Chapter 2 - Stripped

"What are you still waiting for? Get your ass out of here.”

I had already changed into fresh clothes and now sat quietly on the edge of my bed, staring at nothing. My thoughts spiraled endlessly, grasping for any way to convince Dad not to abandon me, when Mirriam strode into my room with a contemptuous sneer, arms crossed, eyes glittering with cruel satisfaction.

I was used to that look—she wore it whenever we were alone. She never missed a chance to make me feel like an intruder in my own home, an outsider who never truly belonged. And somehow, no one ever saw through her.

“Mirriam, please…” I rushed toward her, desperation propelling me forward. “Help me. Please help me convince Dad not to throw me out—”

I reached for her instinctively, but she swatted my hand aside as if I were something filthy. I had no choice but to pull back, my fingers curling uselessly into my palm.

“Help you?” she scoffed, exasperation sharpening her features. Her eyes stabbed into me like daggers. “Are you really this shameless, Cassie?”

“You drugged my boyfriend just so you could sleep with him,” she continued, her lips curling in disgust. “And now you want me to help you?”

Her bitter, mocking laugh rang in my ears, echoing until it felt unbearable.

“I swear, Mirriam,” I pleaded, my voice trembling. “I don’t know how it happened. I don’t—”

I had said it so many times already, the words worn thin, but I clung to them anyway, desperate for even the smallest chance she might believe me.

“Stop, Cassidy!” she snapped. “I know you planned all of this. Do you think I don’t know how you look at Ashton?”

Her gaze turned murderous. “You’ve always wanted him. You saw your chance and took it—you tried to snatch him away from me.”

Her words hit me like a physical blow, freezing me in place.

“No… that’s not true…” I shook my head frantically, tears blurring my vision. “Please, Mirriam—”

“I will never go between you and Ashton,” I said desperately. “Please believe me.”

I reached for her again without thinking—and she stepped back, retreating as though my touch alone might contaminate her.

“Yes,” I admitted brokenly. “I admire Ashton. Yes, I like him.” The confession burned on my tongue.

“But I never once thought of coming between you and him. Never. I respect him too much to do something like that to him.”

My chest tightened as I fought for breath. “I… I really don’t know how this happened.”

Desperation surged through every nerve in my body. But Mirriam only looked at me with cold, unyielding scorn.

I slid down onto my knees, as the last fragile strand of hope unraveled in my chest.

“Please, Mirriam… help me.” My voice came out small, broken.

“Please convince Dad not to disown me. I only have him.”

I knelt fully in front of her, my hands trembling as they pressed against the floor.

I wasn’t afraid of the streets. I was afraid of having no one.

Afraid of losing the only man whose acceptance I had spent my entire life chasing—even from a distance. I had endured his coldness for years. I could endure more, if only he wouldn’t throw me away.

“I swear,” I rushed on desperately, “I won’t look at Ashton again. I’ll never outshine you. I’ll never stand in your way—just like I promised.”

I clasped my hands together in front of my chest, a pitiful gesture of surrender. Tears streamed freely now, blurring my vision until everything swam.

“Please… Mirriam…”

My voice cracked completely.

She looked down at me with thinly veiled disgust. Then she smiled. A slow, disdainful smirk curved her lips.

“Kiss my shoes,” she said lightly. “Then I might reconsider.”

My entire body went rigid.

The words sank in slowly, brutally, as humiliation crawled up my spine and wrapped around my throat. I stared at her shoes, my mind screaming even as my body refused to move.

She scoffed at my silence. “If you don’t want to, then leave.” She turned slightly, dismissive. “I don’t ever want to see your face in this house again.”

“No—!”

I lunged forward instinctively, grabbing the hem of her skirt before she could walk away.

“I will,” I whispered hoarsely.

She stopped.

“I will do it…”

I swallowed hard—not just the painful lump in my throat, but my pride. The last shred of dignity I had left burned as it slid down with it.

Because losing myself felt less terrifying than losing dad.

With my eyes closed and my pride swallowed whole, I bent forward until my trembling lips brushed against the polished leather of her shoes. I couldn’t see anymore—fresh tears flooded my vision, spilling down my cheeks and onto the floor.

I heard Mirriam scoff. I didn’t dare look up.

I stayed slumped there, head bowed, shoulders shaking. Whatever was left of me felt stripped away, layer by layer, until there was nothing but raw humiliation. The tears kept coming no matter how hard I tried to stop them.

“Please…” I whispered, my voice barely sound. “Please help me convince Dad.”

“Oh, right.” Mirriam’s voice was careless, almost bored. “Dad asked me to tell you something.”

The mention of him snapped my head up instantly, hope flaring despite myself.

“He said not to wait for him to drag you out.”

The words struck me dumb. I stared at her, frozen, while she simply smirked—satisfied.

That was when I realized it. She had never intended to help me.

“If I were you,” she added coolly, “I wouldn’t anger Dad any further.”

She turned away from me and strolled toward my desk, her movements unhurried. Her manicured fingers drifted over my things, pausing deliberately on my wallet.

I watched, helpless, as she picked it up and opened it.

Crack.

The sharp snap of breaking plastic shattered the silence of my room.

My breath hitched in horror as she pulled out the card—the one Dad used to deposit my allowance—and bent it cleanly in half.

“Mirriam—!” I gasped, scrambling forward, instinctively reaching for it.

I didn’t need to.

She tossed the broken pieces at me like scraps.

“You won’t be needing it anymore,” she sneered. “You don’t deserve Knowles money.”

My hands shook violently as I picked up the torn card, the edges biting into my skin.

“You can bring your trash with you, though,” Mirriam continued, glancing toward the small suitcase already packed by the maids earlier.

She turned back to me, her gaze sharpening, her voice turning cold and final.

“Dad expects you gone in ten minutes. If not, he’ll drag you out himself.”

She paused, eyes narrowing. “Don’t be stubborn, Cassie. Dad has enough heartache today.” Her lips curled slightly.

“Leave now—or I’ll never forgive you if anything happens to Dad and my mom.”

She sauntered out of the room, her footsteps unhurried, as though she hadn’t just shattered what remained of my world. Silence swallowed me whole.

I stayed where I was, kneeling on the floor, the broken pieces of my life scattered around me.

I drew my arms around myself, shaking, trying to hold together what was left. But there was nothing left to cling to.

I had been stripped of everything.

****tbc****