SWNOVELS Chapter 19
Chapter 19 Payback In Full
With a crowd gathering around, Caitlin’s public meltdown was becoming a major embarrassment, and Siennal instinctively stepped back, trying to distance herself from the scene.
Gwen casually swirled the champagne in her glass and approached the pair with a mocking smile and an icy gaze. “What’s the matter? Your precious little sister’s in trouble, and you, the future sister–in–law, are ready to run?” “What the hell is going on here?” Suddenly, a deep, angry voice cut through the noise.
The crowd parted, and there stood Jake, dressed in a sharp, dark suit, his eyes cold as he strode toward them with an aura that commanded attention.
His gaze immediately landed on Gwen. It had been a while since he’d seen her. She looked different now–more confident and radiant. She was no longer the frail woman she used to be in the Hall family.
Standing there under the lights, her custom–made dress highlighted her flawless skin, and her slight smile was nothing short of dazzling. She looked like a completely different person, captivating his attention.
Caitlin’s confidence soared as soon as she saw her brother. Pointing at Gwen and Yara, she whined, “Jake, they’re bullying me!”
Jake’s eyes swept over Caitlin’s ruined makeup and Sienna’s helpless expression. The mocking murmurs of the crowd instantly died under his intense glare.
“Ganging up on one person? How pathetic.”
“Think whatever you want,” Gwen said dismissively, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “You know better than anyone what kind of person your sister is.”
She didn’t care. Playing the villain wasn’t something she minded.
Yara backed her up fiercely. “Get your sister out of here! The Hall family isn’t welcome at my party!”
The onlookers, who had been silent until now, began speaking up.
“What? That brat started the whole thing by talking trash first.”
“Yeah. She’s barely an adult, but she’s already spitting out insults like calling someone useless. What a nasty little
thing.”
“And threatening to call the cops? As soon as she got a drink thrown at her, she backed down. Hilarious.”
Jake frowned slightly. He knew his sister’s temper. After listening to the bystanders, he turned to Caitlin. “Is what they’re saying true?
Caitlin hung her head, not daring to lie. Sensing an opportunity to deepen her bond with Jake while also tarnishing Gwen’s reputation, Sienna quickly put on a delicate, innocent act.
She softly said, “Jake, it’s my fault. I should have kept a closer eye on Caitlin, and now she’s caused a scene with Ms. Lawson. However, Caitlin indeed said some hurtful things first.”
Turning to Gwen, Sienna added with a sorrowful expression, “Gwen, I’m sorry. I didn’t know about you when I started seeing Jake. If I had known, I would never have gotten involved.
“Please just let go of this resentment. And as for the expo… could you stop making things difficult for the Hall family?”
Her eyes shimmered with feigned vulnerability, the kind that made people want to protect her. Even her words seemed to make sense, painting Gwen as vengeful and unreasonable.
Most people would’ve been fooled by Sienna’s eloquence, but not Gwen and Yara.
Yara pointed a finger right at Sienna. “You’ve got some nerve. First, you ruined Gwen’s marriage, and now you’re playing innocent to gain sympathy? Who do you think you’re fooling? I can’t stand the sight of you.”
(Payback in Tuli
With that, Yara grabbed a wine bottle from the table, ready to smash it over Sienna’s head. Seeing her best friend about to go all in, Gwen quickly stopped her.
“She’s pregnant, Yara. Leave it.”
But Sienna, ever the actress, raised a delicate hand to her forehead and swayed like she might faint, conveniently collapsing into Jake’s arms just as Yara lunged.
Jake caught Sienna and pushed Yara away in the process. The force of the shove sent Yara stumbling back, nearly falling to the floor if Gwen hadn’t caught her.
Without hesitation, Gwen stepped forward and slapped Sienna hard across the face.
The sound echoed through the room, leaving Sienna stunned, her head spinning from the blow. Her check burned, and it took her a moment to process what had just happened. No one had ever dared lay a hand on her like that before.
Gwen, shaking off the sting in her palm, locked eyes with Jake, her voice steady and unyielding. “If you ever lay a finger on Yara again, I’ll make sure Sienna pays for it–double.
“Your precious little darling might be fragile, but let’s see how many slaps she can take from me.”
The cold determination in Gwen’s voice made it clear–she meant every word.