Page 86 of Mafia and Gold Digger

I can’t let them tarnish me with what my parents have done.

And stiffening my spine, I step out from behind the shelves. “I take it you’re talking about me,” I snap. No way in hell am I going to pretend that I didn’t just hear all that.

“Huh, what…?” Janice spins around, her jaw nearly hitting the floor when she sees me.

“Emerald, I…didn’t realize you w-were in here,” Myra stammers.

“Obviously,” I retort before tilting my head to one side. “There’s something that I’m wondering...”

“Uh, what would that be?” Janice is suddenly too high.

I laser them both with an icy glare. “Do you have to try really hard to be such a pair of mean cows, or does it just come naturally to you?”Okay, calling them cows isn’t very nice of me, but it’s a heck of a lot nicer than the C-word I really want to call them.

Neither is able to utter a single word in reply.

“Honestly, what do you get out of all this backstabbing?” I ask them. “Does it make you feel bigger? Superior? More important?”

Janice bristles. “Eavesdroppers never hear good things. You shouldn’t have been creeping around and listening to us in the first place.”

“Do you think that by talking about me, the gossips won't talk about you and your personal issues? Do you realize how hurtful it is when people are nice to your face, but then you find out they’re saying nasty things about you behind your back? Especially when they call you words like fat and slut.”

“It was just a b-bit of harmless fun,” Myra stutters.

I clench and unclench my jaw. “It's a form of bullying. Say if you had a daughter one day, and she was going through something like this at school with people calling her mom a whore and saying she was the same as her mom, how would you feel? Would you just tell her that it’s a bit ofharmless fun? Is that something you would want your own child to go through?”

Janice flushes beetroot red.

“Just stop,” I grit out. “Be better people. Stop trying to drag others down in an attempt to lift yourselves up. Do you think by joining in the gossip that others will like you more? Because let me tell you, if your so-called friends are happy to say things behind everyone else’s backs, they’ll probably also be talking about you. Wouldn’t you rather have real, genuine friends that you can trust and rely on?”

Myra looks like she wants the ground to swallow her whole.

“By the way, I work, so I don’t need to be a gold digger. Also, I like my curves, and so does Saint—because he always tells me that my body is absolutely perfect. When you see someone going through a tough time, that person doesn't need everyone else to pile on as well. Why do women have to do this to each other? Why can't we just be kind to one another? That's all I'm asking. Be kind. You know the stuff you say about me isn't true, but you still say it and repeat it and perpetuate it.Please just stop.Please just be kind.”

And I can tell by their expressions that they feel ashamed of themselves now that I’ve called them out on their behavior and bitchiness.

I would never have had the guts to say something like this to the mean girls who used to insult me at school, and I’m proud of myself for saying something. And with that, I spin on my heel and stride back onto the casino floor.

Women like that are nothing but bullies. And as soon as they’re confronted, they become spineless cowards. They’ll never change.

ButIcan change.

I can start standing up for myself.

I can start taking action to make things better for myself.

And I’m really determined to do that.

* * *

When I get home later, I’m feeling good about myself after standing up to those mean girls.

Saint is working in his home office that evening, and I stop by his study to ask him something, but he’s on the phone. I back away from the door, thinking I’ll just ask him later.

But then I hear Christian’s voice over the speaker, and what he says catches my attention. “Word is that Carmine still isn’t convinced by your engagement, especially after he heard what happened at your engagement party. Do you really want to carry on with this plan, Saint?”

“Of course. It’s a sound plan, and I can still turn things around and convince people that the relationship is for real. And that will keep Emerald safe from that fucker.”

Christian exhales a heavy sigh. “Look, Saint, I hope this isn’t just you being stubborn.”

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