Chapter 4

Chloe tugged at her mother's sleeve, her tone urgent. "Mom, did Vanessa drink the stuff or not? Did everything go smoothly? This has to work-I swear, once that bitch is out of the way, I can finally be with Peter and not hide it!" Grace Howard gave a cold, twisted smile, patting her daughter's hand like everything was under control. "Chloe, stop worrying. It'll work. The Hayes have never liked Vanessa anyway-she's just an orphan clinging to that old engagement promise. Once she screws up, calling off the wedding is only natural. Then you and Peter can be together without all the drama." Chloe lowered her eyes with a giggle, cheeks flushing. "You're the best, Mom." John, however, didn't look so sure. "Grace, don't forget what my brother left in his will. That frozen inheritance-once Vanessa hits nineteen, it's legally hers. If she smells something off after today, getting our hands on that money won't be easy." Grace smirked confidently. "Relax. I've played the long game for years. I've made sure we looked decent to them, especially Xander-he's treated me like a real mom. That money's already half in our pocket. Trust me." Chloe's eyes lit up with admiration. "I always knew you were the smartest, Mom! But we agreed, once we get their inheritance, you're putting it toward my wedding, okay?" "You little money grubber." Grace playfully tapped Chloe's nose. Vanessa, listening from the other side of the door, was frozen in shock. She leaned too far forward without realizing, and her shoulder accidentally nudged the slightly opened door, causing a soft creak. "Who's there?" John snapped his head toward the noise, eyes as sharp as needles. Realizing she was busted, Vanessa didn't hesitate. Despite still wearing five-centimeter heels, she bolted like her life depended on it. As she turned the corner, Chloe's shriek followed behind her. "Dad, go after her! It's Vanessa-that slut heard everything!" And then Grace yelled, voice full of panic, "She's not in the room!" Uproar erupted behind her. Vanessa ran like her soul was on fire. No way she was letting herself be screwed over again like her past life. One of her heels snapped mid-run, but she didn't stop-just yanked them off and kept sprinting barefoot, clutching her broken shoes as she fled. After running for a while, Vanessa passed by a "Wall of Love" covered in second-hand clothes donated for those in need. Without hesitation, she grabbed a shirt and a short skirt, quickly slipping them on. She spotted a pair of canvas shoes nearby-didn't check the size, just shoved her feet in and took off again. The sky was getting darker. At first, the sounds of people chasing behind her still echoed loudly, but they gradually faded. Exhaustion hit her hard. Taking advantage of the darkness, she ducked into a park and collapsed on a bench, just planning to rest a bit. She didn't expect to fall asleep like that. By the time she opened her eyes again, the sun was already up. She wandered around the park most of the day. Toward the evening, more and more people were showing up for their daily workouts. In the middle of the square stood a huge screen, currently showing a news broadcast. The date flashed across the screen, and Vanessa froze when she saw it-only three days had passed since her "death." Right after, a picture of a couple dressed in fancy wedding attire lit up the screen. They were gazing into each other's eyes as they exchanged rings... The newscaster's voice was full of admiration: "Victor truly is the most devoted man of this century. Despite Fiona's illness, he still proposed to her. Let's all send our best wishes to this beautiful couple, and hope that Fiona recovers soon..." Vanessa couldn't hear the rest. Her mind had already gone blank, looping one scene over and over-Victor yelling at her, voice full of malice: "Freya, did you really think a walking pile of fat like you could ever attract me? The only reason I bothered with you was for your shares in the Livingston Corporation. Now that I have them, the only use you have left is your kidneys. Donating them to Fiona at least gives your life some value..." Tears blurred her vision without her even noticing. Cold drops slid down her cheeks. Yeah... she'd been stupid. Too trusting. She'd handed over everything to that heartless man who not only robbed her blind, but also drove her father to his death. She could still see her dad, standing on the rooftop the day the company went bankrupt. All worn out, completely defeated, looking at her one last time with those tired eyes-then without a word, he jumped. Sixteen floors. His body didn't even stay whole. "Dad... I'm sorry... I swear I'll make them all pay," she whispered between sobs. When she finally pulled herself together, she got to her feet, glanced back at the giant screen one last time, and, swallowing the rage and pain, walked out of the park.