Killer Queen

2.

Julia's POV:

1995

Flashback

TW: GUN VIOLENCE

I straightened my blazer and checked my reflection in the hallway mirror one last time before grabbing my briefcase and heading towards the front door. Today was just another day in my routine as a lawyer's clerk, but I approached it with a sense of purpose and determination.

As I reached for the doorknob, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of a familiar face standing on the doorstep. It was Cassidy Walker, the renowned model whom I had long admired from my mother's modeling agency. My excitement bubbled to the surface, and I couldn't help but grin in anticipation of meeting her.

But as I opened the door, my smile faltered at the unexpected sight before me. Cassidy stood before me, her once svelte figure now adorned with a noticeable baby bump. My initial excitement turned to shock as I realized the truth of her condition.

Before I could react, my father's voice cut through the air, breaking the tense silence. "Julia, who's at the door?" he called out, his footsteps echoing in the hallway as he approached.

I turned to see him standing behind me, his expression mirroring my own disbelief. But before either of us could say anything, Cassidy spoke up, her voice tinged with desperation.

"I'm pregnant with his baby," she said, her words hanging heavy in the air. My father's eyes widened in shock, his face flushing with anger as he struggled to process the revelation.

"That's absurd!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but you can't just come here and make baseless accusations."

Cassidy's expression fell at his words, her eyes filling with tears as she pleaded her case. But my father's resolve remained steadfast, and with a final shake of his head, he slammed the door shut in her face.

I watched Cassidy retreat down the pathway, her figure shrinking with each step, a sense of unease settled over me. Something about her story didn't sit right with me, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the situation than met the eye.

But as I turned away from the closed door and headed towards work, the weight of Cassidy's revelation lingered in the back of my mind, casting a shadow over the ordinary day ahead.

Months passed, and the memory of Cassidy's revelation continued to haunt me like a dark cloud looming over my family. Despite my best efforts to push the incident to the back of my mind, the truth remained a painful reminder of the betrayal that had shattered my mother's world.

When Cassidy gave birth to her son, Dimitri, the news spread like wildfire through our big community. I couldn't escape the whispers and stares that followed me wherever I went, each one a cruel reminder of the scandal that had tainted our family's reputation.

But despite the pressure from my father to forge a relationship with Dimitri, I refused to acknowledge his existence. To me, he was nothing more than a symbol of my father's infidelity and Cassidy's betrayal. I couldn't bring myself to see past the pain and anger that consumed me whenever I thought of him.

My mother, too, struggled to come to terms with the reality of Dimitri's existence. She retreated into herself, her once vibrant spirit dimmed by the weight of the betrayal she had endured. I couldn't bear to see her suffer, knowing that her pain was a direct result of my father's actions. 

But even as I tried to shield her from the pain, I couldn't escape the resentment that simmered beneath the surface. Dimitri was a constant reminder of the affair that had torn our family apart, and I couldn't bring myself to forgive him for the pain he had caused.