Not A Small-Town Girl

Danielle’s anger simmered beneath the surface. She thought, ’So this is how it is going to go today, huh? All the blame shifts onto me?’

"You swear?" Danielle’s voice was icy, her eyes locking onto Skylar’s with a cold fury that could freeze the room.

"Miss Danielle Darling, I know you’re jealous of Miss Audrey’s beauty and talent," Skylar said, a sharp edge in her tone, "but you can’t just ignore the truth, can you?" She didn’t flinch. She had just taken a few hard slaps from Danielle, and the sting of them was still fresh.

David’s jaw tightened, his eyes darkening as he turned to Nathan. "You know what to do, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Charrington," Nathan responded smoothly.

The bodyguards, positioned silently by the door, shifted as if on cue. The air in the room grew thick, and heavy with the anticipation of violence. Anyone unfamiliar with David Charrington might have thought the Darling family was about to be torn apart. Nathan’s voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Teach her a lesson."

toward Skylar, their hands gripping her with

Smack! Smack! Smack!

slaps rang out, each one sharper and more punishing

slap split Skylar’s lip, blood trickling down her chin as she staggered back. She felt two teeth loosen in

beating didn’t stop there. Another slap. Then another. They hit her more than ten times, each blow landing with brutal force, like the bodyguards were savoring the pain

still hung in the air, but now, Skylar was taking the brunt of the punishment. Skylar, who

as if the slightest wrong word would send them

and Joseph were frozen, caught

what the hell do you

is the Darling family!" Howard’s voice cracked with anger as he tried to