CINDERELLA TURNS VILLAIN (2)

Scrolling through the comments only made the bile in my throat rise.

“Cinderella? More like SIN-derella 😈”

“She’s trash. Hurting others like that.”

“She was the villain the whole time?? #CinderellaExposed”

“It’s game over for her. Don’t ever show your face again.”

“Cinderella didn’t lose the slipper—she dropped the mask 💀”

“She must be a nympho slut. That must be how she got the role.”

“Her days as an entertainer are over, lol. No one’s gonna hire someone who slapped another actor.”

“She is a villainess.”

And those were just the public posts.

My DMs and inbox were worse:

“Go die in a ditch.”

“You should just kill yourself, you bitch.”

“How dare you blackmail my favorite model?! If we ever see you in public, we’ll humiliate you. Best not ever leave your room.”

My fingers hovered over the screen before I locked it, the soft click of the button deafening in the quiet alley.

It had been days since I’d eaten anything—my stomach felt like a hollow cave—but I still forced myself out today to buy food. I clutched the plastic bag in my lap, the packed meals from the convenience store were still warm, though I wasn’t sure if I’d even be able to swallow.

Just then, my phone vibrated again. A notification blinked across the screen.

Government Advisory: A severe typhoon is approaching the city. Residents are advised to stay indoors, stock up on essentials, and avoid unnecessary travel. Stay safe.

The sky above had already darkened.

“I should head back…” I murmured.

Pulling my jacket tighter and clutching my bag, I rose slowly, my legs stiff from sitting too long. The theatre’s glowing marquee sign blinked faintly in the distance, its lights struggling against the encroaching storm.

The streets were eerily quiet, except for the distant rumble of thunder rolling in like an omen.

As I started walking toward my tiny apartment, I made my way up the slippery steps of the pedestrian bridge.

The rain was falling harder now, each drop cold and stinging like needles against my skin. The wind howled through the steel beams, rattling loose signboards and making them groan like restless ghosts.

By the time I reached the middle of the bridge, the storm had grown so wild I could barely hear my own footsteps over the sound of thrashing winds and distant car horns. My vision blurred—rain clung to my eyelashes in heavy droplets.

But then… movement caught my eye.

Through the sheets of rain on the far side of the bridge, I saw an old woman struggling against the wind. She held her umbrella low, trying to shield herself as she walked slowly across the slick surface.

And then—a flash of black.

A man in dark clothes, wearing a full-face mask shoved her aside viciously, snatching her handbag. The old woman cried out in shock, her umbrella flying from her hands and tumbling into the void below.

The thief bolted toward me.

Heart pounding, I froze for half a second—then my body moved before my mind could catch up. I dropped my own bag and raised my arms into a fighting stance. My hands trembled slightly, but I steadied them into sharp, deliberate chops.

The masked thief slowed, clearly startled by the sudden resistance. Hesitantly he pulled out a glinting knife from his coat.

But I didn’t flinch. I kept my eyes on him, steady and unblinking, and took a half-step forward, rain cascading off my soaked hair.

“Come closer,” I said softly to myself, my voice nearly lost to the storm.

The thief sneered under his mask, probably thinking I was bluffing. He lunged forward, hoping to intimidate me with the blade.

I didn’t back down.

My plan was to feign with a kick to distract him and, lunge forward to snatch the purse. Scared he had failed; he’d probably panic and run too.

I twisted my body into a swift roundhouse kick. My soaked sneaker cut through the air—

CRACK!

Thunder exploded overhead at the exact moment my foot nearly connected with his chest. The lightning struck a nearby lamppost, sending a blinding flash across the bridge.

Startled, the thief instinctively recoiled—his grip on the stolen bag loosening.

The handbag flew out of his hands, arcing high like a desperate bird in flight.

I lunged to catch it.

But so did he.

“Damn you—!” the thief growled like a cornered animal, lunging forward and slamming into me mid-jump.

His shoulder crashed into mine, pain flaring white-hot as my body was hurled sideways.

The only problem? I was already beyond the edge of the bridge.

My shoes skidded across the wet railing—too narrow, too slick.

Then—I reached back with my hand.

But there was no railing anymore. It was out of my reach.

I was falling.

Wind tore past my ears with a deafening roar. The world slowed to a crawl. The thief’s eyes, wide with panic stumbled back onto the bridge.

“I—I didn’t do it! I didn’t—” he stammered, clutching his head. Then he bolted, leaving the old woman’s purse abandoned on the floor.

But I didn’t care about him anymore.

Below me was the expressway. Headlights blurred into white rivers, and the sound of cars rushing by became a chaotic symphony.

My arms flailed for something—anything—to grab. My fingers clawed at the empty air.

“Hhhuuuh—!” My breath caught in my throat as I saw the distance left. The ground was coming up fast.

I was falling from a height equivalent to a three-story building.

If I hit the asphalt, even if I didn’t die on impact, the pain alone would probably knock me out cold.

I could already see it: flashing headlights, poor visibility, and drivers desperate to escape the rainstorm.
Cars would keep passing. Not one. Not two. Maybe a dozen would run me over before anyone realized they ran over a real body.

My mind screamed. My body screamed. But my heart…

My heart was quiet.

Maybe it was better this way.

No more pain. No more humiliation.

No more waking up to see my name in hashtags like #CinderellaTheVillain.

“I suppose… this is it for me,” I whispered as the rain lashed my skin. My eyelids fluttered shut.

I didn’t want to remember anything.

I shut my eyes.

And let it all fade—forever.

◇◇◇