THE FALL OF A SAINT

••ABIGAIL POV••

"Apologize to your sister!" My mother's voice filled in the entire living room, shaking me to my core. "She has done so much for you! Sacrificed so much, and yet you remain ungrateful!"

I blinked, my mind is occupied with confusion and I'm not in a position to respond at this moment.

What was happening, here? How come this situation is very familiar?

Before I could piece things together, Selene clutched my mother's hand, her voice came out to be kind and gentle.

"Mom, please don't be angry with Abi," she pleaded, while her eyes sparkling with unshred tears, "She is still young, and probably misunderstood me."

My mother sighed heavily, turning to me with disappointment in her eyes. "See how much your sister loves you? She even sacrificed the man who was supposed to be her fiance for your sake, and yet, you dare to hurt her? How can you be so selfish?"

And then it hit me.

A sharp jolt of realization struck my mind like lightning.

I... I was reborn.

My fingers curled into fists, while my heart racing, a mix of fury and exhaustion rushing through me. The injustice, the pain, I remembered it all.

I'm back to five years in the past, to the very moment my misery began and Selene's golden era was about to make an entrance for her.

The betrayal and the humiliation were mine, while she enjoyed the glory.

This is the foundation for my destruction planned by Selene.

Did fate really give me a second chance? Could I change my future?

A rush of both happiness and fury filled in my chest, back then I was a fool to let my life and reputation ruined, now I'm not going to be the same naive and spineless Abigail anymore.

As I took a deep breath, being determined to handle everything face to face.

My father who has never been considerate towards me not even for once acts as a loving father whenever it's a misunderstanding in between me and Selene, in fact it's just an act forcing me to apologise to something I never did.

"Abi, we know you're young and ignorant, but you must hurry and apologize to your sister."

Apologize?

I scoffed inwardly at their audacity for asking me to apologise.

The old Abigail would've fallen to her knees, desperate not to upset her family. She would've begged for forgiveness she didn't owe, but that girl was dead in fact these coldhearted monsters killed that Abigail by themselves.

I straightened my spine, lifted my chin up, and met their eyes with a cold, unwavering gaze.

"Apologize?" I repeated, with a cold and sharp voice, "For what?"

A deep silence filled in room as they didn't expect me to question something like this, in my previous life just after they asked me to apologise, I did, however I ended up getting locked in a dark room for almost a week, I'll not let that be repeated again.

"For blaming Selene," my eldest brother, George, snapped. "You accused her in front of everyone, humiliating her by saying she seduced your fiance! Don't you think you should apologise?"

Kevin, my second eldest brother, folded his arms and sneered at me. "Abi, we all know Sele was supposed to be engaged to Leonardo, but she gave up that right so you could have a better life, and you repay her kindness by insulting her?"

I almost laughed.

Kindness? Sacrifice?

What a joke!

Selene never sacrificed anything, her goal had always been Leonardo.

She wanted him for herself, and to secure him, she played the role of a selfless saint, she had me engaged to someone else to get me out of her way, all while portraying herself as my benevolent sister.

Well, she isn't satisfied yet with the life I'm going to lead as the wife of a billionaire, so, she seduced my fiance, destroyed my engagement, and branded me as an abandoned woman.

As if that wasn't enough, she orchestrated my fall from grace, ensuring I ended up in the bed of an illegitimate heir.

My reputation was shattered, my future and everything was stolen by her.

And now, they wanted me to apologize to a woman like that?

I felt a dark amusement filling up in my chest, but I kept my expression cool and composed.

Crossing my arms, I smirked. "First of all, I never accused her, second, I never insulted her, and third," I paused, letting my words audible enough for them to hear, "Her seduction theory wasn't a lie."

Kevin opened his mouth to argue, but I raised a hand, silencing him.

"I'm not done yet, Kevin Massimo."

I took slow, deliberate steps toward them before settling onto the couch.

Unlike the past, I refused to stand before them like an obedient child, if they wanted to talk, they could do it while looking up at me.

"My fiance invited me to lunch," I began, with a calm tone, "So, tell me what exactly Selene was doing there with him?"

My mother looked surprised, and glanced at Selene who was stiffened.

I chuckled. "Fine, maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe, out of respect for her sister's fiance, she happened to meet him, but tell me, isn't she supposed to leave, after realising that it was a date in between him and me?"

Silence.

"But noz while I was sitting at the corner of the table, she was sitting right beside him, laughing, giggling, chatting with him and I'm someone who is ignored at a corner."

Kevin clenched his jaw, George looked uncomfortable.

"But let's give her the benefit of the doubt," I continued, not leaving them an opportunity to support her, "Maybe they were discussing business, maybe I was just 'useless' and had no place in their conversation, that's okay too."

I watched unease being evident in Selene's face.

"And then," I leaned forward, with a sly smile, "He left... Not alone, but with her, without even sparing a single glance at me."

Selene's face turned pale while her fingers were fidgeting.

"Still, I stayed silent," I said with a sigh, leaning back on the couch, "Being a good fiancee, I'm supposed to understand my man, that's why, taking the concert tickets which I got from a friend and went to invite my fiance to join me, can you guess what I found in his cabin?"

I smirked aiming my glance at her. "Selene, she is sitting in his lap.... In his cabin..."

A huge gasp filled the room.

My parents turned to Selene, their faces clouded with shock as if they can't believe that their precious daughter has done something like that.

Selene's lips trembled. "Abi... It's not what you think, I... I.. It's a misunderstanding...."

I raised a brow. "Oh? You tripped and conveniently landed in his lap? Shall we believe this theory?"

Selene swallowed hard, I'm sure she isn't understanding how things turned out to be like this, there's no way she could've imagined things to go out of her control.

"Fine, let's say that was an accident, too," I continued, making sure my tone is mocking. "But tell me, how did you also accidentally take the VVIP concert tickets I bought and went to the concert with him instead?"

Selene's mouth opened and closed, struggling for an answer.

I'm sure she must be planning to lie and escape, poor Selene, you can't, and I'll not.

Twirling the mobile in my hands, I warned her, "Don't even think about lying. The VVIP section records every guest's name and details, the footage doesn't lie, do you want me to personally get that footage for you? The organiser is my best friend."

All of their eyes were on Selene, none of them uttered a word, it's good to see them speechless like this, I never knew fighting back would be this satisfying, well, I think it's time for the final blow.

"Now, tell me," I brought myself to speak, my voice dripping with cold amusement, "where exactly did I insult you? When did I accuse you? Last night you didn't even come home, but in the evening itself I came back home and locked myself in the room being heartbroken after knowing that my fiance and you went to the concert together."

My mother turned to the headmaid trying to find out whether I'm speaking the truth or not, the headmaid nodded proving my words to be true.

I tapped my fingers on the armrest of the couch, controlling my frustration, "When I never even got a chance to speak to either of them, how come I insulted her? Selene and I faced each other in the morning, just now after the incident yesterday evening," shifting my glance towards Selene, I pinched my eyebrows, "Then, why did you complain about me insulting you when I didn't even complain about what you've done with my fiance?"