Sabrina saw it.
She saw Gianna wince, the faint tightening around her eyes, saw the contempt bloom unmistakably in her cousin’s gaze—and she knew imdiately that whatever gas her parents had planned to play this afternoon would be a waste.
Hadn’t she told them?
The thought burned bitter on her tongue as she watched her father hurry forward like a clown rushing onto a stage already set against him.
Gianna was done with them—long done with them—and with her friends surrounding her like a barricade, begging would be harder. It would be nonexistent.
But her father had answered her earlier observations with a slap.
Even now, he was beckoning her forward, eyes hardening when he noticed she hadn’t followed. The command was silent but unmistakable.
Sabrina exhaled weakly and went after them.
She watched as Athena returned to her seat, satisfied, having marked an invisible demarcation like a territorial line. Watched as her mother fussed over Gianna like she was so fragile god, hovering and murmuring, while Gianna watched her with open ridicule.
Sabrina felt more ashad. More annoyed. More inclined to break sothing over Gianna’s head.
Even though the letter sent to her inbox had said suspended till further notice, she knew the truth. She had been sacked. There was no two ways about it—not with the rumors gaining ground in the dia, not with her foolishness at the convention amplifying everything tenfold.
A fellow had even thrown a packet of biscuits at her this morning when she stopped by a store, yelling that she had a hand in the accident.
If she’d had a gun then, she would have shot the geezer straight in the mouth.
"Gianna, are you feeling hurt anywhere..."
Even her mother’s sickly sweet voice dragged like nails across Sabrina’s ears. How much more for Gianna?
Her eyes darted to her cousin’s friends, and when she caught the smirks tugging at their lips, humiliation clawed up her spine. For a mont, she felt like walking straight out the door, dignity be damned.
But beggars had no choice.
With the lawsuit hanging around her neck, with debt weighing down her father’s shoulders, she had no choice but to beg her cousin. At least this once.
And then she would kill Gianna off.
Do the job the idiots couldn’t do.
The thought planted itself firmly in her mind, as she strolled toward the bed, giving her boldness.
She crossed the invisible boundary Athena had marked earlier, her face settling into a mask of anguish as easily as a second skin, and sat on the empty space beside Gianna.
"I’m sorry, coz, for all this... you don’t deserve this..."
Because you deserve death, she added silently.
"I’m sorry for what happened at the convention too... I was too greedy, too selfish..."
A tear slipped from her right eye, perfectly tid. In her mind, Sabrina smirked when Gianna raised a confused brow.
Was it working?
"I am so sorry..." Her voice wavered convincingly. "The consequences of my actions made realize that I have been so bad to you, so ungrateful... I’m so sorry, Gianna. Please forgive ."
When she placed her hand on Gianna’s leg and the latter didn’t flinch, didn’t curse her out, Sabrina felt a thrill of glee spark inwardly.
Outwardly was another story.
"You are sorry?" Gianna spoke finally, folding her arms across her chest.
Sabrina nodded weakly, shoulders slumping.
"If there were no consequences for your actions... would you still be sorry?"
The sudden edge in Gianna’s voice caught Sabrina off guard, rendering her montarily speechless.
"Cat got your tongue?"
Sabrina shook her head sorrowfully, staying in character. "I might not have. I might have carried on uselessly... but isn’t that the usefulness of consequences? To make us take responsibility for our actions?"
Gianna nodded slowly, even as amazent flickered through her. Her cousin was probably in the wrong career field.
She should try out the acting academy.
"Then take responsibility for your actions."
"I am..." Sabrina said quickly. "I’ve been sacked from the company, so I have no job. Don’t think I’ll be as lucky as you—I won’t even be picked as a basic designer now by any company. I’m in debt too, with the lawsuit... so responsibility? I’m sward in it. I’m just here to see you and plead for your forgiveness. I’ve turned a new leaf."
Acting academy. It was settled. Gianna concluded as much and told her cousin exactly that.
"It’s good you’re without a job," she said lightly. "You can submit an application to the acting academy. Last I checked, they’re still accepting applications..."
Finally, she smiled—hearing her friends whistle softly, seeing the crack splinter across Sabrina’s countenance, the flash of hate that flared in her eyes before disappearing just as quickly.
It was already too late. Sabrina knew it the mont she saw the hardening of Gianna’s gaze.
She had failed.
"Gianna, how could you say that to your cousin?" Josephine tried again, voice rising in disbelief. "Can’t you see she’s sorry..."
She didn’t understand how Gianna hadn’t fallen for it. She herself had almost fallen for her daughter’s theatrics.
For soone who hadn’t wanted to co here at first, Sabrina had played the role brilliantly—stunning even her father.
But alas.
All that for nothing.
Josephine watched Gianna rub her temple tiredly. "Please leave, Josephine... you lot are giving headaches."
"Now, Gianna—" Clent spoke then, his voice rising, far removed from the sorrow it was ant to carry.
Gianna had had enough. "Get out, Mr. Clent. Take your lousy family with you."
Clent saw red, but he knew better than to act on it. Not here. Not now. Athena Thorne was present, and so was Chelsea Statham.
Even though the latter had fled from her family and chosen a noble profession, Clent rembered enough about the pediatrician’s lineage to tread carefully.
"You’re making a mistake, Gianna... we’re still your family. Your grandfather—"
"Don’t ntion his na, Clent." Gianna’s voice rose, sharp and cutting. "You’re not worthy of such honor anymore. Do you think he would be happy with how you’re handling things... the company, the family?"
She scoffed. "No. He’d be rolling in his grave."
She smacked Sabrina’s hand, which had suddenly tightened on her leg.
"Take your filthy hands off ! Now get out!"
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