Under the unforgiving midday sun, I was on a delivery run, carrying a customized Western meal worth a whopping eighty-eight thousand, eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars. When I reached the mansion gates, I heard bursts of laughter from inside. “She actually believes you’re a failed entrepreneur, slaving away at odd jobs every day to support you?” “I heard she even sold her grandmother’s heirlooms for your eighth startup.” “If she knew you were the high-and-mighty scion of Ford Industries, deliberately faking poverty to make Briar happy, she’d probably pass out from rage.” Declan Ford’s voice dripped with mockery. “Well, she *did* target Briar back in college. This is just a little lesson for her.” I stood frozen at the entrance, tears streaming down my face, unstoppable. For the past two years, for him, I’d rebelled against my Grandpa Richard and ran away from home. I’d even refused my arranged engagement to the Thorne family, dedicating myself completely to him. And this was the result. Finally, with trembling hands, I dialed a number I hadn’t called in ages. “Grandpa, I was wrong. I’ll agree to the engagement.”
Inside the mansion, Briar Miller’s saccharine voice echoed. “Brother Declan, you’re the best to me! That Aubrey Hayes is nothing. She doesn’t deserve to be with you. It’s been far too easy for her these past two years.” I stood rigid outside the door, the takeout bag in my hands suddenly weighing a ton of bricks. Today was Declan’s and my two-year anniversary. I’d planned to finish this last delivery and head home to prepare a surprise. Declan’s voice, lighter and more frivolous than I’d ever heard it, responded, “Of course, she doesn’t deserve me. If it wasn’t to get revenge for her ‘bullying’ you back then, why would I stoop so low? Playing house with her for two years…” Briar giggled. “Brother Declan, look how ridiculous she is! She really thinks she’s some kind of savior, delivering food every day to support her ‘down-on-his-luck’ prince.” Through the cracked door, I saw Declan lounging lazily on the couch, not a hint of a “failed entrepreneur” about him. And on Briar Miller’s slender wrist, unmistakably, was my grandmother’s carved stone bracelet. Declan pinched Briar’s cheek. “Watching her grovel for delivery fees to customers was truly satisfying.” My vision blurred, my breathing grew shallow. For the past two years, I’d woken up at four in the morning to deliver food, not clocking out until eleven at night. I’d even sold all my valuables. Even the bracelet my grandmother left me, I’d pawned it off. That night, Declan held me close and said, “Aubrey, once I get back on my feet, I’ll make sure you live a good life.” But it turned out his so-called family bankruptcy, orphaned parents, and repeated startup failures… It was all a web of lies, spun to help another woman get revenge on me. I shoved the door open. The laughter inside abruptly ceased. Declan sprang up from the couch as if he’d been zapped, his face instantly paling. “Aubrey… Aubrey? What are you doing here? I’m discussing business with friends.” I didn’t even glance at him, my gaze locked on Briar Miller’s wrist. “Give me back my bracelet.” Briar arrogantly tilted her chin. “Why should I? Declan gave this to me as a gift.” My voice trembled uncontrollably. “That’s my grandmother’s heirloom! I only pawned it to lend Declan money for his ‘startup’!” The smile on Declan’s face froze. He instinctively grabbed my wrist, trying to coax me with his usual gentle tone. “Aubrey, let me explain…” I yanked my hand away. “Explain what? Explain how you lied to me for two years? Or explain how you casually gave away my grandmother’s heirloom?” Briar stood up, deliberately clutching the carved stone bracelet on her wrist. “You want it? Fine, a million dollars. Pay me now, and it’s yours.” A million dollars! Ever since I’d broken ties with my family, I’d been utterly penniless, all my money going into Declan’s supposed ventures. I couldn’t even scrape together a thousand dollars. Declan, standing nearby, averted my gaze, silently condoning Briar’s deliberate humiliation of me. My heart plummeted. I gritted my teeth and said, “Give me three days. I’ll buy it.” Briar laughed, a loud, exaggerated sound. “Three days? You couldn’t earn a million dollars in a lifetime of deliveries.” With that, she snatched the takeout bag from my hand and flung the eighty-eight thousand dollar customized Western meal all over me. Briar then crushed the expensive beef with her high heel. “See? People like you only deserve to smell it.” I was covered in grease, but I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Briar sneered, then suddenly took off the bracelet and yanked open the window. “Look at your pathetic, poor self. Since you care so much…” Before I could even react, she tossed the bracelet out. I immediately rushed to the window, screaming, “No—!” The bracelet arced through the air and disappeared into the filthy storm drain below. My grandmother had personally put it on my wrist on her deathbed. It was my last tangible link to family.
