I shot to my feet, my anger finally boiling over. “You don’t know anything about me or my mom!”
Her smug expression flickered for just a moment before she recovered. “Oh, I know enough. And here’s what I think of your precious bracelet.”
Before I could stop her, she slammed her heel down on the fragile chain, crushing it into the ground.
“Amber!” I screamed, and without thinking, I slapped her. The sound echoed in the air, cutting through the stunned silence.
Amber’s head snapped to the side, and for a moment, she looked truly shocked. Then her eyes blazed with fury. “You little—”
The crowd, who had been silent up to that point, suddenly came alive.
“Did you see that? She hit Amber!”
“Elliana deserves it, though, doesn’t she? Pretending to be better than us!”
Amber’s confidence surged again, bolstered by their voices. She laughed and turned to face them. “Let’s have some fun!” she announced. “Whoever puts her in her place first gets a reward!”
Before I could react, hands grabbed at me, shoving me to the ground. Dirt was kicked in my face, and insults flew like daggers.
“Look at her now! Not so high and mighty anymore!”
“Bet all of this is just an act to get Darren’s money!”