Tragically 17

Chapter 17 I Promise You’ll Regret It 

Alice spotted Evelyn, too. 

+8 Pearls 

Even though she was curled up on the floor in pain, she still dragged herself forward, inch by inch, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“Evelyn… please help me. I’m begging you.” She cried. 

But Evelyn just stepped back. 

She clearly had no intention of helping. 

Those two small steps moved her out of the shadows, and the light hit the side of her face, showing an expression that was cool and distant-like none of this had anything to do with her. 

She looked more like someone watching from the sidelines. 

But everyone in that room knew the truth. Evelyn was the one in control now. 

She was the one who’d been schemed against. 

Alice, still crying, reached out again. “I swear I’ll never do it again! Please … talk to Dad. He’s going to kill me!” 

Evelyn’s voice was calm, barely above a whisper. “This is what you get, Alice.” 

This was her own doing. No one else could take the blame. 

Evelyn wasn’t going to lift a finger. 

And judging by how things were going, Alice might not make it out of this in one piece. 

Just as Alice tried to plead again, Zaid’s belt came down hard on her hand. 

She let out a piercing scream and curled into herself, shaking with pain and fear. 

“You really disappointed me, Alice. You tried to take your own sister down and got caught in the act. And now you want mercy?” 

Another hit came crashing down. 

Alice didn’t even have time to cry out again. All she could do was crawl, trying to escape the blows. 

Evelyn stood off to the side-silent, just watching. 

She understood why Zaid was so angry. 

Because in her previous life, she’d been in Alice’s shoes. 

Back then, no one had stood up for her. No one had begged for her to be spared. 

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Chapter 17 I Promise You’ll Regret It 

So now, why should she do that for Alice? 

+8 Pearls 

But then, Yvonne suddenly stepped in and grabbed Evelyn’s wrist. Her face was twisted with grief. “Evelyn, Alice knows she was wrong. She didn’t mean to hurt you. Please, just forgive her this once. I’m begging you -please?” 

Yeah, right. 

Why should I do her that kind of favor? 

But she didn’t show any anger. No coldness either. Just a thoughtful look, as if she was truly considering it. She spoke softly, “I almost didn’t get to graduate today. If people find out about this… won’t that be embarrassing for Dad?” 

That single word-embarrassing-hit Zaid like a punch to the chest. 

Now that’s what a real daughter sounds like. 

Evelyn got sabotaged, and her first reaction was still thinking about saving face for the family. 

But Alice? She pulled some low stunt and left me completely humiliated. 

Just thinking about the crowd outside the office earlier, watching him drag Alice out, made Zaid boil with shame. 

His hand clenched the belt tighter, and with a sharp whoosh, it sliced through the air again. 

Yvonne’s heart sank. 

Right then, nothing else mattered. 

The only thing Yvonne could think about was saving her daughter. 

She gritted her teeth and suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Evelyn with a loud thump. 

Evelyn looked shocked but didn’t reach out to help. “Mom, what are you doing? That’s way too much-I can’t let you beg me for her sake.” 

“Evelyn, she’s your sister,” Yvonne begged. “You’re not really gonna stand by and watch her get beaten, are you? Please, just talk to your dad. Calm him down.” 

At that moment, Evelyn was the only one who had any chance of cooling Zaid off. 

“Hmm 

Fine,” she finally said, lips pressed together, as if she was forcing herself to agree. 

But before Yvonne could even react, Evelyn added, “Can Alice even promise this won’t happen again?” 

She paused, her eyes flicking over to Zaid. “She already blamed me for stealing money. Now she’s ruined my thesis. If this keeps going, next time I’ll be the one everyone in Southville’s gossiping about.” 

Yvonne nearly coughed up blood. 

This wasn’t helping-it was pouring gas on the fire. 

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Chapter 17 I Promise You’ll Regret It 

+8 Pearls 

And before she could say anything, Zaid snapped, “Go upstairs! Stay out of it. I’m the one who makes decisions in this house, and I’ll do whatever I damn well please.” 

Perfect, Evelyn thought. 

But too bad I won’t get to enjoy the show. 

She didn’t argue and just turned and walked up the stairs. 

At the top, she stopped for a second and looked down, eyes unreadable. 

Then she shut her door, completely stepping out of the mess. 

Zaid raised the belt again, letting all his humiliation and rage explode on Alice. 

Her back-once smooth-was now covered in raw, red welts. 

Yvonne had no one left to rely on. She lunged forward and shielded Alice with her body. “If you’re gonna kill her, you’ll have to kill me first!” 

“Move!” Zaid barked. 

He shoved her aside. 

But Yvonne kept shouting. “If you hate Alice so much, just grab a knife and finish it! Why drag it out like this? Alice, it’d be better for you to just die than suffer like this!” 

As she said it, she pinched Alice hard. 

That snapped Alice into understanding. 

She slowly lifted her head from Yvonne’s arms, barely conscious. “Dad … just kill me. If that’s what you want …” 

Before she could finish, her head slumped sideways. She had blacked out. 

Yvonne screamed, “Hubby! What happened to Alice? Is she dead? Oh, my God! If she dies, I don’t wanna live either!” 

Zaid froze. He dropped the belt and threw the car keys to Yvonne. “Take her to the hospital!” 

And just like that, the beating came to an end. 

Yvonne rushed Alice to the emergency room. 

Neither of them came back that night. 

The next morning, only Zaid and Evelyn sat at the table for breakfast, eating in silence. 

It wasn’t until Evelyn finished her sandwich that Zaid finally spoke, 

“So… what are you gonna do about Alice?” 

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Chapter 17 I Promise You’ll Regret It 

Evelyn didn’t flinch. She stared at him blankly. “What do you think I should do, Dad?” 

He actually had something in mind. 

After cooling down all night, he was thinking more clearly now. 

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+8 Pearls 

He set his cup down, rubbed his hands together, and said, “We’re family. If Alice gets expelled, it doesn’t help you either. Just go to school and clear it up. Say it was all a misunderstanding. Make peace, okay?” 

Evelyn had seen this coming. 

Whether it was yesterday’s outburst or today’s calmer tone, it was always about the same thing. 

Saving face. 

Zaid would sacrifice anything just to look good. 

She gave a cold little smile. “So everything I’ve been through doesn’t matter to you?” 

She picked up her fork and made a slow circle in the air. “How about I go to the hospital now and stab her in the eyes? Then say it was an accident. You think she’ll forgive me?” 

That was insane. 

Zaid slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. “Evelyn, I’m your father! What I say goes. You don’t get a vote in this. It’s decided. I’m going to your school at noon to clear this up.” 

He was already near the door when Evelyn’s voice floated up behind him, calm and steady. 

“Go ahead. But if you do, I promise you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” 

Morning sunlight spilled through the windows, warm and soft. But Evelyn’s eyes were cold as ice. 

Zaid stopped in his tracks. A chill ran straight down his spine. 

It felt like something dark and cruel had just clawed its way into his chest. 

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Reborn for Love and Revenge