Chapter 4

I carefully gathered my grandmother's ashes and went to see Cheryl one last time.

I didn't tell her my grandmother had died, afraid it would hurt her. I only said we were planning to settle overseas.

I had just stepped out the front door of the Henson house when I ran into the three of them—Luke, Eva, and his mother.

Maureen folded her arms and let out a sneer.

"Well, well. You couldn't marry your way into the Henson family, so now you're clinging to the old lady instead?"

Eva had her arm looped through Luke's, and she pretended to counsel me.

"Nanette, Mr. Henson's already giving you a chance—a hundred grand a year. Just say yes. Otherwise, how are you going to survive all on your own?"

Luke swept a cold glance over me.

"I know Grandmother's fond of you. Since you can keep her happy, I'll make it two hundred thousand a year. Don't be a fool about it."

I looked at their ugly faces and felt nothing at all. My voice came out flat.

"No need."

Luke gave a cold snort.

"Nanette, my patience has a limit. Throw another tantrum trying to jack up the price and I'll throw you out on the street."

I stared at the three people standing in front of me. Their faces were full of arrogance, contempt, and satisfaction.

Strangely, I felt nothing anymore.My voice was calm,almost emotionless.

"No need."

Luke's expression darkened immediately.

"Nanette, my patience has limits."

"Don't keep putting on this act just to raise the price. If you walk away now, don't blame me when you end up on the streets."

I looked at the man in front of me, the man I had once spent three years trying to save.

And for the first time in my life, I regretted ever pulling him out of that darkness.

Eva's eyes darted around, and she took a step forward.

"Mr. Henson, she's still sore about the wedding day. Let me talk to her."

She leaned in close, the smile on her face remained gentle, but the words she whispered were cruel enough to freeze my blood.

"Nanette, that video—I sent it. That grandmother of yours, the one with the heart condition. Did I manage to scare her to death?"

For a second, the entire world went silent.

My body went cold, and then a wave of rage surged through every inch of me.

She was the one who killed my grandmother!

I swung my hand and slapped her hard across the face.

"You monster,!How dare you!"

Eva immediately covered her cheek and fell into Luke's arms, tears filling her eyes."Mr. Henson, "Mr. Henson… I was only trying to help, and she hit me to blow off steam!"

Luke's face darkened at once. Without a second thought, he raised his hand and slapped me back, hard.

The force sent me straight to the ground. A sharp pain spread across my cheek, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

"Eva was only trying to help you, and you dare to hit her!"

Luke's face was twisted with rage. Before I could even react, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me toward the basement.

The pain shot through my scalp, but it was nothing compared to the coldness I felt inside.

"I've clearly spoiled you rotten. You can stay down here and think about what you've done!"

His voice was filled with anger, as if I were the one who had betrayed him.

He dragged me down step by step, ignoring the blood at the corner of my mouth.Then the iron door slammed shut behind me.

The heavy sound echoed through the basement before the lock clicked into place.

I stood there in the darkness for a long moment, leaning against the cold wall, slowly forcing myself back onto my feet.

My body hurt everywhere, but my mind had never been clearer.

I saved the recording on my phone. Every word Eva had just said, admitting she'd killed my grandmother—I'd caught all of it.

I held the phone tightly in my hand.So this was what they had done to me.

They took away my grandmother, destroyed my dignity, and thought they could bury the truth along with me in this basement.

They were wrong.

I would make sure every single one of them paid the price.

Just then the iron door swung open...

……