Chapter 3

03

A sudden phone vibration broke the silence in the living room. It was an Instagram notification from Brielle.

“Thank you, my love, for taking me on this getaway! As long as you’re with me, every single day is pure bliss!”

Attached were photos of Declan and her wrapped around each other at a luxury beach resort, looking like deeply devoted soulmates.

In a fit of pure disgust, I hurled my phone against the wall. Everything about Declan made me want to vomit.

Then, a crucial detail flashed through my mind.

Evelyn had suffered that fatal heart attack right after answering a specific phone call at the party. Who was on the line, and what did they say?

I rushed to find Evelyn’s phone to check the call logs.

The device itself had been smashed during the chaos, but luckily, the SIM card was intact.

I inserted the card into an old phone, pulled up the incoming history, and froze when I saw the number.

It belonged to Brielle Thorne.

It felt like a bolt of lightning struck my skull―Brielle had orchestrated Evelyn’s death all along!

Right at that moment, the front door clicked open, and Declan walked in.

He looked exhausted and wore his usual sneer of annoyance, barking orders at me the second he stepped through the foyer.

“Danielle, I’m starving. Get in the kitchen and make me some dinner right now.”

He completely ignored the mess in the house and the black-framed portrait on the table, heading straight to the bathroom to freshen up.

I remained motionless on the sofa, staring blankly at Evelyn’s picture.

When Declan came out drying his hair with a towel, he noticed the empty dining table and glared at me with disgust.

“Mom!” he shouted toward the hallway. “I’m hungry! Hurry up and cook me some―”

His voice died in his throat as his eyes finally landed on the memorial portrait.

His pupils dilated in shock, as if he was only now realizing something was terribly wrong.

Pointing an accusing finger at the framed photo, he yelled, “What the hell is this supposed to mean?”

I did not move or look at him, keeping my eyes fixed on Evelyn’s smiling face.

Declan grabbed my arm roughly and yanked me up, his voice turning shrill. “Are you deaf? I asked you what this is!”

I looked at him with dead eyes. “Isn’t it obvious? Mom is dead.”

Declan’s face twisted into violent rage, his bloodshot eyes glaring as his hands clamped down around my throat. “Say that again, I dare you!”

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I screamed in his face, “Mom is dead! She died the exact night you were screwing your mistress!”

Slap!

Before I could finish, a stinging blow struck across my face.

It was the first time he had ever laid a hand on me, and the force made my head spin, swelling my cheek instantly.

I stared at him in sheer disbelief, my voice sharpening with pure hatred. “Declan, you killed your own mother, and now you have the nerve to act like this?”

Suddenly, Declan let out a cruel, mocking laugh.

“Danielle, you really are a manipulative psycho! You actually convinced my mom to play along with this sick stunt just to guilt me?”

“My mom always treated you well, and this is how you repay her? Cursing her to death just to make me pay attention to you?”

“Well, guess what? Brielle is pregnant with my baby!”

“My mom has been begging for a grandchild for years. The moment she finds out, we’re getting divorced, and my mom won’t pick an outsider over her own flesh and blood!”

“I’m going back to take care of Brielle now. You better think long and hard about your pathetic life!”

Declan slammed the front door shut behind him, leaving with a triumphant, giddy smile across his face.

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