The thing about romantic comedies and fairy tales is that they never tell you the real world consequences of pulling a stunt like, say, trapping someone in the closet to keep them from finding your best friend's girlfriend.

Because in the real world, these things are not taken lightly.

"It was locked from the outside Alton." Mal, acting as Matilda's advocate, was saying to the man.

"Well someone locked me up and I demand to know who."

"We can have the security feed checked. See who walked by the closet." Mr. Montfort suggested.

"I still say it was her." Alton gave Matilda a sideways glance.

"There is no way she could have done it." Mal said. Then suddenly hissed in pain. Matilda came forward from her seat.

"Mal you okay?" Matilda rubbed a soothing hand over her belly, the blue glow unseen by everyone except her.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Mal said, pushing her hand away coldly. Matilda could tell she was mad but she was glad that Mal had been here to talk Alton out of pressing charges against what had happened.

They were in the Alderon study; a beautiful room with walls lined with overflowing book shelves and a mahogany desk to one side. Behind the desk, the wall was lined with maps that had sticky notes stuck on specific places. A door to one side opened onto the balcony.

Matilda was seated in one corner like a class dunce while Mal, Ursula, Eric and his father congregated around her, wondering how to resolve the situation.

Alton took pity on Mal's state. "Malvina I can see you are unwell. Perhaps you should leave."

"No. I'm staying." She said. Matilda felt grateful.

"Alton. It really is not a big deal. There was no harm done here." Ursula said quietly. Alton looked at her like she was a bug, but then he looked at Mal again and relented.

"Mr. Montfort I really do think you should give your son a talking to about the kind of people he associates himself with." Alton said to the man. Mr. Montfort was a very tall and dignified person, and even though he was much taller than Alton, he still seemed like a subordinate with the way Alton carried himself.

"I will very much consider what you have said, Alton." Mr. Montfort said.

Without sparing her a glance, Alton left the room. Most likely to find Sebastian who was with Kat and her parents.

"I have never in my life felt so embarrassed." Mr. Montfort turned to Eric, red in the face. "I expected you to have better sense than to bring this sort of nonsense home."

Eric looked down at his shoes, hands in front of him like an obedient child. "I apologize father."

"Apologize to your mother. Do you know how much she has slaved, preparing for tonight?" Mrs. Montfort had worked very hard in ordering her servants as to what meals to prepare and how to make room for everyone in the dining room. Matilda could only imagine the dedication and talent required to do all that.

"Yes, father. I will apologize to her too." Eric said respectfully.

"Make sure to deal with..." Mr. Montfort glanced at Matilda, "this. Permanently." Then he left too, taking with him the air of formality that had been making it hard for the young ones to breathe.

"Eric I am—" Matilda began.

"I told you not to cause a scene." Eric said to her, flaming through his nostrils, "I told you Till. You and Bas always do shit like this and the rest of us have to suffer the consequences."

"Eric—"

"What the fuck were you thinking, Matilda?!" Eric yelled. Ursula put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Eric, your guests will hear." She told him. Eric closed his eyes and pinched his nose.

"I can't deal with you right now." He left and Ursula went with him.

Now it was just Matilda and Mal.

"Mal—"

"Don't. I can't deal with you right now either." Mal got up to leave.

"Mal, I'm really sorry. I was only trying to do what Sebastian asked me to."

"He didn't ask you to lock his brother up, Matilda. If you couldn't keep him away, you should have just let them see each other."

"You know I couldn't do that."

"It was not the end of the world! What is the worse thing that could have happened?"

Matilda had nothing to say. She looked at Mal with deep angry lines on her face and gaunt eyes. She looked skinner than before and even concealer hadn't been able to cover up the dark circles around her eyes.

"Mal, are you doing okay?"

"Oh God, this is so not the time to be doing this right now. You have fucked up, big time. Now talk to Alton, apologize and try to get him to move on from this." Mal had gotten up, a little wobbly on her feet. "I'm going to ask him to come in and talk to you. Settle this, now, or I swear to God I will give you such a screaming you will piss yourself. Even Alton will feel sorry."

Grumbling to herself, Mal left, closing the door with a slam. Now it was only Matilda all by herself and her dark thoughts.

How did everything go so wrong, so fantastically, so fast? The answer was about to enter through the door. Alton Spencer. Of course, whenever he was involved, things went wrong for Matilda.

There was a knock on the door, "Matilda? Can I come in?" Ursula's muffled sound came from the other side.

