Chapter 25: Chapter 25
Evelyn's P.O.V.
“Apologize to my woman.”
My heart almost burst out of my ribcage as I looked at Dylan in shock. But what was the reason behind his pretentious behaviour? I stared at him for a while but then remembered that he is the same man who had been the cause of my depressed state, the cause of my pain and distressed soul. He is the same monster who took my life away from me, who stomped on my dreams which I used to see along with my Dad with his fancy overpriced Gucci shoes and crushed my life brutishly between his fingers turning a lively girl into a pathetic apparition.
I don't know what is the meaning of the sudden change in his behaviour, how the arrogant, cold-hearted and covetous Dylan Black all of a sudden decided to disguise himself into a courteous and honourable man.
No, it is again one of his filthy tricks that he is planning to use on me. Seriously this guy can never change.
Dylan was glaring at the shivering lady silently anticipating an apology. I removed his hands from my shoulders. He became confused and looked at me, “It's alright. She didn't do anything.”
His eyes turned cold after hearing my response. I shifted my gaze away from him and looked at Xander, “Let's sit.”
Xander stood bewildered but Dylan immediately came in front of my eyes blocking his view.
“She won't leave unless and until she apologizes to you.”
He spoke with gritted teeth boring holes in my body. I looked away and started walking towards Brandon. But before I could reach him, Dylan suddenly grabbed my left elbow and pulled me back to my previous position.
“Don't,” he growled.
“What's up with you today? Why are you making a storm in a teacup?”, I spoke calmly, my eyes void of any emotion. His gaze darkened after hearing my words.
“Storm in a teacup? She fucking disrespected you and you are saying-“
“So?”
“What?”, Dylan furrowed his brows in confusion. I jerked away from his hands and crossed my arms over my chest.
“So, what Mr Black or should I say Boss? Why the hell are you getting so hyped up if she disrespected me? It's not like I am receiving this kind of treatment for the first time. The moment you entered my life all I had received is humiliation, humiliation and humiliation,” I spoke in a calm tone. He glared at me.
“She is a fucking waitress Eve,” he seethed in anger. I scoffed.
“It doesn't matter.”
His eyes turned blood-red. Dylan then grabbed both of my shoulders in a tight grip and scowled, “It fucking does 'cause you're my-“
"What's going on between you two?"
I turned back only to see Brandon staring at us with a quizzical expression. He approached us and spoke in his raspy voice.
“Dylan, Cutiepie, what are you two talking about? And Dude, how did you come to know that we all were here? And what's the matter with this server?”, he shot all his questions at us in one single breathe. I shook my head and smiled at him, “It's nothing important.”
“Oh, it is my innocent girl.”
Dylan said it with a smile. My head immediately snapped in his direction as I threw him a glare. He then removed his hands from my shoulders and tugged them into the pockets of his pants.
“Will you spill the beans now or you're waiting for me to do something terrible to you?”, Brandon spat in anger. My heart twitched in fear, “It's seriously not-“
“She disrespected Eve.”
Dylan immediately cut me off. I and Brandon both looked at him in shock. I clenched my fists in anger while he flashed me his famous pompous smirk.
“What? Is that true Eve?”, Xander spoke. I looked at him with wide eyes and shook my head in denial.
“N-No, seriously it is not a big issue-“
“Oh, it is a damn big issue Eve.”
Dylan spoke in his gruff voice. I glared at him in disgust. I know he is doing that to spite me. But I also won't back down.
“It was not a big thing for me Boss. You don't have to worry about me so much,” I answered while smiling at him softly. But I flinched hard when Dylan abruptly cupped my left cheek in his right palm.
“Oh, it is my innocent and sweet Evelyn. I saw that with my own eyes how she called my cupcake a gold-digger, how her venomous words brought tears in your mesmerizing hazel orbs. I saw everything Angel, there's nothing for you to get afraid of.”
He spoke while tracing his thumb over my cheekbone. My heart shuddered as he stared at me intensely.
“WHAT? YOU!! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MY CUTIEPIE THIS WAY? HOW DARE YOU INSULT HER?”, Brandon yelled in a thunderous growl while shooting daggers at the lady who broke out in cold sweats.
“S-Sir, I am sorry. It was j-just a mistake,” she cried. I yanked away from his hands and ran to Brandon who was scolding and shouting at the poor girl.
“Stop it Bear. It was just a mistake,” I tried to hold his arms but he snatched them away. I looked at him with frightened eyes as his aura turned deadly.
