Silence gripped the entire room.
Ava Carter's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Leo. Her mind reeled.
Wait... what?
That's not how the script is supposed to go.
She expected Leo—this bold but ultimately obedient lackey—to rush forward, defend the weeping Sophia, and point a shaking finger at Ava while shouting something about her being heartless or tyrannical.
But instead…
He slapped Sophia straight across the face.
Ava sat frozen. What alternate timeline is this?
Across from her, Sophia sat stunned, a red palm print glowing on her cheek. For a few seconds, all she could do was blink at the ground in shock.
And then—
"You!!" she shrieked, her voice shrill. "How dare you hit me?! Do you know who I am?! You… you're finished!!"
But her tantrum was cut short.
SMACK!!
Another slap, this time even louder. The sound echoed like a gunshot.
Leo's eyes narrowed coldly. "I said shut up."
He stepped forward, towering over her trembling form on the floor.
"You think just because you're the adopted daughter of the Carters, you get to act like you're the lady of the house?"
"Who gave you the right to scheme against my lady?"
He gestured toward Ava, whose expression was still unreadable.
"You're nothing but a sheltered charity case pretending to be royalty."
Those words struck Sophia harder than the slap. Her body froze as memories surged—memories of classmates sneering at her origins, of whispers behind her back calling her "the outsider."
But she had overcome that.
She'd won her adoptive parents' hearts.
She had the favor, the praise, the spotlight.
And now—this nobody lackey was humiliating her?!
She pushed herself upright with trembling hands, her anger boiling over. "So what if I'm adopted?! I'm the one who runs this household now!"
"And you're just a lapdog! Know your place!"
SMACK!
Leo backhanded her again without hesitation.
She dropped to her knees, dazed.
Her hands reached for the carpet as she tried to steady herself, but the room swayed around her.
Her mind spun. This can't be real. He slapped me... again?!
But Leo wasn't done.
He grabbed her arm, hauled her to her feet, and began slapping her rhythmically.
SMACK!
"This one's for being two-faced."
SMACK!
"This one's for your disgusting manipulation."
SMACK!
"This one's for forgetting you're a guest here."
SMACK!
"And this one—just because your voice annoys me!"
The room echoed with each strike. The slaps weren't just physical—they were symbolic, a full reversal of the past.
Every blow shattered Sophia's carefully crafted image.
The watching servants—once loyal to her—stood frozen at the doorway, horrified.
Zuri, Ava's longtime personal aide, rushed forward. "Leo! Have you lost your mind?! Do you even know who you're hitting?!"
"If you offend the Second Miss, we'll all be in trouble!"
But Leo turned on her with blazing eyes. "Shut it!"
Everyone flinched.
He pointed at the group of trembling followers.
"You lot are pathetic. You follow Miss Ava, yet you stood by while she was humiliated. But the moment I dish out a little justice, that's when you grow a spine?"
He took a deep breath and roared:
"You cowards don't deserve to follow her!"
"Don't worry, though. What you don't dare to do, I will do."
"Who you're too scared to offend, I will offend."
"I, Leo, will confront anyone who wrongs her, no matter who they are."
His voice reverberated through the walls. He turned to the rest of the staff and growled:
"If anyone dares stop me today, don't blame me for burning bridges."
Zuri was stunned.
Didn't he only join a month ago?
He had just completed the entry-level training last week. Where did this sudden fire come from?
Still, as she listened, guilt twisted in her gut.
He was right.
She had hesitated when Ava asked her to remove Sophia.
She had failed.
The rest of the servants hung their heads in shame. No one dared meet Ava's eyes.
---
On Ava's side, she still sat stiffly on the bed.
Her expression flickered, unfamiliar feelings rising in her chest.
This wasn't supposed to happen. In my last life… no one ever stood up for me. Not once.
Leo's back stood like a shield between her and the world. Fierce. Loud. Loyal.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
More slaps followed.
"This one's for making a scene."
"This one's for being ugly."
"You dirtied my lady's carpet!"
SMACK!!
Sophia collapsed again, her face red and swollen, tears mixing with drool as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Y-You're the ugly one!! You're disgusting!"
"I-I'll tell my parents!! I'll have you fired! I'll have you thrown in the river!!"
Her voice cracked as she slipped from feigned innocence to pure rage.
Her words were no longer sweet or manipulative. They were venomous, crass, and hysterical.
And that—was her mistake.
The other followers, hearing her tantrum, finally saw the mask break.
This isn't the Sophia we thought we knew.
Whispers spread through the staff standing at the door.
"She's... changed."
"No, this is the real her."
---
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A slow, deliberate applause filled the air.
Sophia flinched.
She turned and saw Ava standing—calm, elegant, and… smiling.
She clapped slowly, eyes never leaving Sophia's humiliated figure.
"Careful, Sophia. You'll ruin the carpet if you keep crying like that."
Then Ava turned to Zuri.
"Zuri," she said sweetly.
Zuri snapped to attention.
"Yes, Miss?"
"Please help our dear Sophia back to the main house. I'll join you shortly to explain things to Father and Mother."
Zuri bowed low. "Yes, Miss."
She moved quickly, hoisting Sophia gently off the floor. The girl whimpered but no longer resisted. The fire was gone from her eyes.
The remaining followers silently cleared the room, guilt shadowing their faces.
---
Leo stretched his wrists, flexing his fingers. "Whew. That was intense."
Then he turned toward Ava to report his success.
But what he saw stopped him cold.
Ava was smiling.
Not the cold smirk she used at parties.
Not the polite smile she used with her parents.
This was a real smile. Warm, touched, even… grateful?
"Leo," she said softly. "I'll remember what you did today."
She stepped closer and placed a black credit card and a key in his hand.
"From today onward, you're my personal attendant."
"You live in this villa. You manage my errands. You have full access to the family's luxury card."
She looked at him deeply.
"You're the only one I trust now."
---
[Trust level with Ava Carter has increased by 5%! (Current: 5%)]
[New Reward Unlocked: Auto Rebound – All attacks that cannot break your defense will be automatically reflected back at the attacker with 100% force.]
!!!
Hidden reward?!
Leo tried to keep a straight face, but internally he was dancing.
Still, on the outside, he knelt slightly and bowed. "This is my honor, Miss. I won't let you down."
He left the room triumphantly.
Click.
The door shut behind him.
Ava stood still for a moment.
Then—
"Hehe…"
"Hehehehehehe…"
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
She clutched her stomach, barely able to stand as laughter exploded out of her.
For the first time since her rebirth, she felt true joy.
That scene.
That face.
Sophia, sobbing on the floor while being slapped senseless…
It was divine.
She looked up, eyes sparkling.
"That… felt… AMAZING!!"
Finally, revenge was real.