The three were looking at her with wide-open eyes at Kay's convincing performance.

The Crying Beauty was gone, replaced by a confident woman who wasn't bothered by anything. Her expression was back to normal and she wiped the few tears that had fallen.

"Well? Was that what you were aiming for?" Kay asked with a smile, "Are you satisfied now? Has that somehow made you feel all good inside, seeing me cry and look helpless? If you like, I can do that all the time so that you can feel good about yourself."

"How dare you!" Erica shouted, banging her hand on the table.

At that, Kay banged her hands on the table as well and brought her face close to Erica's, "No, how dare you. Just because I have not said anything before, don't think I'm such a pushover. I ignored you all this time because it's not worth the effort."

"However," Kay continued, as she stood up and gave her a slow smile.

She ran a finger down the jawline of Erica, who was now frozen. and said softly, her voice tinged with some sort of danger in them, "If you continue to push me, you're going to be wishing you never got up from bed that day."

Taking her chin, she gripped it hard, causing tears to form in Erica's eyes, "Ever."

To everyone else, it looked like Kay was flirting with Erica as she 'caressed' her face. The expression on her face was still gentle and kind, as if she couldn't hurt a fly.

It was only Erica and the other two popsicles knew better.

The way her eyes stared at them, the way her voice sounded ... it scared them sh*tless.

All of their arrogance went out of the window. Being pampered young ladies of their household, they had never encountered any danger and right now, they were looking at one hecka scary person.

Erica and the other two were visibly shaken.

This was the first time they had seen this side of Kay and they felt immense regret for even confronting her today.

They knew of her powerful background but they also knew that the Smiths never 'attacked' anyone for personal reasons. Business was business. That was how they got to the top and stayed on top.

That was why Erica had been confident - so long as they didn't do something stupid like hurt Kay physically, there was no danger of any sort of retaliation from Kay's father.

They only made fun of her and tried to instigate others against her (though the latter hardly worked as Kay was as sweet as can be).

How were they to know that Kay, herself, was someone to be wary of?

As Kay sat down, the smile on her face never wavering, she added, "Oh, just a word of caution."

Erica still had the presence of mind to ask, "Oh?"

"If," Kay began, slowly drawing out her words, "Something was to occur to me like, say, some unsubstantiated rumour aimed to tarnish my reputation or something, then three things would occur."

Erica kept a straight face, though inside, she was shocked.

In fact, she had been entertaining that exact same thought already. If confronting Kay directly wouldn't work, then she would spread some rumours about Kay online. The campus community loved to gossip, after all.

"One. The campus newsletter will receive someone's picture taken before and after certain operations. To be specific, nose, cheeks, and ... " Kay paused, smiling, "breasts."

Erica paled.

"Two. Someone's father will get a detailed bank statement about purchases for a certain young man instead of textbooks as was he was told."

Pauline paled.

"Three. Someone's mother will find out what really happened to her most favourite vintage dress worth thousands."

Ethel paled.

"Wha..." Erica started, coughed and cleared her throat, "Whatever do you mean?"

Kay looked at her innocently, "Nothing. Nothing at all. Just saying what would happen if the scenario I gave out happens."

"How can you say that?" Pauline hissed, "If it's something we did, then fine. But to say if something is posted about you online then it's automatically because of us? How can you say we did it?! Why would you do that to us?!"

Kay looked surprised, "What? Did I accuse you of doing something like that? Did I say I was going to do something? I was merely saying what would happen if something like what I thought would happen, did happen."

Their minds whirled. What was this round-a-bout way of talking?

"Stop talking in circles!" protested Ethel, "You are clearly saying that we are going to post something bad about you later on and that you're going to do those things in retaliation to us! It's not like we own the internet! Anyone could post something bad about you!"

"Ah, but that's the thing," Kay said, "I never said you would be behind it. I just said if something did happen, then the other three things would naturally occur as well. Which part do you not understand?"

She looked at them, "Listen well and listen carefully. I am a Smith. If you think I've never had a bad report or news written about me, think again. Yet, the person behind each unsubstantiated report was never seen working in the field again - and I am not affected in the least."

"If you think you can survive when countless others haven't, then, by all means, be my guest. The internet is not as anonymous as you may think it is," Kay finished as a warning.

"Use your brains a little bit before mouthing off," Kay said, "Didn't you wonder how I knew about the earlier things? I only warn once."

Realisation dawned on them and they were now really in fear.

"Now, scram," Kay said, as she gazed at them with a raised eyebrow.

Erica tried to stand her ground but failed miserably. She was shaking too much. Taking whatever was left of her dignity, she left quickly.