over my dead body

Aria’s POV

Of course, I would have run towards her, gone down on my knees, and cried at her feet to forgive me. But not anymore. 

I ignored Kael, grabbed one of the mean girls’ collars, and gave her a resounding slap that caused the rest to gasp in shock. 

No, I didn't stop there; I turned to the other girl and knocked her so hard on her head that she fell butt-flat on the floor. 

Kael’s jaw dropped, and his countenance immediately changed. He stepped towards me, eyes rolling in wrath to grab my hand, but I didn't let him succeed. 

I wasn't done with those servants yet; they needed to be taught to stay in their lane.

“Listen attentively,” 

They all turned their attentions to me. 

“Henceforth, I will not tolerate any form of misconduct from you.”

My fingers went from one to another, giving them a stern warning. 

“Whispering, audible, or behind me, if I figure out that you guys are saying anything stupid about me, you will be fired!”

They lowered their heads in shame. 

“And before I send you away, you must be punished. Now leave!”

They scampered, bumping into each other. 

My simplicity towards them must never be taken for granted. If I were getting that disrespect from them because of the way I was treating them nicely, then that was the end.

“Are you done?”

Kael’s voice jolted me, causing my heart to palpitate. 

His face was full of surprises, and his lips weighed heavily with words. However, he didn't ask anything about the earlier occurrence. Instead, he repeated what he said before.

“Lana is in her room. Go say sorry to her.”

I couldn't help but puff. Saying sorry to Lana only means I accepted the lie against me. 

Even if she were battling with death, nothing would make me say sorry to her.

Besides, I wasn't the one who pushed her down the stairs.

It was she who deemed it fit to put her life at risk just so she could frame me. 

“What if I don't go?”

I dropped my hands on my waist, staring at him rudely.

“If you apologize to her, you will be spared from getting punished.”

Oh, really? They were going to punish me because of Lana. Wonderful!

Kael turned his back on me, his broad shoulders standing in my way. 

One step, and he paused. However, he didn't spin or say a word. 

After standing there for a few seconds, he walked away, his feet thumping on the tile floor like a commando. 

I watched in amazement as he entered his study room and slammed the door shut. 

These people aren't helping anything at all. Shouldn't they have seen through Lana’s tricks?

That girl hates me; they all knew that.

Why did they suddenly accept the false accusations?

‘You can't blame anyone,’ 

Liza growled, her voice so frail as if she were sick. 

‘You don't want to listen to them; they won't take you back anymore.’

“Excuse me?”

I scoffed, heading towards the kitchen. 

Listening to them means giving up on the thing I had already put in my mind to do. 

I'd rather endure their childish behaviors towards me than give up on what I was aiming for. 

Creating that organization would not only favor the needy or me, but also them, especially our pack. 

“Prepare a healthy breakfast on the menu and take it to my room.”

The two maids I met in the kitchen exchanged confused glances.

“But ma’am, the dining table will soon be set.”

The brothers would eat together, but they wouldn't want to see me at the dining table with them. 

They might end up throwing food at me because I would never give in to their demands. 

“To my room!”

I snapped, then shut the door.

As I went upstairs, voices speaking loudly, as if they were arguing, found their way into my ears.

I didn't want to listen, because I was never interested in other people’s business. 

But the moment my name was mentioned, my legs halted. 

‘Are they discussing how to punish us?’

Liza asked nervously. 

“Can we check out?”

With a mischievous grin on my face, I headed towards the room. 

When I approached Lana’s room, the voices became louder.

“Aria can never do that.”

My hand paused on the doorknob, hearing someone taking my side. 

“Are you blind, Damien? Can't you see the injury on Lana’s head?”

“Isn't it obvious?”

Rafe hissed. 

“Don't be fooled by Lana’s mischief? Have you all forgotten that since Aria showed up here, Lana has been acting like she would do anything to send her back?”

Wonderful! One brother is on my side now; let’s see if the rest will continue supporting Lana, the adoptive daughter, or me.

“Damien?”

Lana’s voice rang in my ear like poison. 

“I cannot hurt myself because of Aria.”

She sniffled.

“I love her just the way…”

“Cut the crap, Lana. We all know you don't like her; talk more of loving her. Besides, am I the only one who perceived an alcohol scent from Lana yesterday? It was obvious she fell from the stairs because she was drunk.”

Oh, finally! Damien is a lawyer; nobody can fool him. 

“Why are you lying against me?”

Lana broke down in tears.

“You just hate me, period! Stop taking Aria’s side because she is your sister. Even Kael…”

What a nerve-wracking experience. Her words disgusted me and made me nauseous. 

Since they wouldn't stop talking, and Elias and Rafe wouldn't stop supporting Lana, I turned the handle and entered the room.

Their eyes fell on me, but I was so sharp as to change my countenance. 

“You guys,”

I sighed deeply, drooping my head.

“I will apologize to Lana just as you all want,” 

“But you can't; you did nothing.”

Damien hindered. 

“She knows her mistake, Damien. Allow her to do the needful.”

I gave Damien an apprehensive smile and tapped him on the bicep.

“It’s okay, I can handle it.” 

His brows creased, and his lips twitched. He looked at them one after the other, his eyes revealing anger, and then he stormed out.

“Thank goodness you are back to your senses.”

Rafe frowned at me, and they also left the room.

Left with Lana, my countenance returned to the way it had always been towards her, Disgusted.

“Now apologize!”

She smiled like a winner.

“Not so fast, Lana.”

I stepped towards the bed, lowered myself, and grabbed her hand wrapped in thick gauze. I tweaked it, my eyes fixed on hers.

Lana let out a scream, and suddenly, footsteps started approaching. 

I released her hand, turned the faucet on her side of the bed, pinched myself on the arm, and threw it in her hand.

When the door opened and the brothers ran in, I was holding my arm, blood dripping from it. 

“What did you do to her!”

Damien sprinted towards me. He took my arm and pressed his hand on it to stop the bleeding. 

“I only wanted to apologize to her, but she injured me.”

Tears flowed down my cheeks, a fake one, of course. 

“How could you?”

Rafe scolded her.

“Didn't I tell you guys that Lana is a bad person?”

Damien added.

“If my sister’s hand gets infected, you will be sorry!”

I didn't hear what the other brothers said to Lana because Damien took me out of the room to apply first aid.

When Damien finally left my room, I burst into heartwarming laughter. 

Lana thought she was the only one who could manipulate, but she was wrong. 

‘You are evil, Aria.’

Liza laughed. That was the first time she was laughing that way, and it excited me that I succeeded in making her happy.

“Lana hasn't seen it all. If she continues crossing my path, I will be left with no choice but to show her the other side of me.”

A few minutes later, Damien returned. This time, he didn't come to tend to my injury; he came with something important.

“About the organization you want to create,”

He sat down and took my hand in his.

“I want to support you.”

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest in excitement. Damien’s approval meant nothing to me because with or without it, I was already going to do it.

But he is a lawyer, and he would be a great help to my organization. I wouldn't hire any lawyer again; I already have one.

“Really? Thank you so much, Damien. I promise never to let you down.”

He nodded, smiling broadly. 

“If there is anything you need to know about creating an organization, let me know, and I will gladly help you. When I go to the office later, I will send over a document for you to go through.”

After he left, I quickly ate the breakfast the maid brought, took a bath, and dressed up. 

While I was about to call Nina, she drove inside the mansion.

“I love you for always showing up, Nina.”

She giggled and hugged me.

“I heard something happened in the mansion yesterday. They said you pushed Lana down the stairs.”

What da!

How words get out of the mansion and already across the city baffles me.