I Told You, Didn't I?

Author's POV:

The door slammed shut behind Alanis, and it felt like the air around Poppy changed.

There was a second—just one second—of stillness.

Then Penelope snapped. Her heels clicked loudly against the ground as she stormed toward Poppy, grabbing her arm with a force that made Poppy stumble forward.

"You little bitch," she hissed under her breath, but her grip said more than the words did. Her nails bit into Poppy's skin. “You ruined everything.”

Poppy tried to pull away, but Penelope yanked her again. Her half-sister was shaking, not from fear—no, from rage.

Penelope looked beautiful in her dress, perfect makeup still intact, except now her face twisted into something almost monstrous.

She forced Poppy into the back seat of the car and slammed the door behind them.

Laura was already seated in front, her arms crossed, and her eyes hard in the rearview mirror.

The driver was at the back seat, Penny climbed in to the other side of the back seat, with Poppy between them.

Poppy sat as still as she could, her heart was banging against her chest like it was trying to get out.

“I told you not to come,” Penelope said, still breathing heavy. “I told you, didn’t I?”

Poppy didn’t speak, she didn’t think she could if she tried.

“And look what you did. Look what you made me do. You just couldn’t stay away.”

She turned to Laura. “Did you see the way Alanis was looking at her? Like he actually—” She choked on her own words. “Like he gave a damn about her.”

Laura turned around in her seat, and her voice was calm. Too calm. “This girl needs to learn her place.”

“I wanted to wait till the party was over. I really did. But she crossed the line.” Penelope’s hands balled into fists in her lap. “She’s going to pay tonight.”

The car turned into a darker road, the trees brushing past the windows. Poppy's eyes darted around, her hands clenched into her dress.

She didn’t know where they were going. She didn’t know what they meant.

But something inside her—the same instinct that helped her survive their hatred for years—was screaming now.

She glanced at the car door. Her mind whispered, Open it. Run. Jump. Do something.

But her body stayed frozen, and her throat tightened until it hurt. She wanted to hit the driver in the face, with her elbow and escape, but Penny's grip around her wrist had tightened.

Penelope leaned close suddenly, her voice low and venomous. “You like the way he looked at you, don’t you? You think he wants you now?” She scoffed. “He doesn’t. He’s just toying with you, you little stray mutt. But I’m going to make sure you remember where you belong.”

The car pulled into the long driveway of the estate. Gravel crunched beneath the tires, and Poppy felt like she was being led into a trap.

The house looked the same—grand, cold, and far too big. But tonight, it looked like a prison.

As soon as they parked, Penelope grabbed her again.

“You ruined my engagement party,” she spat. “You embarrassed me. You think you can just stand there and let him talk to you like you’re something?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Poppy whispered, her voice was dry, scared, barely audible.

“Oh, you did everything.”

Laura had gotten out first, and now she opened the door to the house, holding it with a fake smile like she was welcoming them to tea.

As soon as Poppy stepped inside, Penelope shoved her forward.

The door slammed shut behind them.