Chapter 329

My heart hammered in my chest as I stood before Mia, her words ringing in my ears like a twisted melody.

Maid of honor…

"Evie, darling," Mia cooed, her voice sickly sweet as she presented the bridesmaid dress to me, her eyes gleaming with false sincerity. "I'd want my daughter to be there at my wedding. Won't you do me the honor?"

I stared at the dress in horror, my stomach churning with revulsion. The fabric shimmered under the soft glow of the room's lighting, a sickening reminder of the tangled web of deceit and manipulation that Mia had woven around us all.

"I would never," I spat, my voice dripping with disdain. "I loathe the idea of you marrying Kamran and ruining anything Timothy and I could've had."

Mia's expression darkened, her facade slipping for just a moment before she composed herself with a forced smile. "Evie, darling," she chided, her voice tinged with annoyance. "You need to grow up. This isn't about you."

I felt a surge of anger rising within me, hot and potent like molten lava. "It's about everything you've destroyed," I shot back, my voice trembling with fury. "You've torn apart everything that mattered to me."

Mia's eyes narrowed with irritation, her patience wearing thin. "Put on the dress, Evie," she demanded, her voice sharp with authority.

But I refused to back down, my resolve as unyielding as steel. "No," I declared, my voice trembling with defiance. "I won't be a part of this charade."

Mia's lips curled into a sneer, her eyes flashing with malice. "Suit yourself," she retorted, her voice dripping with contempt. "But don't come crying to me when you realize what you've missed out on."

I felt a surge of frustration rising within me, the weight of Mia's words pressing down on me like a leaden weight. "I won't miss out on anything," I spat, my voice tinged with defiance. "Especially not with you."

Mia's expression softened, a sickeningly sweet smile spreading across her face. "Oh, Evie," she purred, her voice honeyed with false sincerity. "You're such a beautiful girl when you’re not holding all this anger. One day, you'll make a lovely bride. To a successful man, of course. Timothy will be an afterthought."

I bristled at her words, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Timothy is the man for me," I shot back defiantly. "And I certainly don't need your approval for who I’m with."

But Mia merely laughed, a cold, bitter sound that sent shivers down my spine. "We'll see about that," she replied, her voice laced with malice. “I suppose a little childish rebellion is only natural from you."

My skin crawled as Mia's words slithered through the air, leaving a trail of fear and uncertainty in their wake. The sickly-sweet tone of her voice grated on my nerves. “Right…”

"But Evie, darling," Mia cooed, her voice oozing with false sincerity. "I'm sure you'd want to cooperate with me and attend my wedding. It would be such a shame if anything were to happen to poor Timothy if he ended up in prison."

I felt a surge of anger rising within me, hot and potent like molten lava. "Leave him alone," I snapped, my voice trembling with fury. "Kamran would never allow it."

But Mia merely smirked, a glint of triumph shining in her eyes. "Oh, Kamran," she scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "He's wrapped around my finger. Once we're married, I'll have the power to do anything I want."

As I stood there, staring at the bridesmaid dress draped over my arm, memories of my childhood flooded back with a vengeance. The fabric felt heavy and suffocating, like the weight of my mother's threats bearing down on me once again.

I glared at the dress as I remembered the countless times my mother had used threats to manipulate and control me. It was a tactic she had perfected over the years, a cruel game of power and dominance that left me feeling small and powerless.

I recalled one particular night when I was ten and had refused to eat my dinner. It was a cold stew that consisted of chunks of unsightly looking meat and vegetables, most of which looked spoiled or improperly cooked. I’d pushed my bowl away and refused to eat it.

My mother had flown into a rage, her words sharp and cutting as she hurled insults and threats in my direction. I had stood my ground, refusing to give in to her demands, but she had been relentless.

The next day, she had cleared all the food out of the house, leaving me hungry and alone in the dark. It had been a battle of wills, a clash of titans that had left scars that still lingered to this day.

And then there was the fight between my mother, Mia, and my father. It had been a violent and terrifying ordeal, one that had left me cowering in the corner, helpless to stop the chaos unfolding before my eyes. I had never felt more alone than in that moment, trapped in a nightmare of my own making.

But despite my anger and resentment, I knew I had to play along, at least for now. Timothy's fate hung in the balance, and I couldn't risk antagonizing Mia any further. I had to bide my time, wait for the right moment to strike back.

With a heavy heart, I reluctantly slipped the dress over my head, the fabric clinging to my skin like a shroud of betrayal. As I adjusted the hem and smoothed out the wrinkles, I made a silent vow to myself: I would not let Mia's threats break me. I would not let her control me anymore.

No matter what it took, I would find a way to break free from her grasp, to reclaim my independence and my freedom. And when that day came, Mia would regret ever underestimating me.

I clenched my fists at my sides, my heart pounding in my chest. "You're a monster," I spat, my voice tinged with disgust. "You'd do anything to get what you want."

Mia's expression hardened, her facade slipping for just a moment before she composed herself with a forced smile. "I do what needs to be done," she replied, her voice cold and calculating. "For the greater good."

I felt bile rising in the back of my throat, the taste of betrayal bitter on my tongue. "And what about the gun?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger. "Did that help you get what you wanted in the past?"

Mia didn't miss a beat, her gaze piercing as she fixed me with a steely glare. "I bought that gun to protect us from your drunk father as well as the other pests I encountered when I was traveling," she declared, her voice laced with venom. "But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

“No. I don’t need to take a life to be successful.”

She bristled at my words, and a surge of defiance rose within me. "I left to protect myself," she shot back. "You would’ve been too much to handle, especially with how soft you are."

“I was a child!”

Mia's eyes flashed with rage, her facade crumbling before my eyes. "You have no idea what I've done for you," she seethed, her voice low and dangerous. "You're ungrateful, just like your father."

I felt a surge of fear coursing through my veins just at the mention of him. "Don’t you dare bring him up," I whispered, my voice trembling.

But Mia's lips curled into a wicked grin, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Don't overstep, Evie," she warned, her voice dripping with menace. "Or I'll make do on my promise."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I had to play along, for Timothy's sake. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that Mia was capable of anything.

With a heavy heart, I forced a smile onto my lips and reached for the bridesmaid dress, my fingers trembling with uncertainty.

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