“NO!! SHE INSULTED YOU! SHE FUCKING INSULTED YOU, CUTIEPIE! HOW DID SHE EVEN GET THE AUDACITY TO HUMILIATE YOU!!!”
Brandon shouted on my face making me startled. He was looking very angry. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were on fire. I eventually step back in fear.
Brandon then glared at the shivering lady and gnarled, “YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SHIT, WHO THE HELL YOU THINK YOU ARE THAT YOU CAN EMBARRASS MY GIRL!!! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO AM I? YOU FUCKING BLOATED BOGUS WHORE, YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN COMPARE YOURSELF WITH MY EVELYN?”
I became stunned to hear his malicious words. I stared at Brandon with disappointed eyes. My sweet, fluffy ball of joy was today humiliating a poor sobbing girl mercilessly.
“WHY ARE YOU CRYING HUH? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO ACT ALL INNOCENT NOW WHEN YOU WERE JUST BEING A BITCH A FEW MINUTES BEFORE!! BLOODY PATHETIC BEGGARS LIKE YOU TRY TO ACT INNOCENT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE BUT ARE NOTHING INSTEAD FUCKING SCOUNDRELS WHO SEDUCE RICH MEN ONLY TO USURP THEIR WEALTH JUST TO PAY OFF THEIR SICK DEBTS AND SATISFY THEIR MONEY LUST!!!” He shouted at him while glaring at her in pure disgust.
‘Wait!’
'I think have heard this before.'
"TRUTH? WHAT TRUTH, HUH! The super innocent girl acts like a pure soul in front of everyone but is a bloody cheat in disguise who just trapped and bewitched rich guys with her innocence and then run away by stealing away all their wealth. You disgusting scoundrel, piece of trash, you are nothing but a BLOODY GOLD-DIGGER."
I looked at Brandon in shock. He was speaking the same words which Dylan had said to me that day.
“Calm down Bear, why are you wasting your energy on someone like her? Stop making a scene for God’s sake and, go call your Manager. You're fired,” Xander spat in anger while glaring at the poor girl who was crying her heart out.
Tears filled in my eyes and my heart squeezed with pain watching the helpless soul begging them for mercy. She looked at me with teary eyes and kneeled in front of me.
“P-Please Ma'am, please forgive me. I am so sorry for insulting you, my lady. I didn't mean that. I am very poor Ma'am. I need this job. I was not in my senses but please Ma'am, I need this job. It's the bread and butter of my entire family. Don't snatch it away from me,” she joined her hands in front of me and pleaded. I immediately shook my head and ran to her but Xander quickly pulled me back by my left wrist.
“What are you doing Eve? She deserves it,” he spoke while glaring at the girl in pure hatred and disgust.
“Exactly. CRUMMY, ROTTEN BUGS LIKE HER DESERVED TO BE CRUSHED SO THAT THEY BETTER KNOW THEIR FUCKING PLACES!! FUCKING GOLD-DIGGER!!!,” Brandon growled with a clenched jaw.
Xander supported him, “Of course. When do you know this is your bread and butter then why the hell you were acting like a bitch? But you know Brandon, it's not her fault, girls from filthy small towns are like this only.”
"Oh!! Thank you so much. Do teach her some manners. But don't be too harsh. Poor thing, she doesn't know how to talk with rich and dignified people as she is from a small town. Just studying a few books doesn't teach you how to behave with your seniors."
'Stop this now.'
Brandon scoffed at her, “Yeah, you're right. I am unnecessarily wasting my energy on some low-key. It's also bad for our reputation that we are yelling at a mere waitress when we can just fire her. Let's cut the crap. You're fired, that's it. And also, I will make sure you don't get a job anywhere in this whole country. Then only you will understand with whom you dared to mess.” Xander gave him a curt nod while they kept glaring at the sobbing girl who was on sitting on the ground with joined hands.
I stood rooted on my spot. I was appalled by their monstrous behaviour. The people whom I called my friends are no less than Devils. Their sardonic grin, sinister eyes and evil aura shook me to my core. My senses stopped working as I recalled our wonderful memories.
'Was everything a lie?'
'Their kind words when they used to support and encourage me, was everything fake?'
Behind that kind heart and beautiful smile was an arrogant, selfish and egoistic rich businessman who doesn't give a shit about others' tears and pain.
Suddenly I clutched my head tightly as I started seeing myself in that girl. The way she was crying and begging, reminded me of my past. My head started spinning around as memories started flooding in my mind making me dizzy.
"I hate you, Evelyn Clarke. I'll never love disgusting nerdy ugly women like you. For me, you're just a daughter of a gold digger."
