Here’s a revised version with minor wording changes and without unnecessary spaces, while keeping the story intact:
Chapter 32
Joycelyn’s head was knocked to the side, and her fair skin immediately turned red where the slap had landed. She looked at Iris, her eyes shifting from shock to anger, finally settling into deep, soul-crushing disappointment.
Without thinking, Joycelyn raised her hand and slapped Octavia across the face. “From now on, not a single cent of my money will go to you. Don’t push me—if you do, I’ll expose all your dirty little secrets!”
Octavia, caught off guard, quickly recovered. “How dare you hit me?” she shouted, her face twisted with fury, as she tried to retaliate. But Joycelyn grabbed her wrist and pushed her away forcefully.
Iris, worried, grabbed Octavia and scolded Joycelyn, “How could you hit Octavia? She’s your sister!”
Joycelyn sneered, “You hit me too, didn’t you? It’s only right for me to discipline your daughter.”
Iris’s voice turned cold, full of disdain. “What’s wrong with you, Joycelyn? Are you trying to drive me insane?”
Iris, usually mild-mannered, now glared at Joycelyn, her gaze sharp and accusing—as if Joycelyn were the one who was morally corrupt, the one in the wrong.
By now, a crowd had gathered, some of them pulling out their phones to snap pictures.
In public, airing out her family’s dirty laundry like this was a huge blow to her pride, and everyone would judge her for it. But Joycelyn didn’t care. She immediately called security.
Aurelia and Selene, still worried, had turned back and saw the chaos. They rushed over.
“What’s going on? Why are you hitting her? Security! Security! Someone’s being assaulted!” Aurelia shouted as she ran to the security booth.
The security guard, having been on break, hadn’t noticed anything earlier. By the time he arrived, he immediately stopped Iris and Octavia.
“Where did these crazy people come from?” the guard demanded.
“We’re not crazy!” Octavia shouted, her voice shrill. “She’s my sister, and my mom was just trying to teach her a lesson. She shouldn’t be sleeping around with old men for money. We’re not crazy!”
As the crowd grew, the whispers started. People couldn’t help but notice Joycelyn’s fresh, natural beauty. Even without makeup, her elegance in simple office attire made her stand out.
But with Octavia’s accusations, people started looking at her with suspicion, as if trying to see her as the villain. Joycelyn ignored them and called the police.
Octavia, seizing the opportunity, sneered, “Calling the police won’t cover up your hypocrisy and heartlessness!” Iris continued her tirade, calling Joycelyn cold-hearted and ungrateful, a girl who had no respect for her family.
Moments later, the police arrived.
Joycelyn remained composed, and when she saw the officers, she started speaking in a choked voice, trying to sound as innocent and wronged as possible, “She’s accusing me of being with old men, but I haven’t done anything.”
“I think something happened to me without my knowledge, so I’m reporting it to clear things up, especially about what happened last night.” Her voice cracked, sounding every bit the victim.
Octavia’s expression turned pale, and she instinctively looked at Iris.
Joycelyn added, “I remember leaving the private room and running into you. Maybe we should investigate this together?”
“Yes, I was at the dinner too, I can testify,” Aurelia added firmly.
Now, Octavia was starting to look nervous. She covered half her face and glanced at Iris. “Mom, it’s all Joycelyn’s fault that Dad got into trouble. She’s trying to set me up too.”
Iris immediately pulled Octavia behind her, shielding her like a protective mother bear. “Family issues should stay within the family. There’s no need to involve the police.”
“Then make her apologize. Otherwise, I’ll sue her for defamation. There were so many people filming earlier—I’m sure someone got it on video,” Joycelyn said, her face calm and collected, showing no signs of backing down.
“Yeah, apologize!” Selene rolled up her sleeves and stood beside Joycelyn, her tone fierce.
Octavia shot a nervous glance at the police, clearly afraid that they would investigate what happened the night before. If they did, her reputation would be destroyed.
“Joycelyn, do you really want to push Octavia this far? Have you lost all compassion? For a man, you’re willing to break ties with your family—are you really so shameless?” Iris asked.
Iris tried to play the emotional card, tugging at Joycelyn’s heartstrings, as she had done countless times before.
But Joycelyn was done with this kind of manipulation. “I’m not forcing anyone. You started this whole thing by attacking me and spreading lies. I’m just protecting myself.”
“But I’m your mother!” Iris’s voice cracked with feigned emotion. “I worked so hard to raise you, and this is how you repay me?”
Tears streamed down Iris’s face as she tried to manipulate Joycelyn into feeling guilty. The rift between them had deepened beyond repair.
Joycelyn was numb to it now, and even Aurelia and Selene felt uncomfortable hearing it.
“Hey,” Selene spoke up, her tone icy. “As a mother, how could you hit and berate your child in public? You say you raised her, but hasn’t she been nothing but dutiful?”
“Joycelyn’s been working for two years, skipping expensive meals and avoiding fancy clothes. Meanwhile, look at your daughter—designer brands head to toe. That outfit alone is worth at least over 4 thousand dollars, isn’t it?”
Aurelia gave Octavia a hard look.
She was well-groomed, with heavy makeup, but it couldn’t hide her arrogance. From head to toe, she was decked out in name brands. Joycelyn didn’t care for designer labels, but Aurelia certainly recognized them.
Her words landed with an uncomfortable weight on Iris. The shame was clear in her flushed face as she shifted uncomfortably.
Joycelyn, however, was unmoved. She had long stopped expecting anything from her family. She didn’t know what a healthy, normal relationship was anymore.
She’d been used to being exploited for so long that even when she tried to break free, the pressure kept her from staying grounded.
Iris, her face filled with disbelief, turned to Octavia. “Octavia…”
Octavia, flustered, quickly tried to cover her tracks. “These are all fake, really cheap knockoffs.”
Selene crossed her arms and scoffed. “Who are you fooling? Those Gucci shoes of yours cost at least over 3 thousand dollars. And they’re clearly real.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve been getting financial support from some rich old man, and now you’re trying to blame your sister. No wonder you’re so good at making things up.”
“I haven’t!” Octavia protested weakly.
“Whether you have or not, you know the truth,” Joycelyn replied coolly, her gaze as cold as ice.
Octavia, cornered, no longer had the strength to argue. “Mom, let’s just go. We’ll figure it out ourselves.”
“Did I say you could leave without apologizing?” Joycelyn’s tone was firm and resolute. She wasn’t going to let herself be trampled on any longer.
Octavia hesitated, then tried to walk off, but she was blocked by security and Aurelia.
After a brief pause, she reluctantly turned back to Joycelyn. “Fine, I’m sorry. Is that enough? From now on, I don’t have a sister. You’re not worthy of being my sister. Mom, let’s go.”
Octavia had always been quick to flatter when it served her, and though her apology was forced and clearly insincere, Joycelyn didn’t push her further. She was tired of fighting in this imbalanced relationship—it drained her mentally and emotionally.
Meanwhile, in his office, Ellison had just made himself a cup of coffee when William hurried in, looking anxious. “Mr. Grant,”
Ellison’s expression hardened, his brow furrowing as he placed the coffee cup down. With a chilling calm, he turned and walked toward the door.
Let me know if you’d like any more adjustments!
