Chapter 3

Claire once told Gavin about her life before being found by the Harringtons. How her foster mother used to beat and scream at her. How her foster father had tried things no child should ever endure.

If it hadn't been for her pretty face and their plan to sell her for a decent price, she might not have lived long enough to be found.

At the time, Gavin was heartbroken. He pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered, "Claire, I swear to love and cherish you for the rest of my life. If I break this promise, may I lose everything and die a horrible death."

His vow still echoed in her ears. But now, the man standing before her was a complete stranger.

Claire arranged Nina's funeral alone.

When the cremation chamber closed around her sister's body, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

From now on, there would be no one left who would unconditionally have her back.

After the funeral, Claire headed to the security department at the company to pull footage from the underground parking lot.

She needed to know what had really happened down there.

Nina had trained in self-defense after turning eighteen-there was no way she would've gone down without a fight.

But as soon as she entered the building, Claire realized something was wrong. People were pointing at their phones, whispering and sneering.

"Wow. Never judge a book by its cover. She looked so sweet and pretty-who knew she was a snake?"

"Thank God I never crossed her. Who knows what would've happened to me?"

"Acting like a princess when she was never meant to be one. She got what she deserved."

Claire froze. A wave of dread washed over her.

She checked her phone-and found it. A set of photos showing Nina bullying Marissa was going viral online.

The internet was now accusing Nina of abusing Marissa for years and getting what was coming to her-nearly killed in retaliation by Marissa's poor, helpless adoptive father.

Marissa and her father had become martyrs overnight. Nina? A vicious imposter with a heart of stone.

Within hours, lies had blanketed the internet like wildfire.

Claire refused to believe it. She stormed to the security office and demanded to see the underground footage.

But the guard just gave her a troubled look. "Miss Claire, it's not that we don't want to help... but the cameras in that area have been down for over a month. Without word from upstairs, no one's coming to fix them."

He lowered his voice. "We're just following orders. It's not worth risking your reputation for someone that doesn't matter anymore."

Hearing the guard's gentle persuasion, Claire didn't feel even a hint of comfort; her whole body trembled with rage.

She called the head of security directly to request access to the surveillance footage, only to be told, "The cameras really are broken, Mrs. Fulton. I've got nothing to show you. Please, I'm begging you-let me off the hook! I've got aging parents and little kids at home. This job is the only thing feeding my family. Please don't ruin me, okay?"

Just then, her phone buzzed with a special notification. It was a text from Graham. "Claire, as long as you stop digging, we're still family. Isn't it better to have me and your husband around to love and protect you?"

Claire shuddered. When she turned around, she locked eyes with Gavin, whose smile didn't reach his eyes.

Marissa stood beside him, beaming sweetly. But there was something strangely off about her expression; it bordered on eerie.

"Claire," Marissa said with mock concern, "My brother heard you came to the office to pull surveillance footage and rushed over in a panic. He was so worried about you. Thank goodness you're alright."

A mocking smirk flashed across Claire's face. "Worried? You're just afraid I'll find proof to expose how filthy the two of you really are."

She glared at Gavin. "You twist truth into lies and lies into truth. Sooner or later, karma's going to catch up with you."

Gavin chuckled softly, reaching out to gently caress Claire's cheek. "Claire, I'm only trying to teach you a lesson. You're my wife. I don't want you tangled up in this mess. If you just apologize to Marissa, Graham and I will protect you just like we always have. Isn't that good enough?"

No. Not even close.

Why should Nina be buried in slander, her name dragged through the mud even in death, while these despicable, shameless people got to sit on their thrones, weaving lies with silver tongues?

But no matter how much hatred burned inside her, she had no power.

Only now did Claire realize the truth. For the past ten years, these two men had raised her like a delicate, clueless princess. She had no allies in the company. No real friends outside of it.

And thanks to her once-flashy lifestyle, she'd attracted plenty of jealous enemies. Now that she'd fallen from grace, they were all too busy enjoying the show to lend a hand.

Her heart sank into despair.

"And what if I say no?" she asked. "Will I end up like Nina? Smeared with lies, blamed for everything, and dead without justice?"

Gavin shook his head and took something from the man behind him-a ceramic urn.

His face remained soft, but his voice turned cold and cruel, like the devil himself.

"I'd never let you be reduced to ashes, Claire. But... can you bear to let your sister find no peace, even in death?"

Claire's eyes locked onto the urn in his hands. It was Nina's.