Clara didn’t give her time to respond.
Her fingers tightened around the stick, knuckles turning pale as rage sharpened every movement. In one harsh motion, she lifted it again and brought it down without hesitation.
The impact landed on Juliet’s arm, forcing a sharp breath out of her. Her body jerked slightly at the blow, her arm instinctively pulling back as a burning sting spread rapidly beneath her skin. Pain bloomed across her skin almost instantly, and she could feel the hot pulse of it rising beneath the surface as red welts began to form.
Before she could even steady herself, Clara lifted the stick once more and marched toward her with heavy, furious steps, her face twisted in rage and her grip tightening as though she intended to break something with every swing.
But this time, Juliet didn’t remain still.
The moment the stick came down again, her hand shot forward almost on instinct, her fingers closing firmly around the wood mid-air. The force of it jolted through her arm, but she held on, her body locking into place as Clara froze in shock, her expression faltering for the first time.
For a brief moment, neither of them moved, the tension between them thick and suffocating, their breaths uneven as they stared at each other in stunned silence. Then Juliet’s jaw tightened, something sharp flashing in her eyes as she yanked the stick out of Clara’s grip with a sudden, decisive pull and flung it across the room. It hit the floor with a loud crack before sliding under a nearby table, disappearing from view.
Clara stood there, stunned, her mouth slightly parted as if she couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
Juliet remained where she was, her chest rising and falling unevenly as anger surged through her in slow, heavy waves. Her fingers trembled faintly at her sides, but it wasn’t fear that made her shake anymore. It was something far deeper, something she had buried for years finally breaking free all at once.
Because for years, she had endured everything without a word.
Every insult thrown at her face. Every accusation that stripped her dignity. Every unfair judgment that made her feel smaller in a house that was never hers. She had never spoken back, never fought, never defended herself, because she had believed—foolishly—that they were still her family, that their harshness was just another form of concern, and that she owed them gratitude for taking her in after her parents died.
But standing there now, looking into Clara’s furious face, something inside her finally cracked open, and the truth settled over her with painful clarity.
They had never seen her as family.
Not even once.
To them, she had always been a burden.
Her hands curled slowly into fists as memories surfaced without mercy, each one striking harder than the last—the business deals she had secured for them, the projects she had carried on her own shoulders, the opportunities she had created through sheer effort while they stood behind her success and took credit without hesitation. For so long, she had even convinced herself that her achievements were nothing more than luck, or perhaps the result of someone else’s missteps, especially Cassian’s.
But now that belief shattered completely.
It was never because he was incapable. It was because he had chosen to step aside, to let her take those deals simply because it was her who wanted them.
The realization cut deeper than any physical pain Clara had ever inflicted on her.
Juliet lifted her gaze again, staring at Clara in silence. Her eyes no longer held confusion or hurt alone, but something colder now settled beneath them—quiet disappointment, as if something she had trusted for years had finally broken apart in front of her. It felt like a blindfold had been torn away, leaving everything raw and painfully clear.
She had believed Clara’s harshness came from love.
She had believed discipline was care.
She had believed she was being raised like a daughter.
But now she could see it with brutal clarity—none of it had ever been love, and none of it had ever been family.
Clara snapped out of her shock. Her face twisted with rage as she rushed across the room, snatching the stick off the floor in one quick, furious motion before turning back toward Juliet.
She gripped it tightly as she marched forward, her breath uneven and ragged. When she stopped in front of Juliet, she raised it, pointing it at her with a trembling hand, her eyes wide and unsteady with fury as if she was barely holding herself together.
“I’ve spoiled you too much, haven’t I?” she shouted as her chest rose and fell rapidly, anger clouding every trace of restraint she once had. “Now you’re even daring to fight back?”
Before Clara could swing, Juliet stepped forward and snatched the stick from her hand once more, the motion so sudden and controlled that Clara staggered slightly from the loss of balance.
Alexa’s eyes widened in fear from the couch.
And before anyone could react, Juliet turned.