"Yeah." Matilda said, aware that it was Ursula who had more authority in her boyfriend's home than she did.

Ursula quietly opened the door and timidly made her way to her best friend. "Phew, what a day huh?" She tried sounding light but it came out all wrong. Too constrained.

"I'm really sorry Ursula. I didn't mean for this to happen. I just thought I'd keep him contained for just a couple of minutes."

Ursula took Matilda's hand. "I know babe. I think everyone is just riled up because they didn't expect Kat's parents to be here too. You should have seen Sebastian. I thought he was going to lose his mind."

"Yeah, how the hell did that happen?"

"I don't know. But I think someone told them about Sebastian. They asked to meet him specifically."

"Did Kat tell them?" Was this her way of getting Sebastian to meet her family?

"I don't think so. She was just as surprised as he was. Eric's parents were the ones who invited them though strangely Mrs. Montfort didn't remember why. And they were real chummy with that... oh I always forget her name. You know that redhead that Sebastian dated a while back?"

"Gwendolyn?" Matilda's ears perked up.

Ursula snapped her fingers, "Yup, that's the one. She seemed very friendly with Kat's rents. Seemed weird to me. Did you know she was hear with Kat's ex? I mean talk about coincidence."

"Or not a coincidence."

There was a scuffle beyond the door. Matilda could hear someone saying, "Don't go in there if you're going to behave like this." The voice was too muffled to be identified.

"Get out of my way."

The door burst open, Ursula got to her feet with a squeak. Matilda had half expected a pink head to come through but instead it was Sebastian. Matilda couldn't face him. Not now. Not like this.

"Till, what the fuck am I hearing? You locked my brother up and kept him hostage?"

Geez, Bas's brother is such a drama queen. Matilda couldn't say this out loud while Sebastian was seething. She could tell by the ravenous look in his eyes that he was aching to throw something against the wall.

"I thought you could handle things without fucking it up, Matilda. I mean I asked you to just distract him not break the law."

"Sebastian, stop it," Alton was behind him, unsuccessfully trying to pull his physically superior brother back.

"I didn't hold him hostage. I only tried to keep him away like you said." Matilda said.

"Is this true?" Alton said but Sebastian paid no heed.

"Because you fucking locked him up! What the hell did you think you were doing Matilda!" Sebastian yelled, red in the face.

"Out!" Alton ordered, "It appears I have much to discuss with Miss Merryweather. You are not to intrude." Alton acting with such authority was comical, given how he looked like a skinny, malnourished child in front of the well-built younger Spencer.

"I asked you for one stupid favor and you embarrassed everyone. You embarrassed Eric, you embarrassed Ursula and you completely humiliated me in front of Kat!" He looked like he wanted to throw something against the wall.

"I thought I was helping Bas," Matilda said in a small voice. Her tongue felt like sandpaper.

Ursula went up and tried to push him out of the room. "Bas you're not in your right mind. You should step out."

"Step out? Everything has gone to shit because of her!" Sebastian nearly screamed. Now this really was getting to be excessive.

Ursula tried to control the situation, "Don't listen to him, Till. He's just angry because of Kat's parents."

"Don't defend her." Sebastian spat at Ursula.

"Bas you're being a little much right now." Matilda

"You have an answer for everything don't you?" Sebastian said, frustrated, "Riley isn't just anybody. He's Alton fucking Spencer. Don't you know who he is?"

Matilda had heard this from many people trying to assert their so called authority, Don't you know who I am? But she had never expected it to come from Sebastian. Never in a way that made her feel so excluded from him.

Matilda got up and leveled her gaze at him, ready to give him a piece of her mind. "Listen here, you little twerp. Just because we're friends doesn't mean you get to give me shit like—"

It was just a passing glimmer in Sebastian's eyes, but it was unmistakably red. It wasn't a trick of light. It was magic.

"Go ahead, Matilda." Sebastian said, "Tell me how I don't get to give you shit for the mistakes you made."

"Alright, enough." Alton grabbed Sebastian's collar and pulled him out of the doorway. "I don't know what is going on with you, but I have taught you better than this. Go cool off."

He needs a kiss from Kat. Matilda thought. But it wasn't something one could say out loud. Clearly the protective spells she had put on him were no match for whatever power Gwendolyn was working with. And of course, this was Gwendolyn's doing. Red was her signature just like blue was Matilda's.

