Chapter 24 "In the Mall"

The world spun for Marian. A searing heat blossomed on her cheek, followed by a throbbing ache that defied logic. It took a moment for her stunned mind to register the source of the pain – a stinging imprint of five fingers on her pale skin. The sound of the slap echoed in the opulent room, a stark counterpoint to the stunned silence that followed. Marian blinked back tears of humiliation, her vision blurring at the edges.

Her perfectly manicured hand flew to her cheek, the pristine red a stark contrast to the cool ivory of her expensive pearls. Time seemed to warp and distort; the air crackled with a tension thicker than the plush carpet beneath her feet. This wasn't a mere slap. It was a public declaration of war, a shattering of the facade of civility they'd maintained for so long. And in that stunned daze, Marian realized with a chilling certainty – the gloves were off.

What happened? Did Eva slap her just now?

The moment Marian came to her senses, she screamed ferociously and ch