Exit the Catfights Enter the Empire novel Chapter 8

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Evelyn's eyes felt bone-dry. There was absolutely no point in her staying here any longer, so she turned toward the door.

"Wait," Vickie called out through a sob. "Are you leaving? I'll explain it to him! I'll tell him you were just upset and accidentally hurt my face, that you didn't mean to do it maliciously."

Xavier shot Evelyn an icy look. "Apologize to Vickie."

"She really doesn't have to apologize," Vickie whined, laying the act on thick.

Thoroughly disgusted, Evelyn suddenly spoke up. "Call the cops."

She looked directly at Vickie. "Didn't you just swear up and down that I slashed your face? Have the police arrest me. Who knows? If I get thrown in a cell, maybe the Farrell family will finally kick me out. Sound tempting?"

Vickie hadn't expected her to call her bluff. Her face stiffened as she forced a completely unnatural smile. "Evelyn, we're all friends here. There's no need to take it that far."

"Sorry. I don't have a friend like you." Evelyn turned her gaze to her husband. "Since we've clearly settled this, I'm leaving."

She walked out without looking back, her posture as straight and unyielding as a solitary pine.

Vickie gritted her teeth, but the moment she noticed the absolute sub-zero temperature of Xavier's expression, panic seized her chest. She instantly switched back to her vulnerable, pathetic persona. "I'm so sorry... I was just so terrified of her earlier that I accidentally hurt my own face. Zandra was just worried about me, so she called you in a panic. I know she'd never use the same tactics on me that she used on my sister..."

"Enough!"

He abruptly cut her off.

"I'm sorry, this is all my fault..." Vickie murmured, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Stop apologizing!" he snapped again.

The more pathetic she looked, the more intensely irritated he felt. That expression didn't belong on that face. That face was supposed to be bright, radiant, and full of life. It absolutely should not belong to some weak, groveling victim.