Spells could only be undone by either a true love's kiss or the person who cast the spell. A witch could not break the spell of another. She could however, transfer it, like currency except with the opposite appeal.

Matilda didn't know what she was getting herself into, but she felt if she didn't act now, Sebastian might end up doing something he might seriously regret. Something that would ensure that he broke up with Kat.

She quickly pushed Ursula aside and Sebastian raised himself to his full height to face her off, like an animal getting ready to attack. Matilda surprised him when she put her hand on his shoulder, the other on the back of his neck, an intimate distance that they had never experienced between them. Sebastian blinked twice in shock. The red in his eyes passed into Matilda's.

"Um... What are you doing, Till?" Sebastian said, suddenly finding it hard to keep his balance. Matilda held him steady till his head stopped spinning.

"How do you feel now?"

"Oddly... Till what did you..."

Alton yanked Sebastian out of the room. This time he did not resist. Ursula went out with him giving Matilda a confused glance as she closed the door behind her. Now it was only Alton and Matilda left.

Matilda thought the spell might do something to her but she felt fine. Stronger even. More alert. Whatever the magic had been doing to Sebastian seemed to have the opposite effect on her. She slumped into the chair she had been sitting on.

As long as Sebastian doesn't have it.

"What is all this nonsense about you doing Sebastian a favor?" Alton demanded. She had forgotten he was even there.

"Hmm? Oh, your brother asked me to keep you away from his girlfriend tonight." He already knows about Kat right? I don't have to hide it anymore?

"Why?"

"I dunno. Ask him. Clearly he doesn't trust you." Matilda closed her eyes, her lids feeling heavy.

"I'm his brother. Why wouldn't he trust me?"

"Maybe it's the way you treat his girlfriends." She raised a brow meaningfully, giving him a half open look.

"Well if he stopped—" Alton caught himself and sighed. His shoulders sagged. "I don't want to talk about Sebastian. So you were keeping me captive because of my brother."

"I took it too far." Matilda said, looking at her hands, "but essentially, yeah."

She heard Alton move across the room. She rubbed the back of her neck and she braved a look at him. He leaned gracefully against the bookshelf, arms crossed, eyeing her carefully.

"How'd you lock the door?"

"Magic."

"I'm serious. It can only be locked from the outside. I unfortunately ran into Sebastian before I could see the security camera footage but I'm guessing you had someone lock the door then open it later. But given how you hastily you shoved me in, I doubt it was a planned move so you couldn't have arranged for someone to do that. So how? How did you do it?"

His guess was good, but Matilda knew that he would never understand so she didn't bother saying anything.

"Why do you care, Alton?"

"It will help me with my case against you." He smiled cheekily.

Oh right. That.

"Then why would I tell you anything?"

"A smart person wouldn't." He said in a tone that implied he did not expect her to be said smart person.

Matilda let out a shaky breath, "You know what, Alton? Fuck you."

Alton only smiled, "No thanks. I have standards."

Matilda felt herself go red; in shame, in anger, in a little something else. She swallowed thickly and looked out toward the balcony, focusing on the night sky.

Don't turn him into a toad. Don't turn him into a toad. Don't turn him into a toad. She recited the mantra in her mind. Her hands balled into fists, finger tips buzzing with magic in the uncontrollable way they did when her emotions got the better of her.

A long, heavy silence stretched between them. Matilda's knuckles were white, jaw muscle a tense, taut line.

"What? No sarcastic quip? How disappointing." Alton said.

No response. The silence got heavier.

"Well don't just give me the silent treatment, Miss Merryweather. It's so unlike you." Matilda must have been mistaken, because Alton almost sounded light hearted. As if trying to calm her.

Ridiculous. He doesn't give a shit about me. Don't turn him into a toad. Don't turn him into a toad.

"Matilda, say something."

Don't. Don't do it. Turning him back will take days. And you don't know what the Law will do. Don't turn him into a toad. Don't.

"I'm not going to press charges, Miss Merryweather. I was simply teasing. Similar to how you teased me in the closet. I can see it was ill timed."

She looked at him then, disbelieving.

"You're not going to press charges?"

"You would surely claim my brother as an accomplice. I wouldn't want to get him into trouble." Another cheeky grin, wider this time. He had a slight dimple in his left cheek.

"I would never do that to Sebastian."

"I was still teasing Miss Merryweather."

Matilda looked away, feeling strange and riled. Like a fission reaction, her entire being felt like it was buzzing.

