CHAPTER 4 - Believe Me!
Scarlet’s POV
“You know, I’ve been thinking about it. Although we are step-sisters, don’t you think we look so much alike? Well, except for your red hair, and mine is a silver one.” Sarah pulled me to her side to face the full length mirror designed by the shop for mirror selfies. She held my shoulder as she compared us, standing side by side. She was taller, and her skin had tanned a little while mine was paler which was also the same as hers. But our eyes were the same color of amber, and nose, lips, and facial structure, I could see the resemblance, only the hair that distinguished us, which was from our different fathers.
The mere fact that we do look alike, felt like a slap across my face as the realization hit me that it was probably the reason why Caspian had pursued me. I was a reminder of Sarah who left without a word.
“We do look alike, little step-sis, Caspian would agree,” she said, her tone insinuating something. I heard it beneath that sweet angelic face, it sounded like she already learned what I was to Caspian yet she had decided to play ignorant about it while she waltzed in, back to his life— claiming what was originally hers.
My stomach churned as I processed the insult wrapped in her sweet tone with each syllable dripping with condescension. As if our resemblance somehow validated her superiority over me, as if I was only a temporary replacement, a substitute, that was discarded now that the original copy had returned.
I took a step back instinctively, getting out of her feigned soft grip on my shoulder, putting a space between us as the humiliation and insult twisted in my chest like a blade.
But my movement was too sudden and quick, and forceful.
Sarah wobbled, her hand shooting out to steady herself, but it was too late. She stumbled, her sprained ankle buckling beneath her weight.
Her sharp intake of breath was followed by a soft cry as she fell down to the floor, the thud seemed to have echoed in the shop.
“Sarah, I did not —”
But before I could finish, the bell above the shop door jingled again. I turned and froze as Caspian strode in, his expression instantly hardening when he saw Sarah on the floor. ‘But why is Caspian here?’
My eyes widened in surprise to see him, why was he here? Well, I could only hope that he did not spend the night with Sarah since he did not come home last night, but seeing him with Sarah as if he had driven for her and waited outside. My intuition must be right.
“Sarah!” he exclaimed sharply as he rushed to her aid, taking her arm to steady her and help her stand before his eyes locked onto me, clearly evident with cruel accusation.
“What the hell, Scarlet?” he snapped, his grip tightening protectively around Sarah’s arm. “What is wrong with you!? Why did you push her?”
My mouth opened, but the words tangled in my throat, unable to break free.
“No, I did not pu—”
He was not listening. “Don’t lie to me!” he snarled, his voice was like a growl, and I flinched, unable to reconcile this side of him with the man I thought I knew.
“I didn’t push her!” I insisted, my voice breaking with frustration. “She lost her balance. It was an accident—”
Caspian cut me off, his voice was cold and full of unyielding accusation. “I saw it, Scarlet. You moved too quickly, pushing her off of you, and now she’s hurt. Why would you even do something like this?”
“I did not mean for her to fall!” I snapped, desperation edging my voice. “Why would I push my own step-sister for no reason?”
“Caspian, please,” Sarah interrupted weakly, her voice trembling as she leaned heavily on him. “It’s okay. Don’t be mad. I’m fine… But Scarlet, maybe next time, just be a little more careful.”
Her words were gentle, almost innocent, but they burned with the implication that I had caused this. I stared at her, unable to believe the act she was putting on.
Caspian’s grip on her arm tightened protectively as he turned back to me, his fury bubbling over. “Careful? You knew she was injured, Scarlet! What were you thinking? Were you jealous because she is back, and she is getting all the attention you think you deserve?”
“What?” I gasped, shaking my head in disbelief. “That is not true! I am not jealous—”
But before I could finish, the sound of his palm connecting with my cheek silenced me. My head snapped to the side as the sting radiated across my skin, and my breath hitched in my throat.
“Caspian!” Sarah exclaimed, grabbing his arm as though she were horrified. “You shouldn’t have done that! What will George think? He will be furious if he finds out you hit her.”
Caspian’s nostrils flared as he exhaled sharply, his hand clenching into a fist at his side. “George will understand,” he said firmly. “Scarlet is his little sister, and sometimes, lessons need to be taught. If George were here, he would do the same thing to knock some sense into her.”
My chest constricted at his words, humiliation crashing over me in waves. Was that all I was to him— a little sister who needed to be disciplined? I AM HIS GIRLFRIEND! And yet he seemed to believe his own lies already, the lies that we tell to people about what we were.
I raised a hand to my cheek, the heat of the slap still lingering, and forced myself to speak, though my voice was shaking.
“I did not push her,” I said quietly, refusing to let the tears brimming in my eyes fall. “She lost her balance. Why would I hurt her?”
Caspian sneered, disbelief painted across his face. “You expect me to believe that? I’ve seen the way you have been acting since Sarah came back. You need to learn to control yourself, Scarlet, and apologize to her.”
“I am not apologizing for something I did not do,” I said firmly, my voice stronger now, though my heart was breaking. “I would never hurt her. Why can’t you see that?”
But he would never listen, he would never believe me. It was all Sarah that matters to him now.
“You need to think about your actions,” he snapped, dismissively. “You’ve already caused enough trouble. We’re leaving.”
Caspian turned, his arm steadying Sarah as she leaned against him, her lips curving into a small, triumphant smile before they walked out. The bell above the door jingled as they left, and I stood there, frozen, my hands trembling so I clenched them tightly.
My vision blurred as I stepped outside, fighting the tears threatening to spill. The sting on my cheek burned as a reminder of how little I mattered to him.
To Caspian, I wasn’t his partner, his equal, or even someone he cared about. Now that Sarah was back, I was just George’s little sister— a problem he needed to fix now.
