Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Juliette instantly felt Patrick’s gaze on her and couldn’t help but look back. Their eyes locked, creating an undeniable tension in the air.
“Louis said you could take his room tonight, if you want to come with me,” Patrick said, his voice surprisingly soft, almost warm–a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanor, as if he genuinely cared.
‘Is he worried I might get caught up in the family’s drama if she stayed alone?‘ A sense of unease twisted in Juliette’s gut.
She stiffened. “My engagement to Finn is still on. They won’t dare make a move.”
Patrick glanced at the broken ashtray on the floor, silently asking “How did she explain the earlier incident with the flying object?”
“He just got pissed, lost his cool for a sec,” Juliette shrugged. “I can handle it.”
Patrick didn’t argue. He just studied her for a beat, then sighed, “Alright,” and walked off with smooth, confident steps.
Juliette watched him go, then turned to head upstairs. “Tell two maids to come up and help me pack.”
“What the hell are you doing now?!” Mason’s anger had cooled a bit, and his logic was kicking back in.
Even though the mess started with Bianca provoking Juliette, the scandal tonight was still her fault. Mason wasn’t thrilled.
But thinking about Juliette marrying into the Montgomery family–bringing their resources and securing a spot in Hawthorn’s elite circle–he kept his anger in check.
Juliette paused, then explained patiently, “When Bianca gets back, she’s gonna cry and say I can’t stand her and that she’s leaving. I’m just packing her stuff now, in case she changes her mind and stays.”
Her words hit a nerve. Mason and Polly’s anger flared up again.
Polly shot back, “Bianca’s been with us since she was little. She’s like our own kid. If she made a mistake, she’d beg to stay and make it right–she wouldn’t pull this bullshit!”
Mason joined in, fuming, “You ungrateful brat! How can you frame your own sister like that?! You nearly drowned because of her carelessness, and you’ve already punished her enough. Isn’t that enough for you?”
At that moment, Bianca, supported by Evan, entered and overheard the scolding. A smug smile tugged at her lips.
She broke free from Evan’s hold, kneeled in front of her parents, and let the tears flow. “Mom, Dad, I’m just an adopted daughter, but my sister pushed me into the water, almost killing me.
“Thank god Evan saved me, or I’d be dead right now. Since she can’t stand me, I’m leaving the Vaughn family today. Please forgive me for being ungrateful.”
Her tears flowed like a river, making her seem fragile and pitiful.
Mason and Polly’s faces shifted, a mix of emotions crossing their expressions.
Polly had just been so sure that Bianca wouldn’t be this fake, and now, she was eating her words.
Isla wasn’t really concerned about Juliette’s safety. She just wanted to get Bianca to change tactics and stop playing the same
11:38 Wed, Jan 29 BB.
Chapter 5
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Bianca froze for a moment, her tears still running down her face. She took a long pause, then slowly wiped her cheek with a delicate motion, her poise somehow making everyone in the room feel a pang of sympathy.
“I get it,” she sighed, her voice soft but tinged with resignation and a hint of relief. “Mom, Dad, and my sister don’t trust me anymore. Fine. I’ll pack my things and leave quietly. It’s just… I feel guilty.
“I can’t repay you for raising me, and I won’t be around to take care of you when you’re older.”
Bianca’s fragile, wronged expression–like she’d suffered so much but chose to endure in silence–hung heavy in the air, tugging at everyone’s hearts.
Juliette couldn’t bear the sight of her fake act any longer. She turned to leave but paused outside Bianca’s bedroom door. The room was spacious and bright, meticulously decorated. It used to be hers–her safe haven. But thanks to Bianca’s bullshit “admiration” and teary pleas, she’d been guilt–tripped into giving it up.
Now, her sanctuary was Bianca’s “prize,” and her own room couldn’t compare.
Five minutes later, Juliette stood outside the same door, sprinkling a thin layer of powder across the floor. A cold smirk tugged at her lips.
She knew Bianca’s “decision to leave” was just a ploy. By tonight, she’d be back here, claiming her “spoils” like always.
With that done, Juliette returned to her room. From her drawer, she pulled out a small vacuum–sealed bag and carefully placed inside two strands of hair she’d yanked from Louis.
Then, she pulled two strands from her own head and sealed them in another bag. The two bags sat close together, deliberately arranged. Tomorrow, she’d take them to the hospital
For a moment, the image of Louis flashed through her mind. She shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and steadied herself before grabbing some clothes and heading into the bathroom.
The room, the bathroom–everything looked just as it always had, as though time hadn’t moved. But she wasn’t the same. She’d been through too much to ever go back.
She turned on the warm water, but the moment it touched her skin, it burned like fire, scorching her. She jumped back, her heart racing.
Even the faintest warmth felt unbearable, like being thrown into flames. In the end, she turned the knob to cold, letting the icy water numb her pain.
Afterward, she glanced at the calendar on her desk–October 21, 2020.
Her hand, clutching the towel, froze. Her fingers curled slightly as a storm of emotions swirled inside her.
Downstairs, Bianca’s sobs carried on, sharp and pitiful, like a dagger in everyone’s heart.
Evan frowned, his voice heavy with indignation as he turned to their parents. “Mom, Dad, Juliette’s been messing with Bianca for years. That surveillance video? It’s fake. She had someone doctor it with AI, all to set up Bianca and make us blame her.”
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Mason and Polly froze, the truth dawning on them. Their doubts melted away instantly. In their heart, Bianca, so gentle, so kind–she’d never do anything like that.
They believed it had to be Juliette, using tech to manipulate them and frame Bianca.
Mason’s face darkened, his anger simmering. He wanted to call Juliette down and tear into her, but he held back. She was about to marry into the Montgomery family, and he couldn’t risk jeopardizing that alliance.
Gritting his teeth, he turned to comfort Bianca instead. “Bianca, this is Bianca’s fault. We spoiled her, gave her the chance to hurt you. But don’t worry–once the wedding is settled, I’ll make this right.”
Evan had said something similar to Bianca earlier in the backyard. His trust in her was absolute. Whatever she said, no matter how questionable, was gospel to him.
After being coaxed by her parents, Polly and Isla helped Bianca back to her room. But when they opened the door, they froze in their tracks.
Then, screams erupted–sharp and panicked. They stumbled back, nearly falling down the stairs.
“What the hell happened?!” Mason and Evan rushed over, shielding the women behind them. But when their eyes landed on the scene inside the room, even these so–called “tough guy” sucked in sharp breaths.
A chill crept up their spines, leaving them shaken to the core.
