Chapter 004

MALDIE POV)

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I walked straight to him and dumped the water all over his body. The shock on his face was instant because he didn't believe that I could do something like that to him

He sputtered, dropping his phone onto the counter as the cold water drenched his curly hair, washing the smugness right off his expression. 

“What the hell, Maldie” he roared, swiping the water from his eyes. I took a deliberate step back…my chest heaved…….my breath uneven……but my voice was really calm and controlled, razor-sharp.

“That,”I said, pointing at the water dripping from his body from head to toe……. “Was a thousand dollars’ worth of water. Considering how cheap I was, you should be grateful I didn't use battery acid.”

He straightened up, his eyes now blazing with genuine anger, not the calculated contempt from earlier. “You want to play this game huh? You think I won't tell everyone why you were so desperate to lose your virginity? That you couldn’t wait to throw yourself at me”? 

A bitter laugh escaped from my mouth. “Go ahead,David. Tell everyone, tell them your ‘Forestwood Challenge’ was so pathetic that you had to trick your ‘step-sister' into sleeping with you to win……….Tell them you're so desperate for cash and popularity. I'm sure your dad will love that..

I watched his face turn pale…..I had hit the one nerve that mattered, his father, who's always complaining about him and talking to him badly any time he sees the chance.

“Keep your mouth shut you slut” he warned his voice low and dangerous 

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I crossed my arms over my chest, a cold, hard resolve settling over me… “Oh, I will. Nobody has to know your dirty little shit you're doing. But this is the new arrangement, David. You won your bet.

Now you owe me. You owe me two years of pretending and my dignity.  

I pointed a finger at his wet shirt. I am not your victim

I am your step-sister. And from now on, you will act like it….. you'll not talk to me again or even look at me 

Or touch me.you treat me like dirt in public fine. I don't want to have anything to do with you again…..

The moment you slip. I'll forward everything to the Forestwood Dean and to your father..

“Wait ... .Wait…Are you threatening me, you little whore”, he snapped. Who do you think you're to stand in front of me and talk to me like that you ‘gold digger’

If not because I wanted to put you back to the place you truly belong, which is trash’....... you won't have the grace to experience how my body feels like…You should be happy you know I'm the only good thing you will ever experience in this your entire miserable life.”

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I didn't say anything because there was no need to stress over it again…… I turned, leaving him standing there,dripping. I walked back to my room, my heart pounding, not with fear, but the exhilarating feeling of standing up for myself for once…... .but I know this game isn't over yet…… it just began

The cool night air didn't do much to dampen the fire burning in my chest. After the showdown with David, the house felt like it was shrinking, the walls closing in with every drip of water he left on the floor.

I checked for my phone, unlocked it and went straight to my bestie's chat….Mary 10 new messages

Mary: “ Hi Maldie how are you”

Mary: “you've not been online since yesterday what's wrong”

Mary: “I hope David didn't do anything nasty to you”

Mary: “what's wrong please answer me I'm so worried”

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I didn't have much strength to type, I need somewhere i could go that will distract me from all this whole drama 

I chatted, “I'm okay, are you around? Can we meet at our usual spot? I didn't wait for her to reply…….I grabbed my jacket and slipped out, meeting Mary at our usual sport……A Divey24-hours diner..

Mary was already there, her eyes wide as I slid into the building….. “Maldie!! Talk to me. You look like you’ve seen a ghost or committed a murder.”

“Both” I whispered, my voice finally cracking. I laid it all out. The bet. The thousand dollars. 

Mary gripped my hand so hard her knuckles turned white. “That absolute pig. A bet? On your…….

 ‘FIRST TIME’ Maldie, we have to go to the police. This is harassment………

“No,” I cut her off, my eyes hardening. “If I go to the police, Richard will cut my mum off. We end up back in that kitchen with the eviction notices. I can't let her back there, Mary. I won't”

“So what? You're just going to live in that house with him?”

“I'm going to make his life a living hell,” I said, a dark smile touching my lips. “I'm going to make him regret every cent of that thousand dollars. He thinks he bought me? He just bought himself a nightmare.

 After my gist with Mary I headed back home….when I got home I saw David sitting on the couch laughing at something on his phone i just walked passed him without saying anything to him…..later that evening, My Mum and Mr Richard came back home 

My mom's face was so pale I didn't know what was wrong, but I know whatever it is. I'm sure it is not about my little deeds with my step-brother or was it about it? I couldn't tell.. I was so worried about what's wrong with her, the next thing I heard was “Maldie we need to talk”.....