Chapter 3

3.

The crowd didn't stop mocking me; instead, they erupted into sharp, biting laughter. "She still thinks she's the wealthy heiress of the Lynn family. Your grandpa is dead, honey. Your backing is gone!" "Mr. Ford is the dream man of every girl in the city. Since when does an orphan get to be the one to dump him?"

"The Fords are all about tradition. You think they'll let a brat say something so disrespectful? She's going to pay for that." Dorian's parents stepped forward and slapped me twice across the face, hard. "Our family values virtue! If Ivy weren't our daughter, we'd have found someone as sweet and perfect as her to marry our son, not a brat like you!"

"How dare you try to embarrass my son in public? Without him, you wouldn't even be able to afford a funeral this big!" My head was spinning from the slaps, and I looked at Dorian, who was just watching coldly. He had his arm around Ivy's waist, his voice dripping with malice.

"If this engagement is ending, I'm the one who ends it. You don't have the right." Ivy tugged on his sleeve, fueling the fire. "Dorian, if she's so ungrateful, let's just end it today! Rip up the contract and kick her out. Let's see who else would ever want her!"

"Then we don't have to use her as a shield anymore. We won't have to hide our relationship!" I stared at them in disbelief, my voice raspy and raw. "So you've been together this whole time... Dorian, I hope you remember the legal agreement the Fords signed with my grandfather."

"If the Ford family breaks the engagement or if there is any infidelity, the Lynn estate immediately withdraws all investments from Ford Industries!" Dorian froze for a second, panic flickering in his eyes as he prepared to argue. But Ivy just giggled and whispered in his ear.

"That contract was signed when the old man was alive. He's dead now, so it's void! Besides, the Lynn assets are already tangled with yours. She needs you more than you need her." Dorian's face instantly broke into a wide grin. He patted her head. "I almost forgot. The Fords don't need the Lynns anymore. Even if we break up, she'll be the one crawling back to beg for my mercy!"

"Fine, let's end it. But all the inheritance your grandfather left? Consider that my compensation for putting up with you. It all belongs to the Fords now!" I couldn't believe how shameless he was. Back then, they couldn't even afford the gold for the wedding, and now he wanted my grandfather's billion-dollar estate as "compensation"?

His confidence made me uneasy, so I snatched a phone from one of the guards and called our family office. The person on the line told me that three days ago, Dorian had transferred all the Lynn funds into his personal account under the guise of "estate management." My hands trembled, and tears streamed down my face.

"Dorian! You were planning to steal his legacy all along! I'm warning you, give that money back. That's government-issued compensation for a national hero..." Dorian laughed, completely unfazed. "You used your family name to bully Ivy for years. Now that the Lynn wealth is gone, let's see what you've got left to brag about!"

"Come on, Ivy! Let's go bury Luck!" He picked up the dog's body and started walking toward the hearse parked outside. Ivy stuck her tongue out at me triumphantly.

"Having a wealthy family is so nice. We even have a high-end hearse for my Luck today." I clutched my grandfather's urn and watched them get into the vehicle with a cold, dark smile. That hearse was sent by the high-ranking officials. It was meant to carry my grandfather to the National Cemetery.

No one was allowed on that vehicle except the family of a Medal of Honor recipient. The commanders and officials were likely already waiting at the cemetery to pay their respects. If they saw those two stepping off that hearse with a dead dog, the Ford family would be erased from Bay City by tomorrow morning.

I couldn't help but let out a small, jagged laugh. Dorian yelled at me from the car. "Stop standing there and get over here! You're driving the lead car and throwing the ritual paper! I want to hear you wailing for Luck the whole way there!" Ivy leaned out the window with a playful smirk.

"You better cry loud, Ruby! Once Luck is buried, we might let your old man have a turn in the hearse too!" "You don't even have to thank me. Just get on your knees and give me a few good head-bows later!" I didn't move. Dorian's parents grabbed me by the hair and dragged me toward the car.

"Start crying! Louder! If Ivy isn't happy, we aren't happy! And you don't want to know what happens when we're unhappy!" My scalp stung as they yanked me, but I didn't struggle as they pushed me toward the cemetery. The more arrogant they were now, the harder they would fall. The hearse finally pulled up at the gates of the National Cemetery.