Chapter 10

"Are you saying Taylor likes you?!"

​Kate’s eyes widened in exaggerated disbelief before she threw her head back and burst into a wild, hysterical fit of laughter. She clutched her stomach, her shrill giggles echoing across the yard, drawing curious glances from nearby guests.

​I stood my ground, my fingers gripping the delicate stem of my champagne glass so tightly my knuckles turned white, while Andrew stared at her in stunned silence.

​Finally, Kate wiped a fake tear from her eye, her laughter cutting off into a cold, vicious sneer. "Don't you get it, Sophia? Your life is an absolute wreck! You're stuck in a pathetic, unhappy mess, and now you’re trying to compete with me by fabricating this hilarious lie? We both know Taylor is an icy, untouchable corporate queen who would never look at a woman like you. It's ridiculous!"

​Andrew’s shocked expression melted away, replaced by a slow, arrogant smirk. He wrapped a possessive arm around Kate’s waist, pulling her flush against his side.

​"Kate is right, Sophia," Andrew scoffed, looking down at me with pure disdain. "You haven't changed at all. You're still the same pathetic woman, lying to yourself just to cope with reality."

​The humiliation burned in my throat, but before I could utter a single word in defence, a waiter carrying a tray of red wine passed by us.

​Kate’s eyes flashed with pure malice. She deliberately feigned a slip, lunging toward the waiter's tray and slamming her hand into a full glass of heavy red wine.

​SPLASH!

​Dark crimson liquid exploded across the front of my emerald-green gown, soaking into the delicate silk and leaving a massive, ruined stain. I gasped in utter shock, stumbling back as the cold alcohol seeped through to my skin.

​Before I could even process the attack, Kate let out a loud, theatrical shriek that echoed across the entire courtyard.

​"Oh my god! Sophia, look what you did! You ruined my designer shoes!" Kate cried out, pointing at a few tiny droplets that had splashed onto her heels. "Hurry up and get down on your knees to wipe them clean for me!"

​"No!" My voice trembled with rage as I stared at her in utter disbelief. "You did that on purpose! You threw the wine at me!"

​"I saw everything clearly!" Andrew stepped in aggressively, his hand landing heavy on my shoulder as he shoved me back. "I saw what you did to her, Sophia! Stop lying and clean her shoes right now. Take responsibility for your disgusting jealousy!"

​"Sophia! What on earth is wrong with you?!"

​A harsh, familiar voice cut through the commotion. My heart sank as my mother, Eleanor, strutted over in her sparkling diamond jewellery, her face twisted in utter disgust.

​"This is exactly why I could never stand you!" Eleanor snapped, not even glancing at my ruined dress. "You're always causing trouble and ruining family events out of pure spite! Apologise to your sister and clean her shoes this instant!"

​Tears of helpless humiliation welled in my eyes, spilling over my lashes and trailing down my cheeks. "Mom..." I choked out, my voice cracking. "Please believe me... I didn't do it! Kate framed me! She threw the wine on me!"

​"Sophia, cut the act!"

​My father, Arthur, stepped up beside my mother, his face dark with embarrassment. For a brief, foolish second, I had hoped he would look at the massive red stain on my chest and defend me. But his eyes held nothing but cold irritation.

​"Hurry up and help your sister clean her shoes," Arthur commanded in a low, stern voice, looking around nervously at the wealthy guests staring at us. "Stop making a scene and embarrassing this family in front of everyone!"

​Five years of quiet endurance, a lifetime of being pushed aside—it all boiled over in my chest into a blinding, scorching fury.

​"Why do you always take her side?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice shattering the polite quiet of the party. "I will never get on my knees for her! Never!"

​"Then let me help you sober up!" Kate snarled.

​Before anyone could react, Kate charged forward. Her face twisted in a mask of pure venom, she slammed both of her hands squarely against my chest, shoving me back with all the strength in her body.

​My heels skidded against the slick tiles near the edge of the patio. My balance failed me, the world tilted upside down, and air rushed past my ears.

​SPLASH!

​The freezing water of the deep-end pool swallowed me whole.

​Heavy, suffocating darkness closed over my head. Panic instantly seized my lungs. I didn't know how to swim—a childhood trauma had left me terrified of deep water, a secret Kate knew all too well.

​"AHHH! Someone fell into the pool!"

​Distant, muffled screams echoed from above the surface as I thrashed wildly underwater. The heavy, wet silk of my gown wrapped around my legs like iron chains, dragging me straight down into the depths. I kicked frantically, gasping for air, only to swallow a lungful of chlorinated water.

​Help... somebody help me! I choked out internally, my chest burning as my vision began to spot with dark shadows.

​Above the water's surface, Andrew’s face paled as he realized what had happened. Instinctively, he yanked off his suit jacket, stepping toward the edge of the pool to dive in but only for Kate to grab his arm with a desperate, iron grip.

​"Andrew, don't you dare!" Kate hissed frantically, pulling him back with all her weight. "If you jump in to save her right now, everyone will know you still care! We are done if you touch her!"

​Andrew froze, looking down at my thrashing, drowning form in torn hesitation while Kate pulled him away.

​"No... no, I can't just let her die!" Andrew gritted out, shoving Kate’s hands off his arm as he prepared to leap.

​But before his feet could leave the concrete, a loud, violent splash shattered the surface of the pool.

​Someone had already dived in.

​Andrew’s jaw dropped in absolute, unadulterated shock as he stared at the water. "H-How is this even possible...?"

​Diving through the crystal-clear water with powerful, practiced strokes was a tall, commanding silhouette. She didn't hesitate for a single second, slicing through the deep end straight toward my sinking body.

​What in the world is Taylor doing here?! Andrew thought, his mind completely paralysed as he watched his ruthless, icy elder sister submerge herself fully clothed to save the woman he had cast aside.

​Underneath the water, my lungs were burning, my limbs growing heavy as unconsciousness crept over the edges of my mind. Just as my eyes began to close, a pair of warm, strong arms wrapped securely around my waist.

​Taylor’s dark eyes locked onto mine through the water full of raw, terrifying fury and an overwhelming, desperate tenderness. She pulled me flush against her chest, kicking off the bottom of the pool, and dragged me up toward the light.