Chapter 173.

Kylie looked at her carefully. Her face went expressionless.

She eyed Kylie again. "Perhaps if your mother had chosen better—"

Kylie’s breath caught. "Don’t talk about my mother." Her eyes widened at the audacity the woman standing before her.

The woman’s eyes narrowed. "Why? Because the truth hurts?"

Kylie stepped forward. "Don’t bring my mother into this. How dare you dig into her life."

"She stayed."

Kylie’s hands curled into fists.

"She tolerated a man who humiliated her. Then perhaps you inherited that."

Kylie stared at her.

The words were quiet, cruel, and precise. She felt them strike somewhere much deeper than she wanted.

"You are afraid of marriage because you have watched a woman stay in a bad one."

Kylie said nothing.

"You are afraid of becoming your mother."

Kylie blinked in shock. How much does this witch before her know? "Stop." She demanded.

"And now you have found a man who gives you exactly what you think you want." Christain’s mother smiled slightly. "Attention. Money. Excitement."

Kylie’s face burned. "That’s not why I’m with Christian."

"With?" The woman’s eyebrow rose. "Interesting choice of words."

Kylie realized her mistake again.

"You slept with my son."

Kylie’s eyes hardened. "That is none of your business."

"He is engaged."

"And he isn’t married."

"He will be."

"Not if he doesn’t want to be."

The woman’s expression changed. "Do you think this is some romantic rebellion?"

Kylie went still.

The woman continued. "My son hates being told what to do. He sees you as an escape from me."

Kylie’s stomach twisted.

"A woman who truly cared about Christian would not encourage him to destroy his future."

"I have never asked him to destroy anything."

"You allowed him into your bed."

Kylie flinched.

The woman lowered her voice. "Do you know what people will call you?"

Kylie said nothing.

"A woman who sleeps with an engaged man."

Kylie’s eyes flashed. "Christian and Isabel aren’t together."

Kylie felt anger replacing her embarrassment. "I don’t owe you an explanation."

"No."

The woman looked her up and down. "You owe yourself better."

Kylie frowned.

The woman’s next words were deliberately soft. "Because this isn’t going to end well for you."

Kylie didn’t respond.

"Christian will eventually return to his family." The woman paused. "And when he does, you will be what you always were."

"Men smile at women differently all the time." The woman smiled without warmth. "Especially when they want something."

Kylie’s eyes hardened again.

The woman stepped closer. "He will get tired of this. You are beneath him."

Kylie didn’t move. Her fingers twitched. For one horrible second, she wanted to slap her.

Kylie’s hand almost lifted, then she stopped. Her fingers slowly curled into her palm.

She wouldn’t give this woman that. She wouldn’t let her become the villain in a story where Kylie lost control.

So instead, Kylie took one step forward.

"You’re done."

The woman’s brows rose. "Excuse me?"

"I said you’re done."

Kylie’s voice was quiet. "Whatever you came here to say, you’ve said it."

The woman stared at her. "You think you can dismiss me?"

"From my apartment?" Kylie opened the door wider. "Yes."

The woman’s expression hardened.

"You have no idea what kind of consequences—"

"No." Kylie interrupted her. "I don’t." She paused. "And I don’t care."

The woman stared at her.

Kylie continued. "You can call me whatever you want. You already called me a whore without saying the word."

The woman’s eyes sharpened.

Kylie held her gaze.

"You can insult my clothes. My apartment. My family. You can tell me Isabel is prettier, richer, more educated, more refined, or whatever else you think makes a person worth loving."

She took a breath. "But none of that gives you the right to stand in my doorway and tell me I’m beneath you."

The woman’s gaze remained fixed on her. She looked past her one last time, then back at Kylie.

"You should stay away from Christian."

Kylie said nothing.

"Because if you don’t, I will make sure you understand exactly how far beneath him you are."

Kylie stared at her. "You’re going to have to get in line."

The woman frowned.

"My father spent years making my mother feel like she wasn’t enough."

Kylie’s voice softened. "He told her she wasn’t beautiful enough. Successful enough. Smart enough. Worth enough."

She paused. "And she believed him for a while."

The woman’s expression remained cold.

Kylie continued. "I won’t."

"You can stand there and tell me Isabel is perfect." Kylie shook her head. "I don’t care. You can tell me Christian will marry her. That’s his choice."

"You can tell me I’m not good enough for him." Kylie’s eyes hardened. "But you don’t get to decide whether I’m good enough for myself."

For the first time, the woman didn’t have an immediate answer.

Kylie reached for the door to shut it. "Leave."

The woman stood there for another second. Then she leaned slightly toward Kylie. "You are making a very foolish mistake."

Kylie looked directly into her eyes. "Maybe." She gave a small nod. "But it’s mine."

Then she closed the door firmly.

The lock clicked.

Kylie stood there.

Her breathing was uneven, and her hand remained on the door handle. For several seconds, she didn’t move.

Her knees suddenly felt weak.

She reached the couch and sat down.

She hated that a stranger had been able to look at her for ten minutes and find a wound she had spent years trying to cover.

Her eyes burned.

Kylie blinked quickly. She stood, and walked toward the kitchen.

She picked up her phone. There were several notifications.

One from Emilia.

A message she’d sent after their call.

Emilia: I’m not letting this go, by the way.

Kylie stared at it.

Despite everything, a small smile touched her lips.

She typed.

Kylie: I know.

She hesitated, then added.

Kylie: I’ll explain when I’m ready.

Three dots appeared almost immediately, then disappeared, and then appeared again.

Emilia: Okay.

A second message followed.

Emilia: I love you.

Kylie’s throat tightened. She typed back.

Kylie: I love you too.

She put the phone down. Then her eyes drifted toward the door.

Her phone rang.

Kylie froze. She looked at the screen. It was Christian. Her heart stopped.

Against all odds, she answered.

"Hello?"

There was silence on the other end.

Not awkward silence, but the kind that happened when someone had been waiting to hear your voice.

"Hey."

His voice answered, low, and familiar.

Kylie closed her eyes. "You called." She managed to mumur.

"Yeah." He paused briefly. "How are you?"

"I’m fine."

Christian was quiet. "Kylie."

She closed her eyes. "What?"

"You don’t sound fine."

Her throat tightened. "I said I’m fine."

"Did something happen?"

She couldn’t answer.

Kylie looked toward the door. "I’m fine."

Christian was quiet again. His voice softened. "I wanted to ask if you’re okay."

Kylie didn’t answer immediately.

Finally, she said, "Goodbye Christain. Stop calling me."

"Kylie...."

She ended the call. Kylie let out a small sigh, and immediately blocked him everywhere again.