Chapter 3Heiress

Arthur’s announcement that Isabelle was his daughter just became gossip fodder. No one in our circle acknowledged her.

Because Alfred ran the house, Isabelle was forced to stay in the servants’ quarters. As a result, she came to bother me at the family mausoleum every single day.

On the 49th day, I decided I was bored enough to play along. I let her in.

She put on a show of polite concern. “Sister, I know you’re grieving, but Mom has been gone for 49 days. It’s time to move on. I’d like to talk.”

I could see her stupidity from a mile away. This was the girl Arthur adored?

I walked past her, out of the mausoleum. She followed closely.

When we reached the reflecting pool, I stepped up onto the ledge, looking down at her. “Talk.”

Isabelle nervously clutched her dress, then stepped up on the ledge opposite me, trying to be my equal.

“Sister, Dad only ever loved my mom. He brought me back to the Jiang estate to replace you. You’ve been the heiress for twenty-three years. That’s enough. You need to tell the staff to respect me. Don’t make this difficult, okay?”

I laughed. Did she really not know her father was just a kept man? And with that, she thought she could replace me?

Her "true strength" was so pathetic it was boring. I was done.

I shoved her into the pool.

“Splash!”

She flailed, shrieking. “Seraphina! How dare you! Dad will kill you for this! Pull me up… ugh! Pull me up right now and I’ll... I’ll forgive you!”

I walked away without looking back.

While waiting at a red light, I made one international call, then continued on my way to find Liam.

He hadn’t contacted me in 49 days. It was time for him to pay.