Sweet For You, Ruthless For Others
Chapter 28: Selena’s Despicable Jealousy

Chapter 28: Selena’s Despicable Jealousy

I let out a soft laugh, my shoulders finally relaxing. There was something incredibly comforting about Jasmine’s energy—warm, effortless, real.

For the first time in a long while, I felt like I had a real friend.

As we laughed, trading stories and playful banter, I almost forgot where I was. Almost.

Because across the room, Selena never forgot.

Her gaze darkened, fingers tightening around the delicate stem of her champagne flute. Mariela leaned in, whispering something into her ear, and just like that, the two of them exchanged smug smiles.

My happiness—however fleeting—was enough to spark resentment, to stir the embers of whatever cruel game they were scheming.

Then, a sharp, angry click of heels against polished marble shattered the moment. The conversation around us died as the rhythmic stomping grew louder.

I turned slowly, already bracing myself.

Selena.

Her fury was palpable, her movements deliberate. The sheer disdain on her face sent a chill down my spine, but I refused to shrink under her glare.

Not tonight.

She stopped just inches from me, her voice cutting through the soft music like a blade.

"If you’re not sleeping around with men, did you steal money from us?"

A hush fell over the nearby guests.

I frowned, keeping my face calm even as my fingers curled into fists. "What do you mean by that?"

Selena leaned in closer, her voice dripping with venom. "We all know you’re vindictive and materialistic. How else could you afford this dress?"

The sting of her words barely registered before the whispers began.

"She’s just an illegitimate girl, but with a dress like that?""I heard her father hates her.""Maybe it’s rented,"

I inhaled sharply, keeping my expression neutral despite the burning humiliation creeping up my spine.

"It’s just six grand, Selena," I muttered, my voice low, my eyes darting around at the growing audience. "Stop drawing attention to us."

But fate had a cruel sense of timing.

The music faded into a soft pause—right as Selena’s next words sliced through the air, loud and shrill.

"You bring disgrace to this family, and you dare talk about attention?"

The room froze.

I felt Jasmine shift protectively closer, her frown deepening.

I exhaled slowly, exhausted. My gaze flicked to Mariela, who sat at our table, watching with undisguised amusement.

"We’re here for Dad," I said, forcing my voice to stay even. "Can we please stop making this about yourselves?"

But Selena refused to back down. "You stole money!" she barked again, her voice ringing through the hall.

"No, I didn’t," I snapped, patience fraying. "And this dress isn’t even that expensive!"

Selena let out a cruel laugh, her lips curling in mockery. "It’s worth forty grand if it’s exclusive, and here you stand lying about it being six grand."

Forty grand? That’s not true.

Jasmine tilted her head, frowning. She didn’t seem to understand Selena’s outrage, but the jealousy pouring from her was almost embarrassing.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I don’t understand why this is such a big deal—"

Selena leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. "If it’s not that expensive, then you won’t mind if it’s ruined."

The moment registered in slow motion.

Before I could react, Selena’s fingers closed around a knife from the nearby table.

And with one swift, merciless slash—

Rip.

A jagged tear sliced up the fabric of my gown, leaving an unwanted, obscene slit up my thigh.

Gasps rippled through the ballroom.

My breath caught, my pulse hammering as I stared down at the ruined dress.

I looked up, my fury igniting like wildfire. "What is wrong with you? You could have cut me!"

Selena sneered, her voice ice-cold. "That wouldn’t matter much, would it? Cheap skin suits a cheap girl."

That was it.

Jasmine, who had been silently fuming, finally lost her patience.

"How dare you disrespect your sister like that? Do you have no morals at all?"

Selena snapped her head toward Jasmine, her expression twisted in irritation. "And who the hell are you?"

The tension thickened, curiosity turning into outright fascination among the guests.

Jasmine stepped forward, her gaze icy, unyielding. "I’m someone you don’t want to mess with. And you’re utterly pathetic for doing this to your own sister. If you were related to me, I’d have you arrested."

Selena’s eyes blazed with anger. Her hand shot up—

She was going to slap Jasmine.

But before she could land the blow—

A loud, authoritative throat clearing cut through the air.

The room stilled.

And then—he stepped forward.

Liam Garfield.

Tall, broad-shouldered, his presence commanded the space the moment he entered it. The air in the ballroom shifted, the atmosphere now tense but for an entirely different reason.

His cold, piercing gaze locked onto Selena.

The room fell deathly silent.

"What is going on here?" His voice was low, dangerous—the kind of tone that made even people like Selena hesitate.

For once, she did.

Then, in an instant, she pivoted.

"Liam!" she squealed, turning toward him, feigning distress. Her trembling lips and wide eyes painted the perfect picture of an innocent victim. She was banking on his intervention.

"These girls were bullying me!" she rushed to explain, clutching at her torn dress like a wounded damsel. "They even threatened to send me to jail!"

I blinked.

What?

Liam didn’t even acknowledge her. Instead, he turned to Jasmine. His expression softened, ever so slightly.

"Jasmine, what’s going on?"

Selena’s face fell. "Why are you asking her—"

Jasmine cut her off, seething.

"This bitch here—"

"Jasmine," Liam scolded, his voice calm but firm. "Language."

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Look at what she did to my best friend’s dress out of pure envy." She gestured to the torn fabric.

Liam’s brow lifted, his gaze flicking between us. "You have a best friend?"

Jasmine huffed. "That’s not the point, Liam! But yes, I do. And she deserves better than this trash ruining her night."

Her smile turned razor-sharp as she added, "She needs to be kicked out of here."