I almost smiled at her. Three days. That’s more than enough. Living another day felt like torture. I didn’t even answer her and just walked out, leaving her words hanging in the air.
Outside the hospital, I called the funeral home. My voice was calm, steady, like nothing could touch me.
“Schedule it for three days from now.”
Three days. Maybe then I could finally be with my parents and grandpa. Maybe then I could go dressed the way I wanted, and meet them properly, beautifully.
I stopped by the cemetery one last time, whispered my goodbyes, and then took a taxi to the mall. I wandered past all the designer stores, but nothing caught my interest.
For years as Mrs. Hamilton, I’d been taught to care about status, to match every dress to Lewis’s ties, to wear diamonds that shouted wealth, to be elegant and untouchable. I almost forgot what I actually liked. Lewis never cared what I wanted. He bought the newest things each season, piled them into my closet, telling me that besides the stars, he’d give me anything I wanted. But all I’d ever wanted was sincerity.
My eyes landed on a white dress. Simple, clean, just a thin silver line at the waist catching the light. I imagined wearing it, walking into the sea, feeling my parents and grandpa’s hands in mine, their smiles steady and warm. I smiled softly.
I’ll take this one. Swipe the card.
Before the card even left my hand, the dress was yanked away. I grabbed the counter to keep from falling.
“I really like this dress. I’m buying it!” I said, voice shaking.
And then I saw her. Cherry. Standing in front of me, holding the dress, head high, eyes sharp and proud. Not the timid girl I’d once known.
The saleswoman whispered to her, trying to calm things. “This dress… the lady over there wanted it first. Only one left. I can call the other store to reserve another—”
Cherry cut her off with a scoff. “Me? Are you kidding me?” Then she turned to me, eyes flashing. “You really think you can compete with me? Do you even have the right?”
I froze. I knew this was coming. She hated me. She wanted to destroy me.
I stared at her and tried to reason. “Cherry, I don’t think I ever did anything to hurt you. My mother sponsored your education and even gave you a job. Did we… hurt your pride instead?”
She laughed, bitter and loud. “Your mother threw money at me like scraps for a stray dog, expecting me to be grateful. But why? Why do you get everything while I’m always beneath you? You as the princess and me, as a slave! Always mocked, always suffering? You owe me everything!”
My voice shook. “So… you set up my parents to take me down? To ruin our lives?”
Her smile turned cruel, sharp. She leaned in close. “That fraud case… I planned it from the start. Your parents trusted me too much and gave me the company seal. Everything you’ve built… your husband, your fortune, your pride? it’s all mine soon. And you… you’ll always be remembered as the bully, the forger’s daughter. Time for you to taste my world.”
I froze, rage and disbelief mixing in my chest, stiffening every muscle in my body. My hands shook, but I refused to look away. This… this was what five years of being used and abandoned had led to. I couldn’t let her see me break.
I watched Cherry’s smug face and felt my chest tighten. That snake in human skin, finally showing herself.
“You’re going to pay for this,” I said slowly, each word heavy.
She froze for a second, “Well, let's see.” Then she suddenly flung her skirt to the ground and fell, screaming like a child.
“No! I don’t want to! Addison, please, don’t hit me!”
Before I could even react, Lewis appeared at the store entrance. Cherry instantly twisted herself into that pitiful pose, eyes red, voice trembling.
“Lewis, I just tripped, okay? Not her fault. I wasn’t pushed. And she brought me here nicely to buy clothes, but everyone’s saying I hurted her. And that her parents’ deaths are my fault? I didn’t do any of it, please, can you explain for me?”
Lewis’s gaze landed on me, frozen, sharp as ice.
“And what did you do to her this time?” His voice didn’t waver.
I knew he wouldn’t believe a word I said. All he would ever see is Cherry. I looked away, trying to hide the tears sliding down my cheeks.
People were gathering, holding phones, whispering, pointing.
“Hey, isn’t that the woman who forced pregnant women to kneel? And bullied others in school?”
“Vicious! She just pushed a pregnant woman again! If anything happened, tree lives would be gone!”
Cherry clung to Lewis, explaining quickly. “It’s just a bad day. When she’s calm, Addison is actually kind to me. Really!”
Then a middle-aged woman charged out from the crowd, pointing and shouting at me.
“My daughter died because of people like you! Bullies like you deserve—”
Before she could finish, someone threw a drink at me. The milk tea splashed over my face, sticky and cold, dripping onto the floor. I tried to speak, to explain, but no one listened. Every word was drowned out by curses and shouts.
Things started flying at me, and my body tensed, bracing for impact. Cherry, at least, was shielded by Lewis.
“Come on,” he said, pulling her away. He didn’t even glance at me again, just kept her safe from the crowd.
I was left behind. Shoved to the ground, fists and feet pounding me like rain. Every inch of me screamed in pain, bones and skin trembling under the blows.
“Kill her! Teach her a lesson for bullying!”
“Revenge the victims!”
Their voices were like knives as I curled up, hugging my head, whispering, “I didn’t…” over and over.