"Slaves need to be taught how to obey their masters"
"Isn't it clear douche bag? I won't allow someone low-key like you to eat food with us. You don't match our status and I don't want to lower down our reputation by eating along with some filthy and poor dumb girl."
"What do you have? Do you even have something apart from your so-called skills and intellect? Nothing, literally nothing. No sexy figure, no appealing beauty. Just a piece of shit. Tsk tsk...You call yourself a woman. Hahaha!! You look like a Grandma and dress up like her even. Your face doesn't even suit your age. Even my cleaners and servants are more glamorous and beautiful than you."
"I gave you the title which suits you the best, THE DAUGHTER OF MY MAID!!! Because it suits your disgusting ugly self. I feel ashamed to even marry you in the first place. I should have just made you my servant forcefully."
My whole body started trembling in fear. I couldn't understand a single thing. It seems as if I was again being dragged a long way back into that dark hole from where I had just crawled out.
The girl grabbed Brandon's legs while imploring with red eyes, “Sir, pleased-don't do this. I will do anything but don't take this job away from me. It's very important for my parents, don't do this to u-us”
My knees started wobbling. I was getting insane now as I started hallucinating. The way she begged, the way she cried......
"Aww, don't cry my daughter. Nothing is gonna happen to your Dad if you keep your mouth shut and obey all our orders, GET THAT!!!", she shouted while grabbing my hair and pulling them mercilessly. I nodded repeatedly as I was too terrified.
"P-Please, I will do everything. D-Don't do anything to my parents. Please...
'God, stop this now!'
“Leave me, you filthy gold-digger whore, piece of garbage-“
“STOP!!!”
I screamed my lungs out. They all turned back and looked at me in shock.
“Evelyn? W-What-“
“JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!!!”, I shrieked with angry tears running down my eyes as I glared at two brunettes whom I once called my friends.
“WHO THE HELL DO YOU BOTH THINK YOU ARE THAT YOU ARE INSULTING A GIRL IN SUCH A VICIOUS AND BARBARIC MANNER AND THAT TOO INFRONT OF EVERYONE?”, I shouted while glaring at them both ferociously. Rage, frustration, sadness, hurt, pain and past hook blocked my senses. I had completely lost my patience today.
Brandon furrowed his brows. Instantly his face turned dour as he clenched his jaw in anger, “DON'T FORGET WHAT SHE DID EVELYN! SHE BLOODY INSULTED YOU!!”, he growled while grabbing my left forearm in a tight grip.
“YES, SHE DID BUT DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHY? DO EVEN KNOW THE REASON BEHIND IT?”
“I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FUCKING REASON! SHE DISRESPECTED YOU! THAT'S ALL THAT I KNOW!!”, he shouted frustratingly; his eyes turned dark in rage.
“No Bear, you aren't angry because she disrespected me, you are angry because she disrespected the friend of Mr Brandon Tate. You're angry because she humiliated the girl whom the billionaire businessman Mr Brandon Tate admired. In short, you're angry because a mere poor waitress of a restaurant dared to dishonour the Young Master Tate,” I spoke calmly while staring at him with teary eyes. Brandon became shocked by my words. His grip on my arm loosened and slowly his hand fell on his side. My eyes exuded pain and glum while he stared at me back with shock and regret.
“N-No Evelyn, I didn't-“
I motioned my hand to stop him and shifted my gaze to Xander, “And you, the quiet, reticent and pragmatic Xander Knight who has the reputation of a cold and calculated man but with a soft and kind heart didn't even try to stop his friend instead was encouraging and supporting him. And for what? For bashing a poor girl as if she had sinned. Well, done Mr Knight.”
I clapped my hands while sneering at their disgusting pretensions. Xander kept staring at me but didn't say anything.
“So, for how long you both were planning to go through this elaborate charade of altruistic and compassionate human beings? For how long do you both plan to make me a fool? I am indirectly thankful to this girl, at least I've had the scales fall from my eyes,” I spat. My voice was laced with venom as I can see the hurt in their eyes but their harsh words had already stabbed my heart. But I was surprised as I felt numb, I lost all my feelings today. The thin thread of hope which was dangling inside my heart and had kept me sane till now finally broke down as their sharp brutal words cut it into pieces.
“B-But Evelyn, she was insulting you. I just did what a friend should have done,” Brandon spoke ruefully. Tears were circling in his eyes.
