Chapter 16

CRYSTAL

Did she just call me bastard daughter? My mouth parted but no words came out. Hell, I was too stunned to even contradict her statement.

Wait, am I really a bastard? An illegitimate one? Wasn't my parents married before? It felt like an invincible hand just slapped my face really hard as I tried to search for an answer in the deepest pit in my head. I even recalled what Erik had told me in our first meeting. As far as I remembered, he said that my mother and I were Dad's first family.

"Hey, what now? Have you just lose your tongue?"

I was brought back from my confused thoughts when the girl snapped her fingers. She was looking down at me as if I was some kind of an ant.

"Uh-oh, so you don't know that you're a bastard? How shameful!"

One mocking is enough. Twice is freaking too much.

So, by the behavior of this bitch… I mean, girl, she was no other than Carrie Wayne. I admit, she seemed to have a strong personality, but in a bad way. She looked very fond of argument and wanted to win in every round of it.

Regardless, I wouldn't allow her to continue insulting my existence. After all, no one in the world deserved to be disrespect.

"Carrie, wait that's your name, isn't it?"

Her devilish grin slowly vanished and started to glare at me as if she wanted to devour me alive. "W-what?"

"This moment may not be the most ideal time for us to meet, still I want you to know that I'm pleases to meet you." I gazed at her with narrowed eyes and continued. "Who would have thought that you have a 'bastard' sister? I'm Crystal, by the way—as in Crystal Wayne." I didn't have to reach out for a handshake. She wasn't going to accept it anyway.

"H-how could you talk to me like that?" Her nostrils flared, hands balled into fist. I didn't care a damn if my words made her freaking mad. She had no idea how much I wanted to pull her silky blonde hair one by one.

"I must be asking the same thing!" I snapped, my heart was pounding harder in my ribcage, and the longer she stayed in front of me, the more my blood boiled in anger. "I just got in this house and I'm tired. And then here you are, attacking my door and trying to kick my ass out of my room!"

"You bitch!" she screeched and dragged me out of my room. She was so fast that in just a nanosecond, "No one has ever talked to me like that. But since you were the first one, I'll make it sure that you'll be the last!"

My mind went blank for a while as I was washed over by shock. And then I just found myself that she was pressing me against the balcony's metal railing. As I reversed her force, I turned over my shoulder and looked down. My eyes widened in awe to the sight of where I could possibly fall and hit my head. I grimaced, feeling the pain in my spine as she continued to push me against the balustrades.

"S-stop it, Carrie. Are you crazy? You're gonna get us killed!"

"Goodness! What's going on here?"

A scream made Carrie stop from squashing me until she stepped back with a gasp. I, on the other hand, fell to my knees, I had my hand clutched to my chest, my eyes staring up at the woman who embraced Carrie when the bitch began to cry.

"Mommy, the bastard attacks me!" Carrie cried out, hiccupping and hyperventilating as she buried her face on the older woman's neck. "She's evil. She wants to hurt me!"

"Is that true? Did you hit my daughter?" The woman glared down at me, gritting her teeth. By what Carrie had called her, I could tell that she's Mrs. Vivien Wayne. She was much younger than I thought, and dressed stylishly in expensive-looking coat and boots. I think she was around 40s like my mother. But aside from age, there was no more similarities between her and my mother.

"W-what the heck?" I huffed, grasping the cold railing as I pulled myself up. I swear, my back was swelling from being stressed from the metal. "It's her who assaults me! I think you've just seen how she almost push me to death!"

"You have a sharp language. No wonder your flirt mother died with you by her side. You are harmful and dangerous. I don't know what alibies you put in my husband's head only to allow you to live here!"

The anger fueling in my veins burned my face. It forced me to stand straighter as I said, "You have no right… no right to talk about my mother. You don't know anything about us!" No matter how badly I wanted to keep my anger in check, this woman was just pushing me to the edge. "And for the record, I don't remember convincing anyone for me to be here. All I know is Wayne's blood is running through my veins. I have the right in this house!"

By coming across with Mrs. Vivien and Carrie, a realization hit my mind—that I must accept what I was destined for. I was entitled to everything my last name had in stores, so might as well fight for what was right for me.

So these two women couldn't just put me down for their amusement. I just felt worried for Dad for having them around him.

Suddenly, an approaching heavy footsteps made all of us turn to the direction of the staircase. I gulped, spotting my father down at the base of the stares, staring up at us.

"All of you, follow," he said in an authoritative tone.