"Perhaps we... really did get off on the wrong foot. If you'd like—"

"Dude, just leave."

A pause. "You accuse me of rude behavior, yet you don't even have the decency of returning courtesy when it is offered." He said curtly.

"Wow, way to make this about you." Matilda scoffed.

"I am trying to make amends with you and you are being hypocritically obstructive."

"Oh fuck off! You don't even know what you're talking about."

Tension rose in the room like the shrill whistle of a boiling kettle.

"What does that even mean? I am trying—"

"You are nothing but a piece of shit who has only abused me at every instance we have met. So don't act all high and mighty—"

"High and mighty? Miss Merryweather—"

"Oh fuck you for calling me Miss Merryweather. Are we in grade school? Are you my teacher?"

"Matilda." Alton warned in a grave tone.

"I wish I never met you. No wonder Bas didn't introduce us. He doesn't want any woman he actually cares about anywhere near you. That's why he kept hiding his girlfriend." Alton opened his mouth to speak but Matilda raised a hand to silence him.

"You wanna know why he always hides his girlfriend from everyone, Riley? It's because he knows that somehow you're going to find out and ruin everything for him. Because it's not his money that girls chase him for, it's yours. Girls used him to get to you in high school, now they use him to get to your money. Doesn't it ever feel strange that, for a guy with such talent and, with a brother with such high connections, Sebastian chooses to work in our tiny little start-up?"

Matilda could see by the clench of Alton's jaw and the gulp of his Adam's apple, that she was getting to him. The feeling made her insanely happy. Now, finally, she had the upper hand.

"It's because he's still trying to get out of your shadow. You, with your pathetic attempts at protecting him," she said mockingly, "taking care of him. Pshh. What bull shit. The only thing that's destroying Sebastian is you. So why don't you do what I say, and fuck off? For good."

He was shaking. Riley Alton Spencer was shaking. Matilda didn't know where any of what she just said came from. She had never consciously connected the dots between things Sebastian had said only in passing. But now that she had said it, it all seemed to make sense. Of course Sebastian didn't tell people about his girlfriends. All of his public relationships had failed horribly, and Alton had been involved with all of them.

This conclusion had been accidental. It wasn't a result of genius or luck but simply a result of wanting to hurt Alton. Which she had clearly accomplished.

But Alton, not being one to back down, smiled a bone dry smile. "Aw, that's a cute conjecture. But simply not true. What is true is that you, with your pathetic sense of friendship, love him. And he hates women who lie to him, even for good intentions. How do you think he will feel when he finds out that you have lied about not having feelings for him, all this time?"

It was a threat, plain and simple and it did its job. Matilda was rattled.

"He wouldn't believe you."

"Between you and me, who would he believe? A friend he made only out of necessity or the brother his lifelong brother?"

Matilda got up and pushed Alton against the bookshelf. He felt light and easily breakable. She put her arm straight across his chest. "You wouldn't."

"Try me." His breath tickled her face. She bared her teeth like a feral animal.

"You know what, Alton. I have had just about enough of you." She backed off, leaving Alton struggling to breathe.

"Go ahead. Tell him."

"What?"

"Tell him now. Tell him how I'm madly in love with him." She said, waving her hands around like a crazy person.

Alton's mouth pressed in a thin line.

"Fine. Sebastian!" Alton called. No answer. Alton opened the door to Ursula and Eric standing, worried.

"Get my brother." Was all he said, leaving the door wide open as he stared at Matilda in challenge. They circled the room, opposite each other.

"What?" Sebastian came in with a sudden increase of darkness around his sleepy looking eyes. He still seemed out of sorts.

Alton looked at Matilda silently, she gave a sardonic smile.

"Your friend here, are you aware that she has feelings for you?"

Sebastian made a face, "Come on, man. This again? I thought we were over this. I told you, I am not dating her."

"I'm not talking about dating. I am saying that she has feelings for you."

Sebastian laughed. "No she doesn't."

"Yes she does."

Sebastian's wide spread smile slowly shrinked. "Till what is he talking about."

Matilda quietly took out the envelope in her jacket, containing the cheque Alton had given her. She opened the envelope and with a flourish, presented the cheque in front of Sebastian. She turned to look back at Alton when she spoke.

"Your brother somehow had gotten this ridiculous idea that you and I are secretly dating. And he tried to pay me to get me to back off."

She looked at Sebastian who took the cheque from her, shocked at what he was holding.

