❝ But this boy, this charming boy had laid sights upon her dead boredom and ripped it apart. She wasn't one for younger men, but there was a sort of aura that sucked the quivers of Josephine chest and flowed warmth between her legs...❞
〰️
Dante Vale...
She had to hold herself back from hurtling insults. Thomas. Father wanted stupid Thomas to rule?
She wouldn't allow it. Wouldn't even give him the thought.
Josephine's mouth quivered, then hardened to a flat line that years of cruelty had molded. "You taught me to rule, Father. Not follow. I had the circumstances well under control—"
"You got caught, Josephine." Father snarled, annoyed by her excuses. Expect they weren't. They were reasons. "And your actions have not only embarrassed us, but you've embarrassed me. How can you sit there and say otherwise?"
"I had half the school at my knees," Josephine seethed.
"Then why did you bother to get caught?" Such a sharp, cold question.
"I didn't bother to get caught," She said the word 'bother' with an air of annoyance, sarcasm, anything to make him understand. She continued. "I was betrayed. It was that damn student, he's the one that ratted me out."
Father chuckled darkly, inclining his head. "How amusing. For your entire empire to fall with just one rat. How can you have the arrogance to boast?"
Josephine doubled over. She had to calm her breathing to think, and to argue. "While I may have messed up—"
But it was her mother that interrupted her. "He called the police, Josephine. The police. What did you expect to happen?"
Josephine cleared her throat. Did they want her to apologize once more? To get on her knees, head pressed to the floor, shaking like an animal like she had done so before? There was no need for this.
"Nothing happened in the end," She said quietly. The rat had moved away. Away from her, away from the chaos she created.
Her mother crossed her arms, painted nails scrapping against soft fabric. She was displeased with her answer. "Enough is enough, Josephine."
"When is whatever I do enough for you?" Josephine said instead, dread slicing through veins and torment pooling in her stomach. "When I am pretty doll who follows your orders? When I can gain as much respect being feared by all?" She shouldn't had felt this desperate. Should have known, but...
But her family was so empty and so cold, and all Josephine wanted to do was feel the breath of anger and the spite of wickedness. The color of laughter and the flutter of dreams.
And so what if she was cruel? It was much more than she had ever felt in her life. Felt in her home. Felt in her family.
It was okay to be hateful as long as she was important to her parents.
Her father snarled. "You're weak, Josephine. Such a week, feeble a child."
Josephine didn't breathe another word. She waited for another truth.
Father stood rigidly upwards, finished with the meal. His dark eyes flashed as he looked over Josephine with dissatisfaction. Josephine supposed that this appeal was not enough to be considered good for him. As if anything she wore or did was.
His mouth opened. "Where are your earrings?"
Josephine jumped, the question so strange and so bizarre in this situation. She reached up for her lobes and found them empty, remembering their position at school. In her locker. She tightened. "At school."
Her father acted like that wasn't a proper reason."And why is the gift your mother gave you at school?"
"I took them out for gym."
Mother's eyes clouded with offensive. It didn't suit her pretty face, like anything Josephine did.
"It's just a pair of earrings," Was all Josephine could said. They could buy more. They were just something to wear, after all.
Absolute silence. Absolute stillness.
Until her father's nails caught Josephine's skin when he slapped her. However, in the fit of anger he felt for her in the slap, he didn't notice the catching and pulled right through.
Josephine's cheek throbbed and pumped with blood, but she bottled each whisper of imperfection that seduced her to lash out.
A lady does not lash out. And Josephine wouldn't do it. She knew better.
He charged for her again, this time not in action but in authority. Each slice of hate and fear that rammed down Josephine's throat reminded her who truly beheld who the head of the household was, and where their dispute led.
His voice was so alarmed and dangerous that it revealed the sharpness of his teeth, the snarl of his throat, and the rage in his pupils. He thought she said no as if this was because of a family matter, but Josephine knew better. "This has nothing to do with filial piety, but obedience. You will listen to my orders and obey them. Stop trying to dip your feet where they'll only burn. I am not your friend, but your Father. And I swear if I find you disobeying me, you will remember who is in charge here."
Josephine wanted to question him, to squabble at him: At this hour? But she didn't. She couldn't.
"It's not about earrings, it about dignity." Her Mother said in such a way that was so calm it made Josephine want to rip out her hair. "I wouldn't carelessly take care of any your presents to me, now would I?"
Josephine held her tongue, not saying a word about her lavish taste or the lie that rippled off her throat. She knew her moods, her temper.
Josephine burned, felt ashamed, and squeezed her hand so tight she could feel the pulsations of her angry heart throwing throughout the veins of her arm. But she had to listen.
A child always follows orders, even if they didn't agree with them. Pride was one thing, but respect was another. And Josephine held both.
"Be back soon," Was all her mother could offer as she threw Josephine a glance over a sparkling shoulder—and looked away.
The words were flat—flat and yet sharp as her Father followed suit, trailing after her Mother and leaving Josephine behind all empty and alone in the dining room.
Josephine said nothing.
So Josephine, ugly hearted and nearly dead, turned around and left her house through silent doors to her school. Her parents hadn't bothered giving her a ride. They wanted her to walk. To atone.
And walk she did. The golden-haired girl trekked over the stone-cold pavement in the sheepish night as she made way, an emotion so dark and ugly moaning in her chest. Deep enough to bury any kindness all over with each step she took towards her school.
Anything Josephine held felt like nothing that night as she walked to the school.
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Wow. This was so much fun to write.
What do you guys think Josephine did that was so bad? It ended up getting the police involved... so I'll let you guys guess.
What do you think of her parents? This is the first time you meet a set of characters that have power over Josephine, as seen in previous chapters, no one was superior to Josephine.
Except her parents.
Do you guys think anything will go wrong when Josephine looks for the earring mentioned in chapter 1?
