Chapter 2

02

"Landon, you can't spoil women like that. It just makes them entitled," Jasmine said, her voice dripping with fake sympathy.

"It's her loss. Where else is a penniless girl from the sticks going to find a talented guy like you?"

Her words carried on the wind, and I let out a sharp, cold laugh.

I was from a "backwater town," sure. But that town was a luxury resort owned by my father's corporation.

I was the sole heiress to the Sterling Group. My father had kept my identity a secret for years just to protect me from people like them.

I had started dating Landon in college. When he wanted to open a studio after graduation, I decided to play along and invested in it secretly.

I didn't realize he was a talentless hack with a massive ego. Even after I secretly bailed him out multiple times, he still managed to run the place into the ground.

Instead of taking responsibility, he blamed everything on me. I had planned to dump him in my previous life, but I had been too slow.

I remembered how they framed me for the death of the ancient tree after I died. My parents were doxxed and harassed because of their lies.

I realized I couldn't just leave yet. I needed hard evidence of them destroying the environment.

I doubled back quietly and hid behind a small ridge, propping my phone up to record.

Luckily, when I smashed the engine, I had also kicked around the leaves, ruining the "perfect" scenery near the ancient tree.

Jasmine gave up on the Gingko tree and moved to a patch of rare wild rhododendrons instead.

I watched Landon grovel at her feet. He started spreading the toxic snow with his bare hands, even tossing it over her to create a "winter effect."

I knew exactly what that toxic trash could do.

It didn't take long. Both of them started scratching at their skin, their voices rising in panic.

"It itches! Oh god, it burns!" Landon yelled.

"My face! What's happening to my face?" Jasmine screamed.

In her panic, Jasmine tripped over her long, elaborate dress and fell face-first into the pile of chemical snow. She let out a blood-curdling shriek.

Landon tried to pull her up, but she dragged him down with her. They both thrashed around in the toxic powder, screaming in agony.

I actually laughed out loud as I captured every second of it.

Soon, the sirens echoed through the trees. The police and the EPA rangers were arriving.

I slipped away before they spotted me. They got there a little too fast for my liking.

If they had been ten minutes later, the wolves might have actually finished the job for me.

I backed up the video in several places. Once I got back to the apartment I shared with Landon, I packed my things and moved straight into the Sterling estate.

I thought I could finally have some peace. But then, the internet came for me.