Tasting 283

283–The Bad Ones Are Back

BUON

“As you might remember from last night, I’m Clara,” she repeated her introduction, her confidence

clearly elevated today. She didn’t appear teary–eyed or distressed. In fact, her posture was so

poised, she looked like the queen of this place.

“Clara! Why are you here?” Her brother instantly turned to her, making sure to step between us to

prevent me from getting a closer look at her.

“It’s okay, I’m fine. I can walk around,” she reassured him. “By the way, the warrior told me Brody

was looking for you.”

As she unlinked her arm from her brother, he hastily began to leave. I wondered if the matter was

truly so serious that he left his sister behind with me.

“I hope you had a great sleep last night,” she drew my attention back to her. I noticed how eerie it

was that her eyes looked just like her rabbit’s.

“Yeah, Brody made sure I was comfortable,” I gave her a weak smile. I wasn’t the type to flaunt what

I had, but recent events had made me more assertive in defending my friendships and relationships.

Maybe if I had fought harder, I would have exposed Natalya and April sooner.

I wasn’t going to let Clara paint a false picture of me.

“Hmm, did you two have sex?” The moment she bluntly asked

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me that question, I yelped and stepped back from her.

“No! Wow! That was quite upfront, I joked, trying to convey that I didn’t appreciate such talk.

I used to speak like that with Natalya, thinking she was a friend. Now, I hated when anyone tried to

pry into my personal life.

“Why not? Aren’t you the on who’s been screwing her stepbrothers?” The little smirk that formed on

her lips sent a shudder through my body.

I knew it.

I could tell from the start that she wasn’t being friendly, but rather biding her time like a vulture,

waiting for the right moment to attack.

“That is disgusting–,” before I could hiss at her, a voice from the door interrupted me, shocking me.

“But that rumor was already spread around; it’s not like Clara made it up,” April stood there with her

pink bag and jacket, throwing triumphant smiles my way. Her presence here left me stunned.

I thought I’d be safe here, but clearly, I was wrong. April was Brody’s cousin, and just like he was

staying in her pack, she could always come here too.

But what happened to her wanting to spend time with Ryker? Why would she come here just to

make me suffer when she could be with him and have him all to herself?

“April!” Clara exclaimed excitedly, in stark contrast to how she

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spoke to me.

The two briskly approached each other, and Clara hugged her.

“Hey, how’s Lara?” April asked as she petted the rabbit.

“She’s getting feistier these days. Always running around,” Clara expressed her gratitude to April

with constant little taps on her

arm.

“Why are you here?” I might have sounded petty, but I was being direct.

“Huh? Maybe you’re forgetting I can come here whenever I want,” she muttered, the fake smile

gone from her lips.

“And she’s like a sister to Brody. You should speak to her with respect,” Clara added, clearly trying

to provoke me. Now they had another person to bother me?

So when April leaves, will she leave behind this witch to continue their dirty games with me?

“Anyway, I’m here to enjoy some free time, and I brought a friend with me,” she snickered, causing

my heart to flip inside my chest.

Could it be that she brought Natalya here?

“Daphne!” Hearing her call out surprised me. I hadn’t expected Daphne to show up here.

I gulped and straightened my posture, recalling the last interaction we had.

Daphne walked in with her gray bag, not even bothering to hide

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the disdain in her eyes as she looked at me.

“Hello, nice to meet you,” Clara cleverly extended her hand for a friendly handshake, showing me

how she respected others

versus how she treated me.

Daphne didn’t seem too keen on shaking her hand until April whispered something in her ear.