Chapter 4Slapping Her Out of Her Delusion

Lauren stammered, "W-What's the matter?"

Yvonne replied, "We saw you getting out of Isla's car just now."

Lauren looked flustered as she scrambled for an excuse. "I-I went and asked the chauffeur to drive me here myself! I'm sure he only gave me a ride because he likes me!"

She then turned to me and warned, "You'd better not fire the chauffeur! He only did it because he wanted to help me!"

I laughed in disbelief and couldn't even be bothered to explain myself.

Yvonne had had enough and snapped, "What are you trying to pull with this whole tough-cookie, underdog routine?"

Lauren was caught off guard, but she quickly pinned it all on me, casting me as the "vicious antagonist" in the novel. She genuinely believed everyone adored her and that my intimidation had kept others from being kind to her.

Thus, Lauren kept quiet and behaved herself for the rest of the day.

Lauren flat-out refused to ride in the same car as me after school, so I just left without another word, leaving her standing there in shock.

We were all caught off guard when Lauren finally returned home.

Mom and Dad happened to be home too. They hurriedly ordered Nathaniel to get Lauren a change of clothes the moment they saw Lauren soaking wet.

They asked, worried, "What happened to you, Lauren?"

Lauren's eyes were still bloodshot, and as soon as Mom and Dad spoke to her, she lowered her head and burst into tears.

Dad's expression turned grave. "You can tell me the truth, Lauren. Did someone bully you?"

Upon hearing that, Lauren looked over at me, then quickly lowered her head, as though she'd been frightened.

Jude, Colton, and I were rendered speechless.

Dad turned to me and asked, "Do you have any idea what happened, Isla?"

I shook my head, looking bewildered. "It's not even raining out there."

Lauren cried even harder and dropped to her knees. "I'm grateful you're willing to look after me, but I really should leave. I'm sure Isla doesn't want me around.

"She made me sleep in the storage room yesterday, and today she even made the whole class ostracize me. She said that if I ever get better grades than her, she'd have someone break my legs! She was the one who had someone dump water all over me!"

I scoffed. "You really think I'd worry about you surpassing me academically?"

Lauren remained on her knees. "I'm sorry! I really am! I promise not to get better grades than you, so please don't hit me!"

She then turned to Mom and Dad and added, "I think I should leave after all, Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner! I'm seriously too ashamed to face my poor mother right now!"

That final line hit Mom and Dad right in their hearts.

I couldn't help but swallow nervously as I caught the murderous looks in their gaze.

It wasn't long before a burst of shrieking filled the air, and my backside took a beating.

I lay in bed, seething with vengeful rage, when Lauren strolled into my room. I kept my eyes locked on her, on high alert.

Lauren smiled as she sat down on my bed. "What makes you think you can fight me, Isla? You're nothing but an antagonist in the novel! I'm the main character, the one everyone is destined to favor. Your parents are just the first ones I'll win over.

"Your good fortune will gradually become mine, and everything you own will belong to me—including the Faulkner family fortune. Jude, Colton, and all your classmates will be wrapped around my finger. Your fiance is going to be my happily ever after.

"You, on the other hand, are going to end up with nothing and die a miserable death!"

I gave her a look of pure, exaggerated terror, which instantly brought a smug grin to her face.

Lauren froze the moment she turned around, as my entire family and all our classmates were standing in the doorway, staring at her like she'd lost her mind.