"I hadn’t had the chance to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do, right?" he asked.
Those who were with Jonathan were his business partners for this party. They stood a few steps away, not daring to come closer. They only watched silently and carefully as Jonathan pinched my chin and spoke each word slowly and clearly.
"Say sorry to Tiffany and beg her to forgive you."
The corner of his mouth was slightly raised as he spoke. It was the same way he had thrown a plane ticket in my face five years ago.
"I don't give a fuck about your sudden return."
My blood froze. The iron rod he casually threw to the ground made a crisp, sharp sound. Just like five years ago. I had caught Jonathan cheating with my own eyes, which made me cry. At the time, I quickly demanded an explanation.
In response, he only wrapped his arm around Tiffany and warned me, "Natalie, Tiffany is different from you."
"She's weak. Don't scare her."
"Natalie, we've been together for too long, so long that I can no longer find passion in you. As long as you behave, the position of Mrs. O'Brien will always be yours. If you dare to hurt Tiffany, I will kill you."
At that time, I didn't understand. I still believed that Jonathan loved me. I believed in our shared joys and sorrows, in our rising from nothing to something together.
I bribed a private detective, obtained those erotic photos and then spread them across the internet. No matter how much they offered to hide the story, they couldn't outbid me. I was willing to pay more so Jonathan and Tiffany would pay the price.
As I expected, Tiffany was expelled from her university. She ended up becoming a social outcast who was shunned by everyone. But it also cost me a terrible price. I could still remember the day Jonathan forced me to sign the agreement and made me leave the house with nothing.
His voice was cold as ice as he spoke, "Your brother's life or death depends on your decision."
"So, Natalie, what do you want to choose?"
Now, it was different.
"Oh, Jonathan O’ Brien!"
"It’s been five years," I told him as I met Jonathan's mocking expression with a smile even darker than his.
"Is this how you reminisce with your old flame?"
"If that's the case, I have a great gift for you, too."
Without further ado, I stabbed Jonathan in the abdomen as I watched the shock on his face. My hands kept moving, pressing and stirring at his flesh. Feeling the warm blood cling to the back of my hand, I laughed even louder.
"Dearest Jonathan."
"Do you like my present?"
"If you do … " I muttered as I pulled out my dagger and stabbed him again.
At almost the same moment, Jonathan grasped the blade and cut his palm. He seemed numb to the pain, holding the knife tightly while he smiled at me.
"Natalie, five years, you've really-"
"Good job."
After that, Jonathan kicked me in the chest, grabbed the dagger from me and gazed down at me.
"You really want my life that badly, I see."
"Natalie," Jonathan called, walking up to me and stepping on my wrist. The old scar on my wrist burned sharply, which made me bite my lip.
But then he said, "What a shame! I have the final say in London."
"You may want my life, but you're not worthy," Jonathan continued as he bent down and threw the dagger in front of me.
Tiffany rushed over like someone losing her mind, staring at the blood pouring from Jonathan's abdomen.
She cried bitterly and yelled at me, "Natalie!"
"Five years ago, you staged that scandalous photoshoot that cost me my student status and my future. You even tried to ruin mine and Jonathan's reputations! Jonathan was kind enough to let you go, just to send you away."
"How could you be so evil? You even thought of killing Jonathan!"
Tiffany wept, standing before Jonathan like a mother hen protecting her chicks, scolding me without any care for her own image.
"If I had known earlier, I would have let you hurt Jonathan!"
"Then, I definitely would have killed you!"
Seeing the little beggar who had cried so much that I once begged to take her in felt funny to me.
