[BONUS Chapter for reaching 200PS! Thank you all!]
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[SOPHIE]
"This can't be happening, Mother!" Sophie shrieked, pacing the length of her lavishly decorated bedroom.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor as her manicured hands tugged at her golden locks. "How could we be banned from Hyun? What are we supposed to do now? I've already promised my classmates that I'd gift them dresses from Hyun winter collection. They'll laugh at if I don't deliver!"
Sophie stopped abruptly, grabbing at her hair in frustration before letting out a piercing scream. "It's Eve! It's that bitch's fault! The mont she t with Hyun, our appointnts were canceled! And then we're banned! I don't understand, Mother—what influence does she have over with him? Does she know him?"
Sophia sat calmly in a silk armchair, her perfectly painted nails tapping against the rim of her porcelain teacup. She sighed, her features softening as she regarded her daughter's hysterics. "Calm yourself, Sophie. This is nothing we can't handle."
Sophie whirled to face her. "Handle?! Christmas is just around the corner, Mother! My reputation will be ruined! And I will be the laughing stock of everyone!"
Sophia rose gracefully, crossing the room to pull her daughter into a soothing embrace. She stroked Sophie's back gently, her touch deceptively tender. "Don't worry, my darling. Eve must have used her . . . feminine wiles to get what she wanted. A common girl like her would stoop to any level to achieve her ambitions." Her voice took on a venomous edge. "If she thinks she can play dirty, she won't bla for retaliating in kind."
Sophie stilled in her mother's arms, her glossy eyes brimming with hope. "Do you have a plan, Mother? Tell what to do!"
Sophia pulled back, her expression sharpening into sothing darker, more calculating. Her lips curled into a cold smile that sent a shiver down Sophie's spine. "Oh, I have a plan, my dear. Hyun thinks himself untouchable—a self-made designer who dares to forget his place. But he's nothing more than a commoner playing at greatness. It's ti to remind him of where he truly belongs."
"What will you do?" Sophie asked breathlessly, her desperation slowly morphing into eager anticipation.
Sophia's eyes glead with malice as she stepped toward the window, gazing out at the sprawling city below. "First, we'll ensure that no one of influence will work with him again. We'll spread whispers—rumors of theft, of impropriety, of incompetence. His precious reputation will crumble, and his na will be dragged so deeply through the mud that no amount of talent will save him.
"And once his world starts to collapse, we'll strike the final blow. His clients will abandon him, his investors will turn away, and by the ti we're through, he'll be begging to design for the beggars outside the streets."
Sophia turned to face her daughter, her smile wicked and triumphant. "By the ti I'm done, Hyun will be nothing more than a footnote in history—a cautionary tale of what happens when you forget your place."
Sophie's lips curved into a matching smirk, her earlier frustration replaced with a sense of vindictive glee. "You're brilliant, Mother. Let's see how Eve likes her perfect little designer when his world falls apart."
"Indeed," Sophia said smoothly, placing a hand on her daughter's cheek. "Rember this, Sophie—no one crosses us and gets away with it."
As Sophie basked in her mother's confidence, the two won stood side by side, their minds already conspiring the ruin of their latest target.
"My dear," Sophia began, her voice smooth and rich, like honey laced with venom, "you don't need that insignificant designer anymore. I have far better options at our disposal."
Sophie hesitated, her perfectly manicured fingers clutching the edge of her pearl-embellished vanity. "But, Mother, I've already promised my classmates I'd bring them Hyun's latest designs. They're counting on ! Without them, I'll—"
Sophia's sharp gaze cut her off mid-sentence. "Hyun's latest designs will an nothing once we're done with him. By the ti I'm through, his na will be a stain on society, and you'll have no need for his pitiful scraps."
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[EVE]
The school grounds were alive with energy, the Christmas festival in full swing.
Laughter and music filled the air, blending with the warm glow of fairy lights strung across every corner. For most students, it was a ti of joy, of celebration. For ? It was an obligation I couldn't wait to escape.
The only tether keeping here was the cursed requirent to play Cinderella's evil stepsister for our drama class final grade. Once this performance is over . . . freedom!
Navigating through the throng of students and guests, I tried to ignore the chatter and the faint aroma of festival treats wafting through the air. It was too crowded, too loud—everything I detested.
My eyes scanned the set as I approached, my costu bag slung over my shoulder.
When I arrived, the atmosphere was different. Tense. Off. My classmates bustled around, their movents frantic, their expressions laced with unease.
"What's going on?" I asked, catching sight of Riri pacing near the props table.
She whipped her head toward , her face pale with worry. "The main character hasn't shown up yet!"
"The main character?" I repeated, blinking. "You an Sophie?"
Riri nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah. The show starts in less than an hour, and she's nowhere to be found. She still needs to get into makeup and costu! Everyone's freaking out."
I shrugged and hurried to my designated area to get ready. Unlike Cinderella, we evil stepsisters didn't require elaborate makeup or costus. Within minutes, I was in full character—a simple transformation that gave plenty of ti to absorb the growing chaos.
"Did anyone call her?" I asked.
"We've called her a dozen tis," Riri groaned, running a hand through her hair. "No one's picking up! It's like she's disappeared. What are we supposed to do? Without Cinderella, how are we supposed to perform Cinderella? This isn't a group project excuse kind of thing. If we don't perform, we fail. If we fail, there goes our grade!"
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