BITTER-SWEET REVENGE

card and tucked

ation. My heels clicked against the pavement, each step heavier than t

to the couch, staring at the ceiling. I wanted to forget the humiliation, the betrayal, the jeerin

and typed a message to

ing. I don't kn

as no immediate reply. Not th

couch, I hugged a

l wasn't just abo

all the years

e sacr

ve I thoug

but this time, I didn't so

my phone. But the moment I opened

gement photos

gle. Eve

th, s

shing her d

ebrating th

cry. Instead, I tossed my phone across the bed and

is city, Kennet

ut re

hou

in front of a mirror as his

im, pride gleam

up with that illitera

eah, Mom. Ivana was

ed. "Look at how pretty and smart

Sophia was his equal. Wea

"I have a dinner date with you

t smirked a

door jolted me awa

king continued, insistent and relentless.

ere, arms cross

her-my

saw her, I lo

o her embrace,

ned me. Ove

ad igno

ter. The girl who threw

h seeping into my cold, empty

and Silver shut t

lent, thick wit

roke it. "So, wh

n?" I whispered, blinking back

hed, shaki

, patting my back. "Oh,

entle, but lace

ewel," she said, cupping my

sed m

to beli

have so much potential, Ivana. I've seen your designs, your pas

hed something

-even when I didn'

Mom. No loans. I don't wan

. "You're n

my hands. "I ju

didn't push. Sh

My mother suggested I move back ho

uld I

doned her

osen him

t," I w

erstanding. "Baby, I never drove you aw

, swallo

and with one final loo

ply and floppe

ew week. A

to m

to go

zed as he stepped i

g,

wered.

king. We've found a buyer for

barely h

Go a

I had bought for him, the hous

lik

ue for my shift, pushin

lways the busi

sles, eager to spend thei

ed of owning my o

as just

uin's dress when a voice

o we hav

eath

y, I

in front of

de him w

mach t

y boss store, shoppi

ts, forcing mysel

d down, then turned to

e dripping with mockery, "how

struck l

hat, the wounds

inside, something dark

as time to