A flush of dark red flooded Ariadnie’s eyes. Her fingers curled in on themselves, nails digging deep into her palms.
“Apologize to her? Keep dreaming!”
Reagan bit her lip and covered her swollen cheek. “Sister, I just like the painting as much as you do, that’s all…”
Ariadnie’s gaze was pure, undisguised hatred. “You knew perfectly well it was something my mother left behind!”
“I really didn’t know…” Reagan sobbed. “Rasper, Redmond, you believe me, don’t you?”
Rasper’s expression darkened. “Of course, we believe you.”
He loosened his tie, his voice sinking. “I’m going all the way!”
The guests erupted into murmurs in an instant.
“What’s going on? Isn’t Ariadnie his girlfriend?”
“Did he finally see her true colors and get tired of her?”
“It was only a matter of time. Look how unreasonable she is—she even hit her own sister in front of everyone…”
The comments echoed painfully in Ariadnie’s ears. She clenched her teeth and demanded coldly at Rasper, “I told you—this is my mom’s final piece. You really want to help her take it from me?!”
Rasper’s face didn’t shift. His tone stayed flat. “You hit her first. Since the painting means so much to you, give it to Reagan as your apology gift.”
Delight flashed instantly across Reagan’s face. The corners of her eyes and brows were smug. “Oh, Rasper, you’re really the best!”
Rasper said nothing, but the softness in his eyes when he looked at her said enough.
Redmond shot Ariadnie a glance, his voice dripping with mockery. “You’re not like certain people—vicious to the core—who deserve anyone treating them well.”
Ariadnie watched the painting get handed to Reagan with her own eyes. Her heart felt like a giant hand was squeezing it tight, crushing the air from her lungs.
Anything Rasper wanted, she never stood a chance.
Reagan’s smile grew deeper. She lowered her voice. “I told you, you’ll never beat me.”
After the auction ended and the crowd dispersed, Ariadnie stopped Reagan. She forced down the rage burning in her chest.
“Reagan, this painting means nothing to you. Name a price—I’ll buy it.”
Reagan’s smile turned cruel, gloating spilling through every word. She dragged a long nail over the painting. “It’s so beautiful. Why would I sell it to you? Unless…”
Ariadnie clenched her jaw, fighting the urge to strangle her. “Unless what?”
Reagan lifted the painting high, acting as though she might smash it. “Unless you kneel and apologize to me. Admit you’re nothing but slut, beneath me in every way.”
Something inside Ariadnie jolted. In the end, she exhaled. “F-Fine.”
Without a second of hesitation, she dropped to her knees. Her back stayed perfectly straight. Her voice trembled, but she forced the words out—each one slicing flesh off her heart.
“I’m sorry. I’m… a slut who’s inferior to you in every way.”
Her blood felt like it was screaming, but all she could see was her mother’s gentle smile.
‘Just hold on. Just a little longer.’
As long as she could get her mother’s painting back, it would be worth it.
Reagan laughed so hard she almost bent over. Holding the painting, she walked to the champagne tower. Then she suddenly let go and covered her mouth lightly. “Oops.”
The painting crashed into the glasses. Champagne and shattered crystal exploded everywhere, splashing across the canvas and ruining everything.
“Oh no, what should I do…” Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction even as she feigned innocence. “I really didn’t mean it…”
She stayed exactly where she was, waiting to savor Ariadnie’s reaction.
Ariadnie felt the blood drain from her entire body. Stumbling forward, she picked up the painting from the wreckage.
It was destroyed beyond recognition—just like her mother, her older sister… and like her.
She gently brushed off shards of glass, blood streaming from her fingers, but she didn’t feel the pain.
A familiar voice suddenly echoed from the painting—her mother’s voice, soft and warm, breaking apart into static.
“Mom loves you both.”
“Mom… lo—…”
The voice dissolved into a sharp crackling sound.
Huge tears splashed onto the back of her hand. The ache in her chest rushed through her entire body, making her tremble uncontrollably.
Reagan admired her absolute ruin, lips curling with delight. “For a worthless painting, you beg and grovel? You’re just as useless as your mother.”
Ariadnie shot to her feet and shoved Reagan hard. Her voice shook. “Shut up!”
Reagan fell to the floor but kept laughing. “When your mom died, she was still calling your names.”
Ariadnie froze where she stood, as if struck by lightning.
A terrifying possibility surfaced in her mind.
With that, the last string in her heart finally snapped.
