[EVE]
Sophie's expression faltered, the smile slipping from her face. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she tilted her head to the side, feigning confusion. "What are you talking about, Eve? I never said it was you."
"That's exactly the problem," I shot back, crossing my arms. "Because you didn't name anyone, people assume it was me. Do you have any idea what I've been dealing with? My reputation is at stake here and if you don't fix it soon. I will."
Sophie's eyes narrowed, her fingers curling over the armrests of her wheelchair. "It's not my fault if people think it was you," she said coolly. "I can't control how others choose to think. Besides, I've already told everyone it wasn't you. If they don't believe me, that's hardly something I can fix."
I leaned closer, my voice steady but laced with simmering anger. "Then name the person who did push you."
Her shoulders stiffened, and for the first time, a flicker of unease passed across her face. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a carefully composed look of nonchalance.
"Why should I?" she said, her tone clipped. "Dragging more people into this won't change anything. You're not the only one who's had to endure. I have a broken leg here."
The room felt colder as silence stretched between us, the tension felt in every fibre.
"If you don't do something about this, Sophie," I said, my voice steady but laced with warning, "trust me—you won't like what I'm going to do."
A sharp gasp echoed from the far end of the room, but before I could gauge the reaction, a thunderous voice shattered the tension.
"Are you threatening my daughter in my own house?"
Sophia's voice carried the weight of both fury and indignation, but her hand moved even faster.
The slap came so swiftly that I didn't even register it until the sting exploded across my cheek. My head snapped to the side, and the ringing in my ears made everything else fade to a dull hum.
Before I could recover, another blow struck my other cheek, the force strong enough to momentarily unbalance me. My vision blurred for a second, and I staggered, fighting to keep my footing. My pride refused to let me fall—not here, not in front of them.
Sophia stood before me, her chest heaving, her eyes blazing with fury. "Who do you think you are?" she snarled, her words slicing through the air like daggers. "Coming into my house, threatening my daughter?"
I raised a trembling hand to my cheek, the skin throbbing under my palm. The metallic taste of anger coated my tongue as I straightened myself, ignoring the dizzying ache in my head. My glare met hers, unflinching.
"If you don't release an official statement," I said through gritted teeth, my voice firm despite the pain, "and name the person who really pushed her, then I'll have no choice but to take matters into my own hands."
Sophia scoffed, the sound dripping with condescension. "You have some nerve," she sneered, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Do you honestly think anyone would believe you? It's not my daughter's fault that people are pointing fingers at you."
Her voice rose, each word sharper than the last. "Do you know whose fault it is? Yours. Your infamous reputation precedes you. People don't need a reason to assume the worst when it comes to you. That's what happens when you're nothing but a wretched, ungrateful child."
The venom in her words struck harder than any slap, but I refused to back down.
I took a step closer, meeting her fiery gaze with one of my own. "Blame me all you want," I said, my voice low and steady, "but we both know the truth will come out eventually. And when it does, you'll wish you had fix this the first time."
The tension between us was electric, before I turned and walked away.
I stormed back into Cole's apartment, my chest heaving with barely contained fury. The image of Sophia's smug face and the stinging echoes of her words replayed in my mind. If I'd let my emotions take over, I might have slapped her.
But no. Restraint was my victory, and her arrogance would be her undoing. That slap would be one of the many reasons I'd sue them for everything they had.
I clenched my fists, willing myself to calm down. The next step was clear: find the best law firm in the city, hire a team of lawyers, and clear my name once and for all.
Before I could reach for my phone, a voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Eve?"
I flinched, startled by the sound of Cole's gentle yet steady voice.
I turned around, expecting to see an empty apartment.
"You're still here?" I asked, trying to sound composed. "I thought you were at your office."
Cole's sharp gaze immediately locked onto my face. His expression darkened as he crossed the room in an instant.
"What happened to your face?" he asked, his voice quiet but with an edge that made my chest tighten.
Before I could brush it off, he was already standing before me, his fingers cool against my burning skin as he cupped my bruised cheek. His touch was unexpectedly gentle, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in his eyes.
"They did this," he said with icy certainty.
I saw it then—the moment his fury ignited. His pupils narrowed, his jaw clenched, and the air around him seemed to drop in temperature. His entire demeanor transformed into something cold, menacing, and utterly lethal.
"They'll pay for this," he hissed, his words dripping with venom.
"It's fine," I said quickly, carefully stepping away from his touch. My voice trembled just slightly, but I forced myself to sound calm. "I've already taken care of it. I recorded everything—videos, photos, and even audio. I'll present it all in court. I'll clear my name."
When he didn't respond, I glanced back at him. Cole stood rigid, his back to me, his fists shaking with barely contained rage. The atmosphere in the room was suffocating, his anger so thick I could feel it crawling over my skin.
My heart pounded hard, and a small part of me trembled—not in fear for myself, but for what he might do.