Chapter 14
769words
Her ears buzzed, muffling all sound.
The metallic taste of blood spread in her mouth.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, completely beyond her control.
Nina’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, but she quickly masked it with a worried expression, clutching Leo’s arm. “Leo, calm down! Whatever it is, we can talk about it. Don’t get physical!”
Leo’s eyes burned with fury, the anger within threatening to consume Tara whole.
Grinding his teeth, he hissed through clenched jaws, “I didn’t expect you to be this disgusting!”
Tara wiped the blood from the corner of her lips with the back of her hand. Her gaze, cold as ice, met his.
In a single motion, she stormed forward and slapped him hard across the face.
Leo’s head snapped to the side from the blow.
Nina screamed, clutching his arm. “Leo, are you okay? How could she hit you? No one’s ever dared slap you before!”
Tara’s voice was sharp and steady, cutting through the tense air. “Disgusting? You called me to Majestic Nightclub, handed me over to Wesley, and I’m the disgusting one?”
Nina’s eyes flickered with a hint of panic, but she quickly recovered. “How dare you hit Leo? Do you know how precious his face is?”
The elevator doors opened, revealing a crowd of onlookers. Their eyes sparkled with curiosity and the promise of gossip as they took in the trio, their clothes stained with red paint.
Tara stepped out first, her expression unfazed.
Leo and Nina followed, both scowling darkly.
As soon as they exited the police station, they were swarmed by a mob of fans, reporters, paparazzi, and social media influencers.
The crowd surged forward like starving wolves, shoving and shouting questions.
“Tara, how did you get released? Did you really hire someone to hurt Nina?”
“Mr. Carter, how do you feel about two women fighting over you, even hiring someone to attack?!”
“Mr. Carter, do you prefer Nina or Tara? After all, they do look so similar!”
“Nina, do you believe Tara tried to harm you? Will you press charges, or will you forgive her?”
None of them spoke. Leo, his face dark with anger, shielded Nina as they pushed through the throng.
Tara, head down, forged her own path through the chaos.
Suddenly, a rotten egg hit her square on the forehead.
Nina’s fans screamed in rage, hurling insults like knives.
“Trash! Apologize to Nina, you snake-hearted witch!”
“Go to hell, you filthy b****!”
“Slut! Selling yourself at nightclubs and bullying our goddess!”
Nina, with a look of shock and terror, stepped in front of her fans, her voice trembling with sorrowful kindness.
“Tara, please don’t be angry! My fans are just worried about me. They didn’t mean it. If you’re upset, take it out on me, not on them. I’m begging you.”
Her voice quivered with a tearful undertone, tinged with delicate sorrow and a facade of gentle kindness.
The fans, even more infuriated, erupted in a frenzy. Another rotten egg hurtled through the air, smacking Tara squarely on the head.
It burst on impact, its rancid contents splattering onto Nina in the process.
Leo immediately shielded Nina, pulling her into his arms. “Let’s go. We need to get out of here,” he said firmly, his tone sharp and commanding.
He glanced at Tara, his eyes cold and unyielding, like a glacier stripped of any warmth.
Another rotten egg struck Tara square in the face, the stench overwhelming.
She stood there, numb, watching as Leo protected Nina, guiding her through the chaotic crowd and into a chauffeured van.
The van sped off, leaving Tara standing alone amidst the frenzied mob, as desolate as a withered leaf in the biting winter wind.
Thankfully, they were outside the police station. Officers quickly dispersed the crowd, who scattered like flies.
A middle-aged female officer approached Tara, handing her a towel with a sympathetic sigh. “Here, clean yourself up. I’ll drive you home.”
Tara accepted the towel, wiping the foul-smelling egg from her face. “Thank you,” she murmured softly.
Her hair, face, and clothes were covered in red paint and egg. In this state, even hailing a cab seemed impossible.
The kind officer drove her back to the nightclub parking lot.
Once inside her car with the doors locked, Tara finally felt a semblance of safety.
But as the adrenaline faded, the flood of heartbreak and humiliation surged forward.
She collapsed onto the steering wheel, sobbing uncontrollably.
She had made up her mind to leave. She had prepared herself emotionally for this moment.
And yet, it still hurt this much.
It still felt so unfair.
