“You hate me because you can’t be me, isn’t that right?” I murmur, looking at her with disdain and disgust. “You want to have all the power, all the influence I have, right? Because if anything, I’m the one setting the rules around this place, and what I say goes.”
Astrid’s body visibly tenses. “Not everyone wants the power and influence of Sophia Sloane.”
“That’s because no one but Sophia Sloane can have it.”
The moment’s interrupted when Lila finally comes to our side, returning the phone to Astrid. She takes it, tucking it in the pocket of her blazer, and I step back, still looking at her with disgust.
“The next meeting’s tomorrow night. And Astrid over here won’t tell anyone about this little chat, will she?” Lila says, narrowing her eyes.
“I won’t tell anyone,” Astrid concedes with a sigh. “Just move.”
“Just one thing,” I say, and Astrid looks at me.
“Yes?”
Without another word, I lift my hand and slap her. The sound of my hand connecting with her cheek echoes in the room, and Avalon’s gasp follows. Even Grace straightens up from beside me, ready to knock the bitch out if necessary.
Slowly, Astrid touches her cheek, tears swelling in her eyes. She looks at me through the tears, swallowing thickly.
“This is your first and only warning — you will not do anything stupid. If I so much as get a sniff of you spreading the word of what happened here to anyone, I will make your life a living hell. Do you understand me?”
Astrid nods, tears rolling down her face. “Yes.”
“Good. Now get the fuck out of my face,” I grit out.
She brushes past me, pushing the chair out of the way, her hand reaching for the doorknob.
“Oh, and Astrid?” I call out, and she turns around. “Welcome to the family.”
She turns away, walking off with hurried steps. The door closes behind her, and I let out a deep sigh of relief, slumping onto the nearby chair. The girls are silent for a few moments, and I don’t break the silence first.
“She won’t say anything,” Lila mutters. “You’ve successfully scared her into silence. What’s the next plan for her?”
“Nothing,” I mumble, closing my eyes and rubbing my temples. I can feel a headache coming on, and I’m getting irritated. “Let her be. She shouldn’t be a problem anymore. If she is, I’ll figure it out.”
Grace and Lila look at each other, and that’s the first thing I see when I open my eyes. They’re communicating silently, and I don’t like it. There’s something about the intensity of their gaze that’s making me uneasy.
“What are you two up to?”
Grace is the one who turns to look at me, sucking in a sharp breath. She steps forward, biting her bottom lip. “Lila and I have to tell you something. It’s big, and it’s bad. And I need you to promise me you won’t hate us for not telling you sooner.”
Immediately, anxiety spikes inside of me. My eyes drift between Grace and Lila a couple of times, and even Avalon’s invested in whatever they have to say. My heart sinks to my feet, their serious expressions making me shudder.
The air around us is charged with tension I can’t handle, and my palms grow sweaty. My heart beat is loud, thumping against my ribcage, and I’m scared I’ll get a heart attack. These two were neverthis serious before, and it’s terrifying how quickly this is happening.
I clench my fists on my lap, looking at them with a demanding stare. My body trembles, and the question that slips past my lips is asked in a hushed, breathless whisper. Almost like I’m too afraid of asking, and getting the answer I won’t be able to handle.
“What is it?”
Lila speaks, her voice soft. Her eyes hold an apologetic gleam, and that just makes my anxiety worsen.
“It’s about Soren.”
???
The cunt’s way in over her head at this point. Cassia Greyson might be very skillful when it comes to fist fighting, but she’s nowhere near my level of cunning and wickedness. She dared to use something I did at a low point of my life against me, turned me into a mockery, and the hot topic of the academy, so it’s only natural for me to fucking retaliate.
I found Astrid again, and quite literally threatened physical violence again. She caved pretty quickly, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to go easy on her for now. Who would’ve thought I’d end up finding her useful?
