Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Juliette couldn’t remember the exact moment it all began. Everything had crept up so quietly, so subtly, it was everywhere yet nowhere. The signs had always been there; she had just been too blind to see them.
Mason stepped forward, shielding his wife as if Juliette was the threat. His voice was sharp and full of accusation. “Where are your brother and Bianca now?”
“In the back garden,” Juliette said flatly, her tone cold and distant.
“Did you actually hit Bianca? And your brother too?”
His words weren’t a question; he had already made up his mind. She was guilty, and nothing she said would change that.
“Yes,” she replied simply, showing no sign of denial.
Her father’s face turned an angry shade of red, his fury barely contained. “How dare you?!” he roared. “Your mother tries to discipline you, and you fight back? Let go of her hand this instant!”
His voice dropped, dripping with venom. “If anything happens to Bianca–if she’s even slightly hurt–I won’t let this go, not even if you’re my own daughter.”
He stepped toward her, reaching to pry her hand away, but Juliette let go of her mother’s wrist before he could do anything. She stood there, cold and dripping wet, staring at the parents who were so quick to condemn her. They didn’t care if she was hurt, or even alive. They only cared about Bianca.
‘These parents… what was I even holding on for in my last life?‘ she thought.
She had spent years backing down, thinking that if she gave enough, if she swallowed enough pride, she could earn their
love.
And yet, what had it brought her? She had retreated, step by step, until she’d been pushed to the edge of her life–only to be abandoned without hesitation.
Now, here she stood, soaked to the bone, in pain, and all they cared about was taking Bianca’s side.
“This family? I don’t need them anymore,‘ she told herself.
Her voice was calm and emotionless. “Because she deserved it.”
Mason’s chest heaved as his rage boiled over. Without hesitation, he raised his hand to slap her. “How dare you lay hands on Bianca? Do you think I’ll let this go? I’ll beat the insolence out of you!”
Juliette’s eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp and unflinching. All it had taken was one act of rebellion, and every single one of them–her brother, her mother, her father–was ready to attack her.
But she didn’t care anymore. The ties between them were already severed in her heart. So when her father swung, she caught his hand mid–air with ease.
“You still think I’m the same Juliette who let you push her around? Who let you hit her whenever you wanted? From my brother to my mother, now you–has anyone even asked what happened to me tonight? No? Of course not.
“But that’s fine. Since you’re all so eager to believe the worst about me, I’ll make sure you see the truth yourselves. Watch
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Chapter 4
carefully–you wouldn’t want to miss it.”
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Mason froze, stunned by the clarity and steel in her words. And then, as if on cue, the lights in the banquet hall suddenly
went out.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as confusion spread, the air heavy with tension.
A moment later, the large screen at the end of the hall lit up, casting a glow that drew everyone’s attention. The room fell silent as all eyes locked on the screen.
The footage began to play.
Crystal clear, the video showed Bianca shoving Juliette into the lake. Every detail, every movement, every act of malice was laid bare for everyone to see.
The surveillance footage was short–just ten seconds–but after looping three times, the message was clear. Even an idiot could see the truth.
As the screen froze on the final frame, the banquet hall lights snapped back on, bathing the room in stark brightness.
Juliette turned to her family, her gaze landing on her parents and younger sister. Their faces were a kaleidoscope of emotions–shock, guilt, and disbelief, shifting like paint on a messy palette.
“Wait… did I see that right? Bianca pushed Juliette into the lake? And their brother… he saved the foster sister and left his real sister to drown?”
“Even if Juliette’s not much to write home about, how could Bianca go that far? And the brother–so cold to his own blood. What kind of family is this?”
“This isn’t a fight. It’s attempted murder. That video is damning evidence. She could go to jail for this.”
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“And here I thought Bianca was all sweetness and charity with her perfect public image. Turns out she can’t even tolerate the real eldest heiress.”
“Maybe Juliette bullied her first. Could’ve been payback.”
The hall buzzed with whispers, theories flying as people tried to piece it together.
Mason snapped back to reality, his expression grim. Ignoring the elephant in the room, he declared, “The banquet is over. Everyone leave.”
The guests, though clearly still eager to gossip, took the hint and began to filter out.
As soon as the hall was clear, Mason exploded. He grabbed a heavy glass ashtray from a nearby table and hurled it at Juliette with full force.
“You ungrateful little brat!” he roared. “How dare you humiliate the Vaughn family like this? Do you even deserve to be called my daughter?!”
“Forget the truth for a second,” he spat, his voice shaking with rage. “You played that video in front of everyone. Do you want the whole world to laugh at us? You’ve made a mockery of the Vaughn family! What you did–it’s like spitting in my face!”
The ashtray flew through the air, aiming straight for her head. It wasn’ta warning–it was meant to hurt, maybe worse. Juliette’s heart clenched. If not for the self–defense training she’d insisted on as a child–ironically over Bianca’s objections-
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Chapter 4
she might’ve frozen.
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But before she could react, an arm wrapped tightly around her waist, yanking her back. A faint scent of cedarwood filled the air, and when she looked up, her gaze met deep, sharp eyes–Patrick.
The ashtray whizzed past her ear, crashing into the wall with a deafening sound. Shards of glass scattered across the floor, glinting in the light.
Juliette quickly stepped out of Patrick’s hold, straightening the oversized coat draped over her shoulders as if she wasn’t rattled.
Patrick frowned slightly at her retreat but said nothing. Instead, he turned his attention to the Vaughn family, his gaze cold and piercing.
“Mr. Vaughn,” he said, his voice low and sharp, “you said, ‘Forget the truth.‘ So what exactly do you want to discuss? How you defend your foster daughter while ignoring your biological one’s life?”
Mason’s face flushed, his rage giving way to humiliation under Patrick’s cutting words.
“You want to skip over the facts?” Patrick continued, his tone calm but ruthless. “The fact is, your foster daughter attempted to murder your real daughter. Juliette survived and fought back–rightfully so.
“But instead of supporting the victim, you’re more concerned about your family’s reputation. What kind of father does that?”
His words were like a blade, slicing through the air. His gaze shifted to Juliette, and for a brief moment, his eyes softened, a flicker of pity and frustration surfacing.
He then added, “A family like this isn’t worth holding on to. Trash is trash. Sometimes it’s better to throw it away.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Polly snapped, her voice shrill and defensive. “This is a Vaughn family matter! It’s none of your damn business!”
Her tone was sharp, but there was hesitation in her posture. Patrick might’ve been just an actor by their social standards, but there was something about his presence–commanding, almost regal–that made it hard to meet his eyes.
“Covering for a criminal makes you just as guilty,” Patrick said coldly, ignoring her outburst. “I saw it with my own eyes- your foster daughter tried to kill Juliette. That’s attempted murder.”
“That’s why I played the footage, so everyone could see the truth. As a law–abiding citizen, I have no intention of being complicit in your family’s lies.“His voice was calm but carried a weight that silenced any rebuttal.
Juliette glanced at him, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. She’d always thought Patrick was aloof, someone who didn’t involve himself in other people’s problems.
Yet here he was, stepping in for her, defending her with more fire than she ever expected.
Her parents, meanwhile, seemed to finally realize the situation had spiraled out of their control.
Polly, her tone softening to the point of insincerity, tried to de–escalate. “This… this is just a misunderstanding,” she said, forcing a smile. “It’s nothing serious, just a little fight between sisters. Isn’t that right, Juliette?
“You hit Bianca too, didn’t you? So let’s just call it even and move on. Look at you, you’re soaked. Go change your clothes before you catch a cold
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Chapter 4
Her words dripped with fake concern, but the desperation in her voice was impossible to miss.
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