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Seeing the lingering anger on Melissa's face,he yelled at me,"Jessica Lane,what's wrong with you?I told you to behave!"
I realized how pathetic I looked.
Struggling to stand up,I winced as my injuries from yesterday hurt again from my movement.
Daniel rushed to help,but I dodged.
"Don't touch me!"I snapped.
His expression froze,his face went pale.
He turned to the gawking manager."Leave us."
Once the door closed,I noticed his outfit.
Years in this line of work honed my eye—his tailored suit and the diamond-encrusted pin on his chest screamed wealth.
I met Daniel's gaze,eyes burning."Was it fun screwing with me?"
"Your rich friends'sick game—dragging an innocent person down from her normal life,making her empty her life savings for your fake debts..."
Daniel panicked,reaching for me like last night.
"It's not like that..."
Flustered,he couldn't deny it.
He knew I spoke the truth.
I stepped back,not wanting him to lay a finger on me.
"Daniel,guess who delivered your files last night?"
"Me—the idiot you toyed with!"
"Before that,I was thrilled,telling you we could afford to buy some fresh ribs..."
I glanced at the exquisite pin on his chest,the irony stinging.
"That$1,000 tip wouldn't even cover one diamond on that pin,would it?"
I fought to steady my breathing,to not look so broken.
My efforts were futile.
Melissa tutted impatiently."All this whining for money,huh?"
"An orphan like you,scraping by in poverty forever."
She eyed me with disdain."A nobody dreaming of rising,only to have her wings snapped.Of course,you'd try to extort us..."
"Oh,and weren't you adopted,then abandoned?For stealing,right?"
"Shut up!"
Before she finished,I slapped her hard.
A lover knows your weaknesses,therefor they always know how to cut deepest.
I'd only shared those secrets with Daniel.
He knew they were my Achilles'heel,yet twisted them into weapons for others to wield.
My hand trembled,numb with pain and rage.
Daniel,stunned,shielded Melissa.
He roared,"What are you doing?Do you know what you've done?"
Melissa,livid,grabbed everything within reach and hurled them at me.
"You hit me?"
"Even my parents never did that!"
Before she could escalate,the door opened again.
A casual clap of hands,a playful tone:"What a show.Didn't expect such a drama."