I pushed away Declan, who was trying to grab me. “Get lost.” Under everyone’s stunned gazes, I jumped into the storm drain without hesitation. Instantly, the foul water rose to my waist, and the stench assaulted me. Around me, gasps and jeers erupted, but I blocked them out. Briar’s piercing laughter echoed from upstairs. “Hahaha, look at that crazy woman! Jumping into a cesspit for a broken bracelet! I’m dying!” Declan frowned and yelled at me, “For a broken bracelet, are you really doing this?” Broken bracelet? It was the only keepsake my grandmother left me! And his beloved Briar had tossed it away like garbage! I frantically fumbled in the murky water, enduring the blazing sun overhead. I searched in the sewage for almost half an hour. Finally, I felt the outline of the bracelet, but it had shattered into three pieces. Clutching the broken bracelet, I slowly climbed out of the storm drain. The crowd of onlookers quickly covered their noses and parted, clearing a path for me. Declan’s voice, sharp with disdain and fury, came from the mansion steps. That face, which once made my heart flutter, was now distorted and unfamiliar. “Aubrey Hayes! If you dare to leave now, we’re over.” I looked down at the shattered stone in my hand, my voice eerily calm. “We’re already over.” Briar walked over, her high heels clicking, and intimately linked her arm through Declan’s. She shook her wrist, showing off another gold bracelet. “Brother Declan, why waste words on this lowlife? She’s not even worth mentioning. Should I throw this one down too? Make her perform another jump into the cesspit?” Declan suddenly sneered. “Aubrey, watching you work like an idiot to support me for two years has been the greatest joy of my life. Don’t think for a second I’d ever like a cheap woman like you. You don’t even wear makeup; you’re an embarrassment to be seen with.” My entire body trembled, tears blurring my vision. My voice was icy cold. “We’re done!” But Declan’s face changed, his expression shifting from panic to grimness. “Aubrey, who do you think you are? You lived off me for two years! You’re nothing without me! Now you just want to walk away?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Lived off you? Declan Ford, can you honestly say who was supporting whom for the past two years? Who was working three jobs a day for your ‘startup’?” Briar kept her distance, covering her nose and frowning. “Oh, those gifts Brother Declan bought you, those fancy restaurants he took you to—that was all money! Now you just want to walk away without a care!” Those so-called “gifts” were all bought with my blood, sweat, and tears. Declan’s “fancy restaurants” were always paid for by me. I turned towards the gate, emphasizing again. “We’re finished!” Without another glance at them, I turned and walked away, resolute. How could I have been so blind, to fall in love with such a monster? Half an hour later, a black Maybach pulled up by the curb.
Three months ago, Declan had once again claimed a failed venture, needing to repay a large sum of debt. He’d introduced me to delivery work, claiming it was to “help me out.” Looking back, it was nothing but a carefully orchestrated scam. It was to make me suffer, to get revenge for his precious Briar. Forget it. It’s all in the past now. My life can finally get back on track. I quit my delivery job and went back to my apartment to pack all my luggage. The next day, I arrived at The Grand Metropolis Hotel. It was the city’s top hotel, and one of Grandpa Richard’s many properties. I dragged my bulky suitcases through the hotel lobby, my rough clothes and worn canvas shoes starkly out of place amidst the luxury. Suddenly, that irritating voice echoed from behind me. Briar Miller, wearing a designer dress and high heels, walked up. She strutted like a proud peacock. “Well, well, isn’t this Aubrey Hayes, the one who jumped into the cesspit the other day?” I kept walking, but she grabbed my luggage. “What’s wrong? Declan dumped you, and now you’re so desperate you’ve come to a place like this to hunt for a sugar daddy?” Her cronies burst into laughter. Someone even kicked my suitcase over, scattering my clothes across the floor. I looked at the mess on the ground and calmly said, “Pick them up.” Briar dramatically rubbed her ear, then stomped her foot down on my white shirt, leaving a clear high-heel mark. “What? You want me to pick them up? How about this! You kneel down and beg me, and maybe I’ll be in a good mood and pick them up for you.” More and more people gathered, some starting to chant, “Kneel! Kneel!” I remained standing still. Briar suddenly reached out to push me. “What are you pretending for? In college, I couldn’t stand that act of yours. It was so annoying.” But I was prepared. I turned sideways and dodged her. She, however, had put too much force into the push and stumbled into the designer bag display rack behind her. Various limited-edition designer bags tumbled down, some even getting scratched by the metal edges of the display. *Bang!* The lobby instantly fell silent. Briar’s face was ashen. She pointed at me and shrieked, “You… you deliberately pushed me!” “Oh my god! Those are limited editions!” “I saw it! She definitely pushed her.” “Hahaha, how many designer bags did that hillbilly ruin?” “One Chanel Classic, three Hermès Birkin bags, and several limited-edition collaborations…” Briar walked up to me, raising her voice. “Those are worth at least five million dollars. Enough to land you in jail for ten years!” I remained silent. Briar smugly stepped closer and continued, “I do have a good idea, though. You kneel down and bow to each of these bags. For every bow, I’ll count off one of the bags. How about that? A good deal, right?” A few people around Briar snickered and closed in. “Yeah, kneel down and bow! Let’s see how a low-wage earner bows! Hurry up and do it! Or we’ll call the police right now and have you arrested.” Just then, Declan stepped out of the elevator. He saw the scene and frowned. “What’s going on?” Briar’s expression immediately shifted. She tearfully threw herself into his arms. “Brother Declan, she tried to hurt me! She deliberately pushed me into the display!” Declan glanced at me, then quickly comforted Briar. To me, he said, “Aubrey, apologize to Briar. I can help you…” I let out a cold laugh. “We have no relationship anymore. I don’t need your help.”
