"Sorry."
Can you imagine Ella saying that word, Inspector?
After all the lies and ridiculous rumors she'd spread like confetti, do you really think I'd believe an apology coming out of that idiot's mouth?
I didn't. Not for a second.
"Why are you here?" I asked loudly as I climbed the stairs toward her. "Where's your precious Prince? Shouldn't you be with him? Dancing all night, making Anastasia jealous? I know your stupid plan."
Just like I expected, she flinched. Her brows knitted together. She shook her head, denying it, but it was useless.
"Sorry."
"You think I'm just going to swallow that apology?" I gave her a crooked smile. Of course I didn't believe her. "I'm not stupid, Ella. I'm not like your gossip club who nod along to every fairy tale you spin."
I thought she'd snap. Thought she'd fire back, hurl insults the way her friends always did at me and Anastasia. But she didn't. She just lowered her head, staring at those shiny glass slippers of hers.
"I want to apologize to Anastasia," she said. "She's in that bathroom, right?"
She stepped forward. One step. Two.
I blocked her path, spreading my arms.
"Move. I need to get through, Drizella."
I stared into her eyes beneath the shadow of her bangs. "After making Anastasia cry like that?"
"I just want to say sorry."
"Oh, God." I shook my head. "I know what you're doing. You're going to rub it in, aren't you? Show off that Prince chose you and make her feel worse."
She went quiet.
See? I was right.
"Congrats, Ella. With your dumb little act and your lies, you got Prince's sympathy." I clapped slowly, sarcasm dripping from every beat. "So what's next? You going to tell her about your magical night together? Your cute little date? Your first kiss? Or maybe about what you did after..."
My cheek burned.
She slapped me.
Can you believe that, Inspector?
I've heard plenty of insults. Been showered with curses. Paper balls thrown at my head, trash stuffed into my locker. I've had it all. But no one had ever slapped me before. With that small hand. With that sharp glare.
The nerve.
I couldn't accept that. It felt like a stain I could never wash off.
"Is that what your mother taught you, Ella?"
Yeah, I was rough when I was a kid. Got into fights with Anastasia, with anyone who messed with me. But I never hit someone. Never slapped anyone. Mama used to scold me, tell me to be patient. I always remembered that whenever my temper started boiling over.
"You were never taught manners, were you?" I shot back. "Liar. Selfish."
"Don't talk about my mom!" Ella's fists tightened, just like mine. "What do you know? You know nothing about her. Stop talking about her!"
She lunged at me.
I hit the floor. She was on top of me, yanking my hair like she'd lost her mind. Her voice trembled, mixed with tears.
I don't know how long we fought. A minute? Two? We rolled across the floor, clawing at each other. I kicked her off and scrambled to my feet. She stood there, breathing hard, staring at me like some wild animal ready to tear me apart.
Maybe I looked the same.
That was the last time I saw that look in her eyes.
In my dress and high heels, I charged at her. I wanted to tackle her, pin her down, pull her hair the way she'd done to me.
But she dodged.
That's the one thing I never expected.
She jumped sideways, toward the stairs. She lost her balance. Her glass slipper slipped.
And then… she fell.
Her body tumbled down the stairs like a snowball rolling down a mountain, breaking apart along the slope. That sky blue dress of hers… I couldn't keep looking, Inspector. There wasn't any blood. Not a drop.
But the sound.
When her head hit the steps, that sound was horrible.
I thought she died right there.
Not from poison. Not from a flowerpot. Not from anything else.
Ella died because of me.
***