Page 41 of Surrendering to the Obsession

“It’s not James’s money!” Hazel shot back, stepping forward, shoving Kylie hard across the chest. Kylie stumbled but caught herself, eyes narrowing with lethal calm as Hazel continued. “Mia never took anything from him!”

Kylie straightened, folding her arms. Her smile sharpened, poisonous, curling at the edges. “So what if it isn’t James’s money? Either way… you’re still a bitch chasing wealth.”

Her gaze flicked from Hazel to Mia, eyes narrowing dangerously. “Tell me… which old man this time? Last time it was that little secretary, wasn’t it? And now someone else? Honestly, I’m not surprised. You lived like a queen on James’s money, and once he kicked you out… of course, you’d do anything for it.”

Kylie closed the distance between herself and Mia, a smug, predatory smile curling her lips. “Tell you what,” she hissed, venom dripping from every word, “you give me this dress—and everything else I want—paid for with that precious little card of yours, and I won’t tell James how you’ve been whoring yourself out to random men for money.”

A cruel, gleeful glint lit her eyes as she raised her phone, her fingers hovering above the screen. “Perfect timing for a little recording,” she murmured, almost to herself.

Mia’s eyes narrowed with anger.

Kylie’s phone lifted high, and with a dramatic flourish, she pressed record. “I wonder what James’s family would think if they saw you like this,” she taunted, her voice a blend of malice and mockery. “So… indecent. So… disgraceful. Aren’t you supposed to be the perfect daughter-in-law?”

Her gaze roamed over Mia’s body, lingering intentionally on the hem of her dress, teasing, humiliating. “Now, you’ll just do whatever these men demand, huh? Strut around for them, barely dressed?”

Mia’s eyes flared, fire igniting deep within her. Her dress wasn’t indecent. She had only stayed away from mini dresses like thisbecause, back when she was married to James, his mother had strictly forbidden it.

“Now, why don’t you—” Kylie began, stepping closer, her phone raised.

In an instant, Hazel lunged forward. With a single, fluid motion, she snatched Kylie’s phone and slammed it to the floor. The screen shattered with a deafening crack, shards skittering across the tiles.

“What the—what the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Kylie screamed, her voice high-pitched, trembling with fury.

Spinning on her heel, eyes wild and burning, she locked onto Tara. “Tara! Give me your phone! I’m going to show everyone what a whore she is!”

Tara quietly slipped into a corner, hiding her phone behind her back like it was her lifeline. Under her breath, she muttered, “I’m not giving you my phone to get smashed too, you idiot.”

Hazel leaned in, her face inches from Kylie’s, her expression razor-sharp. “This is just a warning,” she said, her voice low, deadly calm. “Badmouth Mia again, and I’ll personally make sure you rot in fucking hell.”

Kylie’s head snapped toward Tara, desperate for backup—but Tara had already vanished behind a pillar, hugging her phone to her chest like a shield, refusing even to meet Kylie’s eyes.

Kylie’s jaw clenched. She spun on her heel and stormed toward the exit, heels clicking furiously against the tiles.

“Miss! You haven’t paid for the dress yet!” a store assistant called after her.

Kylie didn’t even slow down.

“Security!” the assistant shouted, voice rising in panic.

Two guards intercepted Kylie immediately, grabbing her arms and dragging her back into the store.

“Let go of me! Don’t touch me!” Kylie shrieked, thrashing wildly as her hair tumbled across her face. She kicked at the floor, tugging against their grip like a wild thing caught in a trap. Her glare shot straight past them—straight at Mia.

When the guards finally released her, Kylie straightened her clothes, breathing hard. She stepped toward Mia with slow, controlled fury, her chest rising sharply with every breath. Her voice came out low, icy, dripping venom.

“You better behave,” she said, her tone chillingly calm. “I’m saying this nicely. If you don’t, I will expose you so badly you won’t dare show your face to any man. Especially not James.”

Mia felt something snap.

The anger she’d been holding back surged through her like fire—and this time, she didn’t swallow it.

In one swift, ruthless movement, Mia grabbed the front of Kylie’s dress and yanked.

The fabric tore down the middle with a loud, ripping sound that echoed through the store. Gasps erupted around them.

Kylie stumbled back, staring at Mia with wide, horrified eyes, her torn dress hanging open and exposing her bra. She scrambled to cover herself with shaking hands.

Mia smiled. A cold, flawless smile that sliced cleaner than any insult. “Since I’m paying for it,” she said softly, “I get to do whatever I want. You don’t deserve my charity.”