.
She answered the call and then froze, her face slowly losing all color as she listened to the voice on the other end.
“What’s wrong! Did something happen to my goddaughter? Did she get bullied?” Emery’s voice was sharp with worry, her concern obvious.
Paisley shook her head, her voice still in shock. “No, no. It’s not that. Rena’s been in a fight, She hit two other kids…
The kindergarten had called to ask her to come in and sort things out.
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Chapter 11
The bunch they had planned was never meant to be. As she walked Paisley out of the store, Emery couldn’t stop praising. “My goddaughter is amazing, so tough
Paisley, however, was anything but amused. Her nerves were tight with worry as she hurried to her car, quickly starting the engine and speeding off toward the kindergarten. Every second felt like it counted, and she couldn’t shake the concem grawing at her.
The sterile en of disinfectant lingered in the air of the school’s medical room, mingling with the quiet rustle of papers:
sand the Ein hum of fluorescent lights overhead,
The atmosphere was tense, punchiated only by the sound of the school nurse moving carefully around her patients. She was delicately tending to the wounds of Stella and Grayson, her hands gentle but precise as she cleaned their injuries.
Stella’s scrape was on her hand, a small bus painful abrasion, while Grayson’s injury secined more concerning, a few scratches along his neck.
The scale had happened just moments before and there had been hardly enough time for anyone to react before in escalated. Teachers had rushed in as quickly as they could, but even their speed couldn’t prevent the slap Serena had almed as Grayson
It seemed clear that Serena had intended to strike his face, but due to her small stature, her hand only reached his neck. Still, the slap was hard enough to leave several deep, angry red lines on his skin with oozing blood.
“You’re supposed to be watching the children. How could one of your little ones wander all the way to the elementary school section!” Grayson’s teacher, a stern woman with an air of authority, scolded Sophia Johnson, the teacher responsible for Serena’s class.
Her voice was sharp, cutting through the tension in the room.
Sophia flushed red, guilt flooding her chest. She didn’t even try to argue while getting yelled ar
She also felt that this was her mistake. When the free time had begun, she hadn’t made sure to keep a close eye on her students. Serena had slipped away from the group and wandered of
The schoolyard was small–she had figured she could keep an eye on them from a distance, but the moment she’d stepped away to use the restroom, things had gotten out of hand.
Sophia had asked the new intern to watch the children, but the intern had been too absorbed in her phone to notice what was going on, paying atication only to the children directly in front of her, completely unaware of Serena sneaking off in the other direction.
“She pushed me, and my hand is all scraped up.” Stella cried dramatically, lifting her finger to show the tiny scratch. Her voice was a pitiful wail, filled with exaggerated distress. “She even hit Sonny, Just get rid of her. Don’t let her bully us anymore.”
The teachers around her exchanged shocked glances. Even Michelle Cooper, the principal, had been drawn into the commotion. Her brow furrowed deeply as she glanced over at Stella and Grayson, her eyes full of concemi.
In the entire school, the last children anyone wanted to upset were Grayson and Stella. Both came from families with deep influence, and if mything happened to them, it could spell the end of Michelle’s tenure as principal.
“Have you contacted Serena’s parents?” Michelle’s voice was tight with authority, her gaze sharp as
she fixed it on Sophia.
“I called her mom. She’s on her way,” Sophia replied, nodding quickly, desperate in avoid further reprimands.
But Michelle’s stern expression didn’t soften. In fact, it deepened as she gave a single, tight nod. “Good. When Grayson’s father and Stella’s aunt get here, you all need to be on the same page. Make sure you know what to say”
Michelle’s mind raced as she formulated her next steps. There’s no other choice. The only thing we can do now is place all the blame on Serena
“Yes, there was some neglect on our part, but if we portray her as a terribly unruly child, we can deflect some of the criticam from the Vanderbilt and Prescott families, As for Seren..
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