Declan’s eyes turned dark and menacing. He took a step forward and grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it felt like he might shatter my bones. “Aubrey, don’t push your luck. I hated that haughty attitude of yours in college. You were still played by me for two years. Fine, if you don’t want my help…” I trembled with rage, pulling my hand free. “Let go!” Briar triumphantly wiggled her high-heeled foot. “I have an idea. Lick my shoe clean first. Maybe I’ll be in a better mood and let you off.” A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd. Declan, in front of everyone, declared loudly, “Don’t be shy! Every single time you had to grovel and beg for money, I recorded it and sent those videos to Briar; she always found them hysterical.” My whole body trembled, and the world began to blur. All the humiliation, all the subservience of the past two years… It was all just their casual entertainment! Declan grew even more excited. “Oh, and especially that video of you kneeling on the ground, begging a customer. We even posted it in the alumni group chat, with the title ‘Former Campus Queen Kneels for Ten Bucks’.” *Slap!* I raised my hand and slapped Declan across the face. “Stop talking.” The loud slap cut him off. Declan’s face turned to one side, a bright red handprint instantly appearing on his cheek. He stared, disbelieving. “You… you dare to hit me?” Before he could react, I swung my hand back and delivered another slap, this time to Briar Miller’s face, as she tried to pull me away. My voice rang out, clear and resonant, “I *am* hitting you! You two worthless cheats!” Briar Miller’s carefully made-up face instantly swelled. Her nose, plumped up with fillers, was practically shattered. “Ah—my nose!” Declan immediately shielded Briar and yelled, “Guards! Grab this crazy woman!” Five or six cronies immediately rushed forward. Overwhelmed by sheer numbers, they pinned me to the ground. My cheek slammed hard against the marble floor, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Briar shrieked hysterically, “Hold her head down! Make her kowtow to me!” Rough hands grabbed my hair, slamming my head against the floor, again and again. Declan sneered, pulling out his phone to record. “This time, I’m putting it online. Let’s see if you ever dare to bully Briar again.” My forehead quickly began to bleed, and I lay prostrate on the marble floor. Briar’s shrill voice was full of malice. “You were so strong in college, weren’t you? Now look at you, sprawled on the ground like a dog.” Unending humiliation and rage surged through me. I never wanted to stoop to their level and use my power, but now that they were doing it, I summoned all my strength, lifted my head, and shouted, “I am Aubrey Hayes! The sole heiress of Hayes Group! My grandfather is Richard Hayes!” A brief silence fell over the lobby. Then, even more furious laughter erupted! “She says she’s Aubrey Hayes? Then I’m the heir to the British crown!” “Is she insane? She’s started talking nonsense.” Briar laughed so hard she couldn’t stand straight, tears practically streaming down her face. “Aubrey Hayes? Aubrey Hayes is engaged to the young scion of Imperial Corp! I don’t expect you to call your grandpa out, but if you’ve got guts, call out your fiancé to back you up!” “What a joke, she’s talking big without a thought.” I felt utterly pathetic. My voice was hoarse. “Declan Ford, for the past two years, I was blind to your deception. But since you’re pushing me this hard, I won’t make it easy for you either.” Declan paused, then burst into a sharp, grating laugh. “Still acting out the whole drama, huh? Let me tell you, from college onwards, you always had that haughty attitude, rejecting my advances. If Briar hadn’t wanted to see you humbled, I wouldn’t have given you a second glance.” Briar walked over, looking down at me condescendingly, her sharp heel poised over my fingers. “Brother Declan’s right. Lowlifes like you are only good for our amusement. I heard you can play piano too, can’t you? Wonder if you can still play after I break your fingers—!” My hands were seized by several people, and the heel pressed into my flesh. A searing pain shot through me. Just then, a deep, cold male voice suddenly cut through the crowd from behind. It wasn’t loud, but it sliced through the clamor like a sharpened blade. “Stop.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297414”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic
Leave a Reply