My vision blurred with anger and I lifted my hand again, ready to strike, but a grip like iron closed around my wrist. I turned and saw him. Wilbert. His face was stormy, eyes burning with disappointment, not at her… but at me.
“Anika! Enough!”
Nivianne scrambled up like a wounded kitten and ran into his arms, clinging to him and crying so hard her shoulders shook. “Wilbert, she attacked me. Please, don’t let her hurt me.”
He wrapped a steady arm around her and looked straight at me. His voice was cold, sharp.
“You’ve gone too far, Anika.”
I laughed, bitter and raw. “Too far? Why don’t you ask your precious Nivianne what she was doing just now? She was trying to kill my father. She wants to cover her mistake with my father’s life.”
For the first time, I saw him hesitate. His head turned slowly toward her, and there was doubt in his eyes.
And Nivianne, clever snake that she was, lowered her gaze, lips trembling, and whispered, “I… I would never. How could you believe her lies about me?”
Her voice shook like she was the victim, and I felt my chest tighten until I couldn’t breathe.