CH. 33

The young lady lifted her head and locked gaze with Serena.

Her lips were pressed into a tight, colorless line, and her sunken eyes were ringed with dark circles that made her look decades older than her years.

Serena felt her stomach twist into knots at the bitter spark that flared behind the unshed tears glistening in those hazel eyes.

A self-mocking smile tugged at the corners of Serena's mouth as realization dawned, cold and harsh. Why had she never seen it before? Why had she not noticed that adorable little girl she had called her sister was nothing more than a talented actress?

"Miss Bolting, you have been called to testify regarding the allegations leveled against Ms Serena Bolting," the judge stated in that same bored tone he'd used all trial. "I must remind you that you are under oath, and any false statements will be treated as perjury under the law. Do you understand?"

The witness gave a barely perceptible nod with her eyes downcast.

"Very well," the judge continued. "Please state your relationship to the defendant for the court record."

Kylie let out a soft, shuddering sigh and lifted her head, locking eyes with Serena for the briefest moment yet again before quickly averting her gaze. "Serena is...my stepsister," she mumbled, so quietly that Serena had to strain to catch the words.

But she heard them, loud and clear. And she heard the bitter, resentful undertone shivering beneath Kylie's words.

The judge gave a curt nod. "And what can you tell us about your relationship with the defendant prior to these events?"

Kylie's slender hands twisted anxiously in her lap as she seemed to weigh her next words carefully. "It was...strained, to say the least. Serena has always been jealous of me ever since our parents married. She couldn't stand the fact that I might become the favored child, the one our parents doted on and adored."

A ripple of murmurs swept through the courtroom like a cold wind, and Serena felt her anger boiling inside her.

Lies! All vicious, unfounded lies designed to paint her as the villain!

"She became obsessed with ruining my life," Kylie continued, her voice gaining strength and conviction with each passing second. "She would sabotage my relationships, spread vicious rumors about me at every turn...anything to make me miserable and knock me down a few pegs."

Serena's jaw clenched until she could feel the muscles straining while fighting to keep her outraged retort at bay. How dare this little snake twist the truth so callously? How dare she stand on that stand and slander her own flesh and blood?

She blinked back the furious tears that threatened to spill over. How could the sweet, innocent girl she had thought she knew harbor such bitter resentment all this time? This realization was like a kick to the gut.

Kylie straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin in a display of false bravado. "Growing up, Serena was the perfect daughter our father always wanted. Beautiful, talented, admired by everyone around her." She paused, her lips curling into a bitter smile. "But behind closed doors, she was a completely different person entirely."

Serena could feel her heart drumming in her ears as the courtroom hung on to every word Kylie spoke. She opened her mouth, ready to object, to scream her innocence to the high heavens. However, some irrational urge to see just how far this betrayal went held her back.

"She was cruel, manipulative, and utterly envious of anyone who dared to outshine her," Kylie continued in a voice trembling with false emotion. "When I started gaining recognition for my modeling work, she couldn't stand it. She became obsessed with sabotaging my career and anything that brought me even a shred of happiness."

Kylie's accusing eyes locked onto Serena's, and she could see the cold satisfaction burning in their depths. "She drugged me once, took compromising photos and videos, and used them to blackmail me into doing her bidding. And when I refused..." Her voice faltered, and she swallowed hard, playing the role of the wounded victim to perfection. "She threatened to frame me for her own crimes. All to keep her perfect image intact while destroying mine."

Another murmur rippled through the courtroom like a gentle breeze as Kylie dissolved into artful tears once more, burying her face in her hands.

Serena felt the world spinning around her in dizzying circles with Kylie's vicious words echoing relentlessly in her mind.

How could she defend herself against such heinous, outrageous claims? How could she possibly make these people see the tormented young woman who had been betrayed and abandoned by her own family?

There was nothing she could do to refute the intricate lies she was being told, nothing to stop this train of lies from further blowing up her life.

A bitter, choked laugh caught in Serena's throat as the tears spilled freely down her cheeks, scorching her flushed skin.

Her own stepsister, the girl she had loved and protected…

Serena's hands trembled, and she fought the urge to crumple to the floor.

All eyes were fixed on her, scrutinizing her every move as though they were searching for a flicker of guilt or repentance.

Kylie's tear-stained face contorted with anguish and fury as she locked eyes with Serena once more. "You were always the perfect one. Daddy's little princess, the shining star of the family. But I saw the truth – the jealousy, the obsession with maintaining your pristine image. You couldn't stand the thought of anyone outshining you, even your own sister." she spat. It was as though the dame holding her together had finally broke.

Serena recoiled at Kylie’s sudden outburst. Memories of her childhood flashed before her – the constant pressure to excel, the relentless pursuit of perfection drilled into her by her late father.

Had she been so consumed by her ambition that she had failed to see the pain she inflicted on those closest to her?

"You took everything from me," Kylie continued brokenly. "My innocence, my dignity, my future. All because you couldn't bear the thought of someone else having the spotlight. Well, I'm done living in your shadow, Serena. It's time the world saw you for the monster you truly are."

The words sliced through Serena like a hot knife through butter, stealing what little breath remained in her lungs. She opened her mouth to respond, to defend herself against the onslaught, but all that emerged was a choked, strangled cry of anguish.

"Order! That will be all, Miss. Bolting." The judge's stern voice cut through the charged atmosphere.

Kylie's shoulders shook with muffled sobs as she stepped down from witness stand, but not without casting one last accusatory glare at Serena.