Chapter 5
The ballroom fell deathly silent.[]
For a split second, Fiona thought she’d misheard. But the twins repeated it, voices ringing with childish certainty.[]
“It was Mommy!“]]
“Yeah! I saw her do it!“[]
In those sweet, piping voices, they delivered the cruelest lie.
It extinguished the last ember of love in Fiona’s heart.]
“I didn’t,” Fiona stated, her voice raw. “Check the cameras-“]]
“Enough.” Seth’s voice cut through, cold and final. []
“Connor and Chloe are five. They don’t lie. And why would Eleanor sacrifice her most precious thing to frame you? You’ve caused enough trouble today. Refusing to admit it? Then face the consequences.“]
His words were glacial. [
“Fiona. Get in the lake. Find that bracelet. You come out when you find it.“[]
Seth Sterling’s decisions were law. [
Bodyguards dragged her downstairs, shoving her into the dark, frigid water.
Weeds tangled around her legs. Rocks scraped her barely healed wounds. Pain shot through her, making her shake uncontrollably.
She searched blindly, hands turning numb and wrinkled. An eternity later, her fingers closed around cold pearls.
Seth snatched it the moment she surfaced. Without a glance at her shivering, bleeding form, he strode back towards Eleanor.[]
Fiona collapsed on the muddy bank, a broken, discarded thing.
Above her, two small voices piped up.
“Brother… Mommy looks really bad. Was this too mean?”
“Nope. Daddy said help Aunt Eleanor no matter what. We just listened.“[]
“Yeah… Mommy loves us anyway. She’ll be fine. Let’s go find Aunt Eleanor…”
Their voices faded as Fiona sank into blackness.[]
She woke alone in a sterile hospital room.]
16.1%
Chapter 5
Two nurses tended her wounds, chatting softly.]
“Marriage really is a second birth, huh? Look at this one. Covered in wounds. Sky–high fever. Not a soul came to visit.“[]
“Not like Mrs. Sterling. Heard her precious bracelet got wet? Mr. Sterling booked the entire private suite! Flew in specialists. from across the country just to fix her puffy eyes.“[]
“True love. And those kids! One peeling lychees for her, the other telling stories? Melted my heart. A boy and a girl? Blessed.“[]
They fell silent as Fiona opened her eyes.]
In the quiet, her phone buzzed. A message from Seth:[]
[Reflect on your actions while you’re here.]]]
The contrast between loved and unloved was brutal. But Fiona’s heart only gave a faint, dull throb.[
No sorrow. No rage. Just hollow emptiness, and the burning need to escape.]]
The chauffeur picked her up on discharge day. []
He stopped outside an exclusive club. “Mr. Sterling is waiting inside, ma’am.“[]
Fiona wasn’t suspicious. As Mrs. Sterling, she’d attended countless events here.[]
Outside the designated private room, she heard strange noises.
Thinking she had the wrong room, she peered through the cracked door.[]
Eleanor sat inside with a strange man. []
The man was tearing at his own shirt, moaning loudly, touching himself.
Eleanor sat calmly beside him, deliberately mussing her hair, digging her nails into her neck to leave angry red marks.]
The scene was bizarre, chilling.
Danger screamed in Fiona’s instincts. She turned to flee.]
But. Too late.
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