Chapter 36 Mrs. Branson
**Mia’s POV✶✶
“Hey, woman!” Scarlett’s voice cut through my thoughts. Her perfectly manicured fingers snapped in front of my face. “You’ve been staring at that coffee cup for ten minutes. Spill.”
I blinked, focusing on my best friend’s concerned face across the café table. Scarlett looked exactly as she always did – fiery red hair styled in elegant waves, designer clothes, and an expression that said she’d brook no nonsense.
“I’m fine,” I said automatically, the words feeling hollow even to my own ears.
“Right.” Scarlett leaned back, crossing her arms. “And I’m the Queen of England. Come on, what’s going on? You look like you’ve barely slept.”
I traced the rim of my untouched coffee cup, watching the liquid ripple. How could I explain the chaos of the past few days? Kyle’s sudden attention, the expensive gifts, the way hope kept trying to bloom in my chest despite everything I knew about him?
“A lot happened.” I finally managed.
Scarlett’s perfectly shaped eyebrows rose. “As?”
“Kyle had been sending gifts. Checking on me. Funny, ugh?”
Until yesterday. The call showed he was staying with Taylor.
“Stop.” Scarlett’s voice cracked like a whip. “Just stop right there. Do you hear yourself?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgiven him again!“She leaned forward, her green eyes intense. “You’re doing it again. Finding hope in crumbs. Making excuses for him. Remember what happened last time?”
I wanted to tell Scarlett not to worry. I may have hesitated for a moment. But Kyle quickly brought me back to reality with the fact that he and Taylor were together again.
“Sweetie, I love you, but you need to wake up. This is classic Kyle behavior. You’re his toy, and now that you’re showing signs of independence, his possessive male ego can’t handle it. And I hope you know he was having lunch with Taylor yesterday!”
“How did you—”
“I*******m, darling.” She pulled out her phone, quickly pulling up a post. “Your dear stepsister isn’t exactly subtle.”
The photo felt like a knife to the heart. Kyle and Taylor at Le Cirque, their heads bent close together over wine glasses. Taylor’s caption read simply: “Perfect lunch date with my soulmate >>”
“Oh.” The word came out small, broken.
“Yeah, oh.” Scarlett reached across the table, squeezing my hand. “Come on. You’re coming with me to pick out something for my gallery opening. No arguments.”
“I’m thinking something dramatic,” she was saying as we entered the store. “Maybe that new Alexander McQueen collection-
She stopped abruptly. I followed her gaze and felt my blood freeze.
Taylor stood at the jewelry counter, looking every inch the society princess in cream Chanel. Her perfectly manicured hand held a familiar black card – Kyle’s American Express.
“Mrs. Branson,” the saleswoman simpered, “these would look stunning with your complexion.”
Taylor’s laugh tinkled like broken glass. “They are gorgeous, aren’t they? Kyle has such excellent taste.”
“You absolute-” Scarlett started forward, but I grabbed her arm.
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“Don’t,” I whispered. “She’s not worth it.”
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“Well.” Taylor turned, her smile sharp as a blade. “If it isn’t my favorite stepsister and her attack dog Shopping for the unemployment line, Mia?”
Scarlett’s whole body tensed. “You scheming little-”
Taylor’s voice dripped honey–coated poison. “Is that any way to speak to your future Mrs. Branson? Though I suppose I already am, aren’t I? After all, Kyle and I have been… reconnecting”
“You mean manipulating,” Scarlett spat. “That’s all you know how to do, isn’t it?”
Taylor’s smile never wavered. “Oh, Mia. Did you really think all his little gestures meant something? The gifts? The attention?” She laughed softly. “Poor dear. Kyle and I had a small disagreement, that’s all. He’s just using you to make me jealous. It’s what he always does when we fight.”
Each word landed like a physical blow. “I don’t care.” I managed, but my voice shook.
“Am I?” Taylor held up Kyle’s credit card. “Funny how he trusts me with this, isn’t it? While you… well, you’re just the convenient wife. The backup plan. The toy he plays with when he’s bored.”
“That’s enough!” Scarlett’s voice rang through the store. “You manipulative, sociopathic-”
“Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” Taylor cut her off smoothly. She turned back to the saleswoman. “I’ll take the matching set. Put it on Mr. Branson’s card, please.”
I couldn’t breathe. The store’s elegant interior seemed to spin around me as Taylor’s words echoed in my head. A toy. A distraction. A convenient way to make her jealous.
“Mia.” Scarlett’s voice seemed to come from far away. “Mia, look at me. Don’t let her-”
“Thanks for your mom. She’s the one who taught you how to cling to men who don’t want you. How to accept crumbs and call it love.” Taylor’s smile turned pitying. “At least she had the excuse of being trapped by circumstance. What’s your excuse, Mia?”
“Her excuse,” Scarlett’s voice cut like ice, “is being unfortunate enough to have you as a stepsister. You pathetic, insecure little girl playing dress–up with someone else’s husband.”
Taylor’s perfect mask slipped for just a moment, revealing something ugly beneath. “Kyle is mine. He’s always been mine. This little game of playing house with Mia? It’s just that – a game.”
“Then why are you here?” I found my voice finally. “Why go out of your way to hurt me if I mean so little?”
Something flickered in Taylor’s eyes.“Consider it a kindness,” she said smoothly. “Helping you see the truth before you embarrass yourself further. Kyle’s been laughing about it, you know. Your pathetic attempts to prove yourself worthy of him.”
The saleswoman returned with a elegantly wrapped package. “Here you are, Mrs. Branson. Mr. Branson’s card went through perfectly.”
“Of course it did.” Taylor’s smile was triumphant as she took the package. “Send the rest to the penthouse. Kyle and I ha plans for later.”
She brushed past us, her expensive perfume leaving a cloud of sickly sweetness in her wake. At the door, she paused.
“Oh, and Mia? The gifts? The attention? The way he’s been checking on you?” Her laugh was musical, poisonous. “He does that with all his toys when he’s trying to make me jealous. Don’t read too much into it.”
The store fell silent after she left, the only sound the soft classical music playing overhead and my own ragged breathing
“I’ll kill her.” Scarlett’s voice shook with fury. “I swear to God, Mia, I’ll—”
“She’s right.” The words came out hollow, empty. “About all of it. Scar, forget her.”
“No.” Scarlett grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to meet her eyes. The only stupid thing you’ve done is let that viper and her
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Chapter 36 Mrs. Branson
pet billionaire make you doubt yourself. You are worth so
so much mo
But I barely heard her. All I could think about was Kyle’s recent bel my father. Had it all been just another move in his endless dance w relationship when it got too routine?
“I want to go home,” I whispered.
“Like hell you are.” Scarlett’s grip tightened. “You’re coming to my takeout, and plot Taylor’s social destruction.”
“Scar-”
“No arguments.” She linked her arm through mine, steering me to told you about. Enough is enough.”
Chapter 36 Mrs. Branson
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pet billionaire make you doubt yourself. You are worth so much more than their twisted games.”
But I barely heard her. All I could think about was Kyle’s recent behavior the gifts, the concern, the way he’d defended me to my father. Had it all been just another move in his endless dance with Taylor? A way to make her jealous, to spice up their relationship when it got too routine?
“I want to go home,” I whispered.
“Like hell you are.” Scarlett’s grip tightened. “You’re coming to my place. We’ll open a bottle of wine, order obscene amounts of takeout, and plot Taylor’s social destruction.“.
“Scar-
“No arguments.” She linked her arm through mine, steering me toward the exit. “And tomorrow, we’re calling that lawyer I told you about. Enough is enough.
