Chapter 131: Chapter 131
REINA
I tossed the phone onto the couch with a frustrated sigh.
Upstairs, hidden deep in my bag, the pregnancy test still waited like a loaded gun. I couldn’t bring myself to touch it.
A loud, impatient knock suddenly shattered the quiet.
I froze.
Another knock followed, sharper, more demanding.
I approached the peephole cautiously.
Tessa.
My stomach dropped.
She stood there with that perfectly practiced look of concern plastered across her face, purse clutched tightly, already raising her hand to knock again.
I opened the door slowly.
The moment she saw me, her expression shifted into something sickly sweet.
"Oh my God, Reina," she cooed, stepping forward as if she owned the place. "I’ve been calling you all day. You completely disappeared on me. That was so selfish."
Selfish.
The word hit like a slap.
I didn’t move to let her in.
She pushed past me anyway, breezing into the apartment like she belonged there.
"What the hell happened to you?" she asked, eyes scanning the space with open disapproval. "Don’t tell me you’re here all broody trying to isolate yourself again. You really need to stop isolating yourself like this. It’s not healthy. I was looking forward to hanging out with you after my last class but you disappeared."
I closed the door behind her, arms folding tightly across my chest.
"Tessa... what do you want? Why are you even here?"
She spun around, eyes narrowing.
"Excuse me? I came here because I care about you. I was worried sick, and this is how you treat me?"
Her tone dripped with venom now, the fake concern cracking fast.
"You’ve been acting like a complete bitch lately, you know that? Ever since you got tangled up with these your husband’s people, you think you’re suddenly too good for me? You think you’re all that because you’re married now, hmm?"
I stared at her coldly.
"Tell me the truth, Tessa."
She laughed bitterly.
"The truth? You want the truth? Fine. You’re throwing your life away for a man whose family is dangerous. And for what? So you can play house while they drag you down? I’ve always been the one who actually loved you, Reina. Not him. Not any of them."
Her mask was slipping completely now, revealing the ugly possessiveness underneath.
"You were nothing before me. I built you up. And now you’re acting like I’m the villain just because I don’t want to lose you to these criminals?"
I stepped closer, voice low.
"I heard you, Tessa. Everything. Prom night. Andrew. How you made sure I stayed broken so I’d always need you. I knew everything now. I know the truth."
Color drained from her face for half a second, then her eyes flashed with pure malice.
"Andrew, that fucking bastard told you? of course he did. He’s a fucking pussy." She gritted out, fist clenching tightly into a ball.
"So what if I did?" she hissed, dropping all pretense. "At least I was there. At least I loved you enough to keep you from throwing yourself at worthless men. You should be thanking me instead of playing house with your pathetic husband and his psychotic family in this dumb ass apartment."
The front door suddenly swung open.
Elisa stepped inside carrying several shopping bags, initially humming lightly to herself.
Then she looked up.
Her eyes flicked from Tessa’s twisted, hateful expression to my tense posture and shaking hands.
The bags hit the floor with a loud thud.
Everything soft and cheerful vanished from Elisa’s face in an instant. She transformed into something sharp, feral, and ice-cold.
"What the fuck is going on here?" she demanded, voice dangerously low.
Tessa sneered, clearly caught off guard. "This doesn’t concern you, little girl. Stay out of adult business."
Elisa’s eyes narrowed to slits.
She crossed the room in three fast strides and slammed her foot hard into Tessa’s thigh.
Tessa screamed, crashing backward into the wall.
"Do not," Elisa said, her voice terrifyingly calm and lethal, "ever speak to my sister-in-law like that again. In her own house, got it?"
Tessa clutched her leg, shock written all over her face.
She clearly hadn’t expected anyone, especially not someone this young to have my back so fiercely. I wasn’t expecting it either. I wasn’t expecting her to be back so early either.
"You crazy little bitch—" Tessa spat.
Elisa grabbed a fistful of Tessa’s hair and yanked her head back viciously.
"I said get the fuck out."
"Elisa—" I started, stunned.
But Elisa wasn’t listening. She shoved Tessa toward the door with shocking strength. How the hell was she even that strong?
Tessa stumbled, eyes wide with disbelief. She was genuinely shocked that someone was protecting me so aggressively, that I wasn’t alone and defenseless anymore. Unlike before.
Elisa got right in her face, voice dripping with icy menace.
"You come near Reina again or trying to hurt her, and I will make your life a living hell. I will make sure I know where you sleep. I would make sure I know where your pathetic little friends party. And where your family lives, down to every pets you might have. I will make every little thing around you that breath air, I’ll make their life a living hell. Keep testing me, ass face."
Tessa’s bravado cracked. For the first time, real fear flashed in her eyes.
She looked at me with raw hatred.
"You deserve every horrible thing that’s coming for you, Reina. I hope your husband finds out and I hope this stupid privilege you’re enjoying i hope he takes everything back from you and sends your ass back to your pathetic aunt where you fucking belong. Whore. Pathetic slut with a itchy pussy."
Elisa pointed sharply at the door.
"Stop rambling like a fucking retard. Three seconds. Or I start breaking your limbs."
Tessa stormed out, slamming the door so hard the walls rattled.
The apartment fell deathly silent.
