Chapter 5

Sylvia returned to the Lowe residence and ordered that all the wedding photos on the walls be taken down. She then gathered all the gifts Weston had given her, along with their shared belongings, and burned them to ashes. She went out into the courtyard where Weston had once planted an entire garden of gardenias just for her. He used to tell her that gardenias were like their love. They were pure and flawless. Sylvia cupped one in her palm. Its delicate fragrance rose to her nose. The next second, she crushed the petals and let them fall onto the dirt. She expressionlessly struck a match and set fire to the garden, watching until the entire place was burned clean. The flames reflected in her pupils. The pain she had suppressed surged from the depths of her heart, overwhelming even the aches in her body. It was like the lingering agony after a poison has been scraped from the bone. Luckily, she would be able to leave it all behind in three days. She would start a new life. When Weston came home with Elaine in his arms, the only thing he noticed was that the horse seemed a little tidier. He didn't notice anything unusual. Catching sight of Sylvia packing, he frowned and asked casually, "Why are you packing, Vivi?" "My parents are planning to travel abroad for a few days. I'm going with them," she answered without turning her head. "When? Let me check my schedule. I'll come along if I have time. Elaine's never been abroad either, so this would be the perfect chance to take her with us." "That's right, Vivi," Elaine chimed in. "I really want to travel overseas too." Sylvia paused for just a moment before she replied lightly, "I already asked your assistant about your schedule. You'll be busy with clients at that time. Plus, doesn't your sister still need treatment? It wouldn't be wise for her to be running around, would it?" Weston froze, then said nothing. In the end, they quietly dropped the plan to follow Sylvia. The next day, the notary public notified Sylvia to collect some legal documents. Just as she stepped out the front doors, someone suddenly grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth and nose. The sharp stench of ether made Sylvia's heart jolt. Within moments, she lost consciousness. When she woke again, everything was pitch black. A blindfold had been tied over her eyes, her wrists were bound behind her with zip ties, and her ankles were lashed with rope. The air reeked of rotting food, reminiscent of a livestock barn out in the countryside. The burlap blindfold let a little sunlight seep through, just enough that she could make out two blurred figures close together. The woman's face was all too familiar. It was Elaine. Elaine's expression was dark. Her voice was sharp with anger. "Didn't I tell you to get rid of her? Why bring her here?" The man had a long scar on his face. He lit a cigarette with ease and blew out a puff of smoke. "For money, of course. All that top-shelf stuff you wanted didn't come cheap, Elaine. The money you had before wasn't nearly enough," he said. Elaine's face twisted in frustration. "It was all this bitch's fault!" Her eyes flicked toward Sylvia, who immediately held her breath and stayed still. "I could've stolen all those valuables and sold them off, but she ruined everything, and I had to put them back!" Elaine's voice dripped with rage and resentment. "The shipment is about to arrive. You know the rules—cash for goods. For now, the only way to make up for it is to use Weston's wife as leverage," Richard Stone said, crushing the cigarette before spitting on the ground. "You told him yet?" Elaine didn't answer his question. Instead, she simply looked up and asked, "How much do you think she's worth?" Richard shook his head. "That's why I waited for you. You're Weston's sister. You'd know what kind of price this woman could fetch." "50 million," Elaine said after thinking for a moment. "Great!" Richard immediately began typing out a message to Weston. But halfway through, his body convulsed violently. He shook all over until the phone slipped from his hand and clattered onto the floor. Elaine knew that he was in withdrawal. She quickly pulled a syringe from her pocket and plunged it straight into his vein. Minutes later, Richard's eyes fluttered open again. "Thanks." "If you really meant that, you could repay me by getting better stuff," she said carelessly as she packed away the syringe. Richard gave a low chuckle. "As it happens, I have something special right now. I was planning to keep it for myself, but since you helped me out, I'll let you try some." He pulled out a small packet with a bearded clown printed on it. "New batch. Pure as hell. One hit, and you'll be flying." Elaine's eyes lit up with excitement. Sylvia nervously watched them as their bodies slowly relaxed and their gazes grew vacant. She knew it was her chance.