“I agree Brandon. Yes, she insulted me but do you know the reason behind this. It's because you all brought me to a place where I don't even belong to. She insulted me because I was looking like an outcast amongst you all who were dressed up inexpensive clothes. I admit she did wrong and she apologized, didn't she? Then why did you both have to go overboard? She did call me a gold-digger but what did you both do? You called her names, slut shamed her, insulted her family, her poor condition, moreover stomped over her dignity. How could you even do this?”, I looked at him in disbelief. He lowered his gaze down in shame.
“Don't use my name to justify your actions, Brandon. You did this because your pride got hurt. You both insulted her because someone like her who don't even stand in your putative, highly respectable and extravagant society dared to open her mouth. Then let me tell you I am the same as her. I am also poor, I am also not from your filthy rich community, I also have no stand in your upper-class society, then why are you defending me?”
“Because you're my friend,” he immediately replied. I smirked.
“Exactly Brandon. Because I am your friend.”
Brandon stared at me for a while with confused eyes but then all of a sudden, his eyes widened as soon as he realised the hidden meaning behind my words. He quickly shook his head in denial.
“N-No, I didn't mean that. I-“
“ENOUGH”
Dylan who was standing behind me the whole time suddenly yelled in a stern voice. Brandon looked behind me but I didn't turn back. Dylan then walked towards us with heavy steps and stood beside me.
“Enough Brandon, I just asked her to apologize, why did you all create such a ruckus? Why did you make a storm in a teacup?”, he spoke in the same mocking tone. I clenched my jaw in anger. Dylan then walked to that girl and pulled her up from the ground by her shoulders.
“I am sorry on behalf of my friends. Don't worry, we won't fire you.”
Her eyes lit up in joy. I looked at him in shock.
“Thank you, sir. Thank you so much,” she started bowing at him repeatedly while crying hard.
“It's alright but this is your last warning. Next time, don't ever insult someone. You shouldn't judge people by their clothes. Just because someone belongs to the lower class, it doesn't mean that he/she has no right to sit with rich people or breathe in the same air. A person's work and talent define his/her class, not their clothes. Just like my Eve, she too belongs to a middle-class family. She doesn't need any Chanel or Gucci to adorn her beauty. Her decent clothes are enough to give her an appearance of a queen.”
Dylan spoke while smiling at me fondly. My cheeks flushed while my heart did a wild flip-flop as I stared into his eyes who were staring at me with so much affection and love.
“I-I am so sorry Sir. I won't repeat this mistake ever. I am so sorry Ma'am. Please forgive me,” that poor lady’s voice made me break our intense eye contact. I looked at her and nodded.
“It's alright. I am also sorry on behalf of my fri- on the behalf of these two gentlemen,” I smiled at her. Brandon looked at me but I didn't look his way. She again bowed at me and walked away.
I also turned around to leave as I don't want to stay near them any longer. I took my purse from the table and was about to leave when Brandon grabbed my wrist, “Please Cutiepie, I am so so-“
“NO!”
I immediately cut him off and jerked his hands away.
“Don't you dare call me that ever again. You have lost all your rights to call me your friend. What do you want to tell me now, hmm? That you did this because you were defending your friend? Stop with your games Mr Tate because I know that it's not true at all. The reality is that you were defending yourself, your pride, your reputation. I understood today what your true colours are Mr Tate and Mr Knight. What do you think about people like me? What is your real opinion about the ones who are below you? I saw it. I saw it today. I saw who is… The Real You.”
I glared at him with teary eyes. His eyes widened as he stared at me in shock. I then looked at Xander who was standing with his gaze stuck on the floor. His jaw was clenched and his fists curled up in s ball. With that, I turned around and stormed away from there.
End of Evelyn's P.O.V.
Brandon kept staring at Evelyn's leaving figure with teary eyes, “N-No, E-Evelyn, EVELYN!!!”
He shouted and ran behind her. Xander stood silent while his eyes were fixed on the elegant red carpet that was sprawled all over the shining white marble floor. His chest was heaving too fast and his body was shivering with anger.
Dylan approached him, “You alright Pooh?”
He asked him in a soft voice. Xander looked up at him, his eyes were blood-red and were burning with fury.
"You did it purposely, didn't you?"
He snarled with gritted teeth. Dylan sighed but then.....
the corner of his lips lifted as he flashed him an evil smirk.
“You know me so well Xander.”
He spoke in a sinister tone. Xander's face turned red with anger. Dylan smirked at his raging form but then all of a sudden, his smirk got dropped from his face as he glared at him with dark eyes.
"Consider this as my warning to you. Stay away from her because I won't like my best friend to turn into my greatest enemy. We don't a war Xander, right?"
He growled in his deep husky voice.
Dylan then patted his shoulder and walked away from there leaving behind a regretful and furious Xander.
*****