"Riley, is this true?"

Alton was dumb struck. He had not expected Matilda to have the cheque with her at this time.

"Alton."

"Yes." Alton admitted, not one to shy away from his actions. "I tried to pay her off."

Sebastian's face crumbled into disgust, "Are you fucking kidding me right now? Alton. What the fuck man?"

"It was in your best interest."

"How is this," he shoved the cheque in his brother's face, "in my best interest? Am I a joke to you?"

"Given your history—"

"My history? Alton, that was four years ago, man."

Alton was silent. He looked devastated at how disgusted his brother appeared.

"Jesus." Sebastian ran a hand through his hair then ruthlessly tore up the cheque into a million pieces. "And you." He turned to Matilda.

"What did I do?"

"You actually kept the cheque?" He accused.

"I was never going to use it."

"And you never told me."

"You didn't care."

"Fuck you, Matilda." Sebastian spat in her face.

Matilda sighed, calmly and serenely. Then quick as a whip, punched Sebastian in the face. Gasps came all around.

"I am so done with this dinner!" She screamed. Anger raging inside her like bubbling lava.

"Tilly," Ursula tried to catch her on her way out.

"Fuck off, Ursula." Matilda smacked her hand away. She didn't even care about the tearful look Ursula gave her.

"Hey!" Mal chased after her. "You do not get to treat her like that."

"Oh fuck you too, Mal. Go say that to someone who gives a shit." Matilda kept walking. A small part of her told her that she didn't mean any of what she was saying but Matilda ignored that voice. The red, hot rage inside of her was much louder.

Whispers and pointed fingers marked Matilda's path. She caught snippets of the conversation.

"I know what I'm thankful for."

"What's that."

"Sane friends."

Near the entrance, she held her hand out and the coat from the closet appeared in her hand in a blue flash. Matilda resolved never to go near closets again. She stepped onto the steps outside the main entrance.

"Interesting trick."

Matilda stopped with her foot in the air. She had forgotten about Gwendolyn. She turned on her heel to find the beautiful redhead emerge from the doorway shadows like a spectre.

Did she see me? Did she see my magic?

From her smug smile, it was clear she did. Gwendolyn walked up to her and raised her chin with a single, manicured finger. Matilda found it hard to breathe under the scrutiny of this witch. Terror seized her spine.

"I see you've taken my spell. Let's take that away, shall we?" Gwen waved her other hand and red flashed in front of Matilda's eyes. All of a sudden her rage left her, leaving her weak and shaky.

"Careful now." Gwendolyn's voice had this deep quality to it that made it mesmerizing. Matilda felt herself fall back. Winnie caught her.

"What a weak, little thing you are. And a witch to boot." She held Matilda till she could stand on her own.

"I knew I liked you, Merryweather." Gwendolyn gave a practiced smile.

"What was that?" Matilda's voice croaked as if she hadn't had a drink in days. She felt hungry and groggy.

"A little discord spell I came up with. Works wonders doesn't it? I made it extra potent given Sebastian's size. Never imagined another witch would take it from him."

"Magic that manipulates emotions isn't allowed."

Gwendolyn scoffed, "Since when were rules meant to be followed?"

Matilda gulped.

"What do you want, Gwendolyn?"

"I want a lot of things." She said mysteriously. "You have to be more specific Merryweather."

"Why are you doing this? Why'd you put the discord spell on Bas?"

Gwendolyn moved dangerously close. "I like you, Merryweather. I'd like to be friends. But I don't take kindly to people who butt into my business."

"Sebastian's business is my business."

"Why? I thought he was dating that pathetic princess of his."

"He is. But he's my friend—"

"Oh screw that. The others will never be friends with people like us. You know that."

"I don't believe that's always true."

"Believe what you want." Gwendolyn moved to go back inside.

Matilda stepped in her way, "Gwendolyn. I'm serious. You're crossing a major line here." The magic of true love was sacred amongst all witches, and it was protected by fate. Any witch or wizard that got between true love would be punished severely by fate, and as ambiguous as fate's workings were, the severity of its punishment was always consistent.

"What line? She's just another woman that Sebastian is temporarily obsessed with. It's a fluke."

"No it's not."

"He's meant to be with me. We were just supposed to cool off—"

"—he broke up with you."

"It was a break. Sebastian's just got come commitment issues. He just needs to work them out—"

"—Gwendolyn."

