The two women grabbed my arms and shoved me down to my knees.
"Look at this little hellcat, puffing up like a pufferfish!" one taunted.
"She had it coming. Who does she think she is, trying to seduce Sharon's man? A dude old enough to be her father!" another chimed in.
"Gonna kneel or not? Keep staring and I'll pop those eyes right out!"
Despite my struggles, I couldn't move an inch.
"Sharon, don't you think you've crossed the line?" I shot back.
My stepmom smirked, dripping with sarcasm,
"You've got ten seconds to think it over. Ten, nine, eight. . . "
Fury mixed with pain filled my eyes, my teeth clenched tight.
"Five, four, three. . . "
Sharon theatrically raised her hand, poised to throw,
"Big talk about family and loyalty, huh? Seems you don't care much for your mom's memento. "
"Two, one!"
The last thread of my resistance snapped, and I shouted,
"No! Please, don't destroy it. I'll kneel, I'll kneel!"
My submission visibly pleased Sharon.
She slowly lowered her hand, a smug grin spreading across her face.
Gritting my teeth against the anger and pain, I hesitated not a moment before slamming my forehead to the ground.
Each impact felt like another stomp on my dignity.
For the first time, I felt the helplessness of being powerless despite living in a peaceful era.
The old blood stains on my forehead soaked anew with fresh blood.
Lifting my head after the tenth bow, my vision blurred with tears and blood.
In utter humiliation, I reached out, begging,
"Can I have the pendant back now, please?"
Sharon held the pendant just out of reach above my hand.
As I tried to grasp it, she snatched it away, laughing cruelly.
"Wow, are all mistresses this thick?" she scoffed.
"It's because you care so much about this little trinket, I really need to destroy it!"
She lifted her arm again with a twisted smile, and smashed it down.
I watched helplessly as the pendant shattered right before my eyes.
My heart. . .
It broke right along with it.
Shaking uncontrollably, my fingers scraped against the tile floor, screeching loudly.
Overwhelmed by a wave of hatred, I lost all sense of reason.
I lunged at Sharon like a wild animal.
I grabbed her hair, and bit into her skin, venting all the pent-up rage burning inside me.
When I noticed the neat row of scars on the back of her neck, pain pierced through me like a knife.
Tears mixed with blood, and fragmented memories flashed through my mind.
"Sharon Harry, I'll kill you!" I screamed, lashing out at anyone who tried to hold me back.
"Ah! My arm!" one cried.
"My back, let go, you psycho!" another shrieked.
"My hair, you demon, give me back my hair!" yet another yelled.
My mouth tasted of blood, not even sure whose flesh was between my teeth.
My face, smeared with blood, was like something out of a horror show.
The spectators, horrified, scattered in all directions.
The security finally arrived, slow to react.
Sharon pointed at them, barking furiously,
"I'm Jack Evans' wife! Who dares mess with me?"
"This whole mall is my territory! Am I not allowed to discipline a shameless homewrecker in my own house? Any problem with that?"
The security guards looked at each other, uncertain how to respond.
Empowered by their hesitation, Sharon's gang felt even more justified in their brutality.
They pinned me down harder, their grip iron-tight.
Sharon, nursing her bitten arm, kicked me brutally.
"Since you're so fierce, let's see how you like being stripped and paraded!"
I lost all control, fighting as my life depended on it.
Even in death, I'd drag them down with me.
They couldn't believe how tough I was to handle.
As I nearly wriggled free, they panicked.
"We can't hold her! Is she insane?" they gasped.
"Then break her arm!" Sharon ordered, twisting it viciously
Clack!
She snapped my left arm just like that.
A howl of agony escaped me as I collapsed again.
"That'll calm you down, you wild thing, " she hissed.
"Strip her, now!" she commanded.
I gave up struggling, numbly staring at the ceiling.
In my heart, I swore that if they didn't finish me today, I'd haunt them for the rest of their lives.
Not one would be spared.
Just when I thought they were about to strip me bare and drag me through the streets,
A powerful, angry voice cut through the chaos,
"Stop!"
"Have you all lost your minds?!"
Hearing my dad's voice, I finally let myself weep.
"Dad, you finally came. "
I lay there, straining to look up.
Blood streamed from my eyes as I looked up at him in despair,
"Dad, do you really know the woman you're about to marry?"