Page 35 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

“Oh great, just what I need,” I muttered.

Amirah followed my gaze and groaned. “What are they doing here?”

Cheryl and Ava made a beeline for our table, their faces plastered with fake smiles. I arched an eyebrow, maintaining a steady stare as they approached. Ethan let it slip who my father was, and they were here to make a show of their newfound knowledge. Would they continue to be the vile human beings I knew them as, or would they soften towards me because of my father’s money?

“Yasmin! What a coincidence running into you here,” Cheryl chirped, her smile not reaching her eyes.

“Yeah, what a small world,” Ava added, her voice dripping with insincerity.

I didn’t bother to hide my disdain. “What do you want, Cheryl?”

They exchanged a glance before Cheryl responded. “We just wanted to say hi. It’s been a while.”

It could be longer, I thought as Amirah, and I exchanged a look. We both knew this shift in attitude was only because they knew who my father was. When we didn’t respond, Cheryl and Ava just stood there, awkwardly smiling.

“Well, you’ve said hi. You can go now,” Amirah said, her tone icy.

Cheryl’s smile faltered for a split second before she regained her composure. “And who are you? There’s no need to be so hostile. We’re all friends here, right?”

I narrowed my eyes, not giving a hint as to who Amirah was. “Since when?”

Ava shifted uncomfortably, clearly not enjoying this. I imagine it was hard for her to watch her mom suck up to me when they were always eager to bring me down. “We just wanted to catch up. Ethan mentioned how much he missed you and wanted to be with you again. Sounds like there’s a lot for you two to talk about.”

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “Whatever Ethan told you, I’m sure he left out a lot of details.”

“Like what?” Cheryl asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Like how it’s none of your business,” I shot back.

“Oh, this must be your sister, Amirah,” Ava chimed in, her tone a mix of condescension and forced friendliness. “I’ve heard so much about you. Yasmin always talked about how wonderful you are.”

Amirah’s eyes narrowed, her smile vanishing. “That’s a lie and also funny. I’ve heard nothing good about either of you,” she said coolly.

I would have continued to ignore them if it wasn’t for the insults that started pouring from Amirah’s mouth. She was relentless, not holding back in the slightest. And honestly, they deserved every word.

“Your pathetic pleasantries,” Amirah spat. “You’re just as fake as you were days ago. Yasmin doesn’t need bullshit.”

Ava and Cheryl exchanged uneasy glances, their forced smiles faltering. “We regret everything that happened,” Ava said, her voice faltering. “We treated you horribly, and we’re truly sorry.”

I lost my appetite. My stomach churned with a mix of anger and disgust. Rising to my feet, I decided I had heard enough.

“You regret everything, huh?” I said, my voice shaking with suppressed emotion. “You think saying sorry is enough to make up for the torment you put me through?”

Ava opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. “If you want my forgiveness, you’ll kneel and beg for it.”

Cheryl’s eyes widened in shock. Ava’s expression turned to one of disbelief. “Are you serious?” Ava scoffed. “I’m not kneeling.”

“Fine,” I replied, turning to walk away. “Let’s go, Amirah.”

But to my surprise, Cheryl grabbed Ava’s arm and pulled her down with her, falling to her knees. “Please, Yasmin,” Cheryl said, her voice trembling. “We’re sorry. I’m sorry. Please forgive us.”

Ava struggled, trying to stand, but Cheryl held her down. “Mom, let go of me!” Ava hissed.

“No,” Cheryl insisted. “We need to do this. We need to make it right.”

I watched them, a cold satisfaction settling in my chest. “An apology from both of you, kneeling, is the only thing that counts,” I said, crossing my arms. “Otherwise, it’s meaningless.”

Cheryl looked over at Ava, pleading with her eyes. Ava’s face flushed with humiliation and anger, but eventually, she gave in.

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