Victoria and Nicole sit across from each other with their plates in front of them.
“Take it back,” I say with a calmness I don’t feel.
Nicole’s malicious eyes shoot daggers in my direction as she stabs something in her plate.
Victoria’s perfect eyebrows scrunch in mock surprise. “Take what back, dear?”
“You called my mother a whore and you’ll take it back.”
“You must’ve misheard, dear,” Victoria continues smiling as she sips her tea with no care in the world.
The thing about Victoria is her ability to avoid confrontation and slip her way out of any dire situation. It’s probably why she’s the perfect wife for a man like my father.
But I’m not the press. She’s not getting away with calling my mother a whore.
“I don’t know much about my parents’ history, but I know that my mum came first,” I mimic her cool, infuriating smile. “Maybe we should research who’s the homewrecking whore in all this story.”
Victoria’s face scrunches, but she remains seated. Nicole jumps up, pointing a fork at me. “Did you just call my mother a homewrecking whore?”
“Oh,” I smirk, making sure to meet Victoria’s gaze. “You must’ve misheard, dear.”
Nicole makes her way towards me
“Sit down, Nicole,” Victoria scolds.
“You little bitch,” Nicole snarls in my face, “You and your slut of a mother were and will always be nothing to Uncle Henry. You’re just used tissue that can be thrown any second.”
I raise my fist and punch Nicole in the face.
It’s a knee-jerk reaction. Something that comes in the ruse of the moment.
Hearing her talk about my mother that way brings a rolling wave of rage.
No one, absolutely no one, badmouths my mother and gets away with it.
Nicole and Victoria shriek at the same time as the younger girl falls against the table clutching her face.
Nicole straightens with her eyes shimmering. She fists her hands, and I hold my ground.
Bring it. I’m ready for a fight to the death with her right now.
Victoria pulls her daughter back by the collar of her dress.
“Oh, Henry. I don’t know what’s wrong with Astrid.” She caresses Nicole’s hair. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay.”
My muscles lock at the mention of Dad’s name. Measured footsteps come from behind me before he stands by his wife and stepdaughter’s side. His face is so closed, it’s impossible to read his mood.
“She called my mother a whore, Uncle,” Nicole sobs, showing him the reddening circle around her left eye. “When I told her to stop, she punched me.”
“That’s not true!” I yell.
“Oh, Henry,” Victoria cries. “I think Nicole needs to see a doctor.”
“Oh, come on.” I stare at her with stupefaction. It wasn’t that strong, although I wish it were.
“I know you don’t like us, Astrid.” Victoria looks at me with pity-filled eyes. “But I thought we were a family.”
“Stop being a hypocrite! You called my mother —