Chapter 9

Olivia walked in, holding two ice cream cones. She shot me a sarcastic eye roll behind Alexander's back before flashing a fake sweet smile and saying, "Sister Rachel, you know, Brother Alexander's been hiring private detectives to look out for you for over a month. He just can't live without you. Please, be generous. Have this ice cream, and forgive us for our 'unintentional mistakes,' alright?"

I stood there for a beat, processing her words. Then, I looked at Alexander, smiling coolly.

"Let go of me. Let's find a quiet place to talk."

The relief on Alexander's face was instant. He quickly released me, but just when he thought the coast was clear, I did something neither of them saw coming.

"Ahhh!"

I snatched both ice cream cones and smashed them straight into Olivia's face. Her shrill scream pierced the air, drawing everyone's attention. Olivia, with one cone stuck to her head and the other smeared across her left eye, was a comical sight, flailing and screeching, causing several people to burst into laughter.

But I wasn't finished.

I wiped the ice cream off my hands and stepped forward, calm and composed, like the girl who'd been sent to the principal's office more times than I could count for fighting in school. I grabbed Olivia's long hair just as she tried to throw herself into Alexander's arms for comfort.

"Olivia, was that a muscle spasm in your eye just now? Who exactly were you rolling your eyes at?"

Before she could answer, I slapped her hard, five, six times. Each one rang out loud and clear, the sound of my hand meeting her skin sharp and crisp. Olivia's eyes went wide with shock, and she froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Her cheeks swelled up red, and blood started dripping from her nose. The fake sobs turned into real, ugly wails that made my stomach churn. With a disgusted sigh, I shoved her toward Alexander like she was just some unwanted trash.

But here's the twist: When Olivia crawled toward him, crying her eyes out and trying to grab onto the hem of his pants, Alexander didn't reach out to catch her. Instead, he took a step back, far enough that she couldn't touch him.

Olivia was frozen, wide-eyed, staring at him as if she'd just seen a ghost. Heartbroken, she couldn't believe he wasn't comforting her. Meanwhile, Alexander walked right past her and toward me, his eyes filled with sincerity.

"Rachel, I've already told Olivia, she's like a sister to me. Those moments that upset you before? They won't happen again. I swear."

He made a move as if to pull me into his arms, but before I could react, Jason stepped in front of me, his face a mask of cold disdain as he shot a warning look at Alexander.

"Don't touch Rachel without her permission."

Before Jason could say another word, Alexander, seething with anger, swung a punch at him, one that had clearly been building up for a while.

"Who the hell do you think you are to interfere in my relationship with my girlfriend?!"

Jason took the punch like a pro, veins bulging in his temple. But instead of flinching, he wiped the blood off his lip with the back of his hand, still standing tall. He didn't even budge, but I wasn't about to let this slide.

I stepped forward, slapping Alexander hard across the face. The sound echoed through the room. I looked him in the eyes with nothing but disgust.

"Alexander, if you've got issues, maybe it's time you checked yourself into a mental hospital. Don't make a scene here and ruin everyone's night."