Ruthless

38

My eyes rolled in pure mockery as her brows rose in disbelief, presumably because I was acting so nonchalant when my life was at stake.

"You think this is a joke??" she spat, her voice echoing the darkness that dwelled within her.

I chuckled, aiming to irk her even more. "Why does it matter? I find it amusing."

My tactic seemed to work perfectly as her flushed cheeks, rigid posture, and ragged breathing emphasized the intensity of her agitation.

Stephanie seemed ready to unleash all the hatred and venom she held inside, her pretty face barely concealing the storm within, but before she could...

The unmistakable rhythmic pattern of footsteps hastened towards us, each passing second weighed down with increasing heaviness.

Stephanie flipped us, now with me on top. Though I knew she was up to something that obviously wouldn't work in my favor, I didn't have time to ponder what it could be, as the bedroom door burst open with a deafening bang. I instinctively wanted to cover my ears, but Stephanie's hand restrained mine.

"What happened here?" My heart jolted at the easily recognizable voice, but I dared to look in that direction, pretending I hadn't heard anyone.

"Please, don't hurt me," I heard Stephanie plead timidly, her voice cracking with emotion. Although I was taken aback by the sudden change in her tone and demeanor, I just sat there like a statue. Perhaps it was the overwhelming dread that left me feeling numb. I vaguely felt my body being pushed before landing on something soft.

It was then that realization struck me like a sharp arrow piercing my heart, which was already pounding like the bass of a loudspeaker.

I had to hand it to Stephanie; she had played me well.

Taking a deep breath, I attempted to steady my heaving chest and compose my breathing. Slowly rising from the bed and assuming a sitting position, I turned to face the man who had managed to scare me merely with his presence.

Adam's sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, giving him an imposing appearance. I knew he was waiting for an explanation, his attention solely on me. However, I had no justification for the scene that had unfolded before him without coming off as the culprit.

Our eye contact broke when Stephanie's pet entered the room, rushing to her side as she lay on the floor.

What is she doing on the floor?

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Helen asked, gathering Stephanie into her arms.

Stephanie nodded, sniffling and hissing, trying to convey her pain while attempting to rise. At that moment, all I wanted was to march over and tear out every strand of Stephanie's hair. Did she have to be so dramatic?

I couldn't comprehend how people could stoop so low. All this scheming, plotting, and animosity—what for? I had done nothing to deserve such treatment from her. In fact, I was the one who had suffered immensely because of them.

Stephanie managed to rise slightly before falling back, but Helen caught her before she hit the ground.

"Be careful, ma'am."

I see... Not only was Stephanie skilled at acting, but she had also trained her loyal pet well.

Stephanie hastily wiped away her tears, her breath catching after she rose to her feet. "I'm fine. Thank you," she said, her voice quivering with emotion.

Helen nodded in response, her expression still tinged with concern.

Glancing towards Adam, who stood silently observing the scene from the doorway, Stephanie's eyes welled up with fresh tears, tracing down her flushed cheeks.