Reborn To Ruin Her Rivals - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

The next morning, the alarm buzzed, forcing Meredith to get up.
Today was the day to humiliate Arielle, so even though she was dead sleepy, she gotta get dolled up.
Feeling pretty good, she slipped on the latest Chanel pink princess dress, letting her long hair flow freely, looking pure and stunning.
She didn't sleep well last night, so her makeup was slightly thicker than usual to cover up the dark circles and pimples on her skin.
Finishing, she twirled in front of the mirror.
'Mmm, flawless! Can't wait to see Arielle in her outdated, tacky outfit at the birthday party. That scene? Gonna be unforgettable for her.
'The high society crowd will laugh their heads off, calling her clueless, tasteless, then maybe chuck her into the pool to wake her up.
'Arielle, brace yourself for the storm. Soon, you'll be the talk of the town, a disgrace to the Bradford family.' Thinking about her all flustered made Meredith so satisfied.
She hummed happily as she opened the door and went downstairs.
Sharon gazed at her well-dressed daughter with adoring eyes.
"Mom, Dad, good morning," Meredith greeted them sweetly.
Feeling great, she gave her parents a sweet smile.
Seeing her so beautifully dressed, Sharon asked, "Out shopping with friends?"
"Nah, mom. I'm gonna take my sis out to a friend's birthday party," Meredith replied.
The soft voice melted Sharon's heart.
In her heart, Meredith was not only beautiful but kind and so considerate.
She tenderly pulled Meredith into an embrace. "Baby girl, I'm so proud of you for taking your sister out to meet friends. You're my sweet baby.
"I never thought of that. Yet you did, which means you are a pretty and kind little beauty."
Meredith chuckled, replying, "Mom, don't tease me. Arielle just got back and has no friends. It's kinda sad. As her younger sis, it's my duty to help her. Soon, you'll have two little sweethearts."
"Yes, yes, I must've been so lucky to have such a great daughter like you. Arielle's clueless about manners and upbringing.
"You gotta keep an eye on her, take care of her, and don't let her embarrass us at your friend's birthday party."
Meredith obediently nodded, pulling away from Sharon's embrace. "My dear mom, don't worry. I'll take good care of her."
'Oh yeah, I definitely would. And take extra good care. As for embarrassing? That was a sure thing. How could I waste such a golden chance?' she sneered inwardly.
The two linked arms, heading for the dining room.
Just as they moved, they spotted Arielle descending the stairs.
Two pairs of eyes scrutinized her instantly.
Sharon's face showed disdain. "Aren't you going to the birthday party today? Why aren't you ready yet?"
She swept over Arielle with a disdainful glance, her good mood vanishing the moment she saw Arielle's tacky outfit.
One might mistake her for a beggar at the Bradford family's doorstep. The Bradford family couldn't afford such a disgrace.
'How could she even dare to wear such cheap clothes?' Sharon said inwardly.
"Ready for what?" Arielle retorted.
Sharon was nearly driven to the brink of fainting; there had never been anyone in the Bradford family who could be labeled as a country bumpkin.
'Did she really not know, or was she pretending?' she asked inwardly.
So, she snapped, "You're attending a high-society gathering, you need to wear a noble gown.
"Like your sister, dressed up beautifully, like a princess. Look at you. What are you wearing? Are you intent on humiliating the Bradford family?
"Are we poor enough that we can't even afford to buy you a single gown?"
Sharon's tone turned sour as she kept questioning, her voice rising a few decibels when she got worked up.
She just couldn't take a liking to Arielle, who was always wearing a sour face, like someone owed her big time.
At first, she tried to be considerate, thinking Arielle was from the countryside and needed time to adjust. She held back, trying hard not to blow up.
But now, Arielle was getting way out of hand.
The maids in the living room wisely stepped out of the "roar zone." When Madam got mad, collateral damage was common.
Meredith stepped in, gently holding Sharon's arm and soothing her softly, "Mom, don't get mad and hurt your health over this."
Then, turning to Arielle, she remained as gentle as water. "Arielle, that's not right. How could you make Mom mad like this?"
Arielle slumped onto the sofa behind her, leaning back, quietly watching the loving scene of the mother and daughter, a cold smile escaping her lips.
Instantly, Sharon felt like her punch landed on air.
She was schooling Arielle, yet Arielle could still smile like that. It made her blood boil.
"What are you smiling about?" She pointed at Arielle, fuming.
'What have I done wrong to give birth to such a defiant daughter?' she said inwardly.
Meanwhile, Meredith kept comforting her. "Mom, don't get worked up. Arielle didn't mean it. Come, sit down first.
"Arielle, how can you treat Mom like that? She's an elder. You should respect her, not talk back so rudely."
Hearing Meredith's soft-spoken scolding, Sharon felt a bit better.
For her, Meredith was the true daughter, gentle and sweet.
'Why did Arielle have to be my daughter? My daughter should be like Meredith, elegant, refined, kind, and gentle,' she thought.
Arielle, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Every word, every expression, every move of hers was loathed by Sharon.
"What have I said wrong? I just made one comment, and you two started blasting away like a machine gun.
"Anyone who didn't know better would think we had some street harridans yelling at each other," Arielled shot back.
"What?" Sharon's heart raced, her face turning pale at Arielle's sarcastic and indifferent response.
No one had ever dared to talk back to her like this, to question her.
"How... how dare you?!" Leaning against Meredith, Sharon looked like she was about to faint from anger, glaring viciously at Arielle.
Meredith chimed in at that time, disagreeing and refuting Arielle's words. "Arielle, we're going to a high-society gathering. You're the eldest daughter of the Bradford family.
"And this outfit is way too plain. It doesn't match your status.
"Didn't I tell you to dress up? Why are you still wearing what you had yesterday? Geez, don't you even wash your clothes?
With that, she gave a disdainful look at Arielle on the couch.
"It's winter. Do I really need to shower every day? My clothes are clean, believe me. Go on, take a whiff. They're nice and fresh," Arielle replied.
Meredith was truly amazed today, cursing inwardly, 'How could she be so shameless? And making us smell her ratty clothes? Who knows if there's some virus on them?'
Sharon felt a moment of relief hearing Meredith's words. At least her Meredith was sensible and had good taste.
That was what a proper young lady of the Bradford family should be like.
But then Arielle's words came, and it was all Sharon could do not to faint from anger.
'We must have been enemies if there was a previous life for me to hate her so much,' she said inwardly.
"Arielle, you know what I meant. It's not just about the clothes being clean; you need to dress in elegant gowns like me," Meredith corrected.
Though her words were reproachful, she was secretly thrilled. Seeing her mom so furious, she sneered inwardly, 'Keep it up and die trying!'
Arielle suddenly seemed to understand, letting out a soft "oh." "I've changed my mind. I'm not going."
At this, Meredith's eyes widened, about to ask a question, when a steady voice cut through the room.