Gwendolyn grabbed Matilda's collars, twisting them in her fist. "Stay out of this Merryweather. Don't make me curse you."

Matilda gulped, "You don't scare me."

Winnie raised a disbelieving brow. "Okay maybe you do scare me. But not enough to get me to back off. And you're insane if you think you can have Sebastian this way."

"I'm only insane till I succeed. After that, you'll be calling me a genius."

"You know people like us can't have what he has."

"Oh that's bullshit. There's always exception to the Law of Limits."

"That's a dangerous line of thinking. Exceptions are always other people, Gwendolyn. They're never us. Regular witches like us are always the rule."

"I'm not a regular witch." She said smugly.

"Fate will punish you."

"Why? Because I'm working hard to get what I want?"

It was then that Matilda realized the mistake in her assumptions about Winnie. She thought the witch could see that Sebastian and Kat were soulmates but that was a specialty for fairy godmothers. There were other kinds of witches; shapeshifters and fortune tellers, the latter being the rarest and (ironically) ill-fortunate.

Since Gwendolyn didn't seem to have the nervous disposition of a fortune teller, Matilda posited she was a shapeshifter. No wonder she looked so perfect.

"They're soul mates, Gwendolyn. It's true love this time."

Gwendolyn let go of Matilda, hissing in a breath with a jolt. "You're a godmother?"

"Yes."

She laughed scornfully. "You? You? Aren't your kind supposed to be all sunny and goody goody? What's with this goth getup? Ah jeez."

"I'm not kidding, Win. It's fate. You can't go against fate."

Winnie's breath was coming in erratically. She blinked fast, her smile turning sour. "That's bullshit. That's bullshit. You're lying."

"I wish I was."

"No. I would have known somehow if it was fate."

"He's an other, Win. It was only a matter of time."

This news had completely changed Winnie's self-assured, over confident attitude. She looked at Matilda like a little lost and a lot angrier. "No. This... She is just a fluke. Sebastian always gets like this when he first starts going out with a girl."

"I see the glow, Win."

"You. You did this. Did you do this?"

Matilda feared that if she said the truth then Winnie might actually put a curse on her. But her silence ended up being an enough of a response for Winnie.

"It-It's your fault isn't it?"

"They would've gotten together eventually. I just... sped up the process."

"No, I know how it works. People around fairy godmothers always find their soul mates. You're like a magnet. It's your fault."

"Win..."

"No!" Winnie yelled. "No. You are a witch, like me. We're supposed to be sisters. You're the reason this happened."

"It's fate, this is not me."

"Fate... well if it's fate I have to go against then fine!"

"Gwendolyn." Matilda felt irritated by Gwendolyn's petty attitude.

"I don't care if I have to go against fate, or the universe itself. No one is taking Sebastian away from me." She eyed Matilda with the resolve of an iceberg about to crash into the Titanic. "No one, Matilda Merryweather. Especially not you."

Matilda squared herself up against the other witch. "I may not be as strong as you Gwendolyn. But when it comes to my friends—"

"Why are you still here?"

The confrontational air between Matilda and Gwendolyn vanished immediately, both stepping away from each other. Giving sidelong glances to let the other know this wasn't over.

Mal stood at the top of the entrance steps. She had come out looking for Phil in case he was out smoking.

"I was just leaving."

"Good. And until you get that attitude of yours in check, Matilda. Don't bother coming back."

"Mal, what I said in there—"

"Save it. I can't even look at you right now."

"I wasn't my self. I was—"

"Not yourself? No shit, Matilda. What the hell was that? How could you treat Ursula like that? And how could you do that to Sebastian?"

"That wasn't me, that was his brother."

"No, that was all you Matilda. You know how Sebastian feels about Alton. You know his history and you still did that to him."

"I told him the truth!" Matilda argued.

"There are better ways to tell the truth, Matilda. You brought his personal family business out in the open and humiliated him in front of everyone. That's not okay."

"Okay so I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

"You can't just play it off Matilda."

"Well what do you want me to do?"

"Leave."

Matilda froze in place. "Mal... I know I made a mistake."

"I want you to leave Matilda. Honestly, I don't think I ever want to speak to you again."

Matilda closed her mouth, hard lined appearing on her jaw.

"What was that you were saying about your friends, Merryweather?" Gwendolyn leaned in close to Matilda's ear.

"You know what Winnie?" Matilda smiled, "Do whatever the hell you want. I'm out."