Chapter 244

Vanessa dialed Ethan's number repeatedly, but each attempt ended the same way—three hollow rings before cutting to voicemail. Her fingers trembled against the screen.

By noon, his phone had gone completely dead.

She had rushed to Horizon Enterprises earlier, only to be told he hadn’t shown up for work.

Desperate, she reached out to his usual circle—Sebastian, Ryan, even Vincent. None of them had seen him.

It was clear now. Ethan was ghosting her.

A cold dread slithered down her spine. In all their years together, he had never shut her out like this. Even after their worst fights, a single apology from her would smooth things over.

But not this time.

The cello incident had changed everything.

Tears blurred her vision as she clutched Evelyn’s sleeve. "You’ve got Alexander now. Just—just give Ethan back to me, okay?"

Evelyn blinked, bewildered. "Since when did I ever—"

Vanessa’s breath hitched. The words tasted like ash. She had played the pity card too many times.

This time, it might not work.

"From you? Don't be ridiculous!"

"I married Alexander. Competing with you over a man—are you out of your mind?"

"Let me guess. You and Ethan had a fight, and now he's done with you, isn't that right? Serves you right."

"Your whole relationship was built on lies. Now that the truth is out, you're facing the consequences."

"Vanessa, this is called karma. You brought this on yourself."

Tears streamed down Vanessa’s face, her complexion turning ghostly pale, the picture of misery.

"Why did you have to come back from prison? Why did you return home? If it weren’t for you, I’d still be the only daughter, and Ethan would still be mine."

Evelyn met her gaze with a cold, mocking smile. "You’re just an adopted stray. The only reason you’re still here is because of my parents’ kindness. Vanessa, did you really start believing you were special after stealing my place for all these years?"

A storm of emotions flickered in Vanessa’s eyes.

As an adopted daughter, she was never truly accepted as part of the elite family in the eyes of society.

Eleanor had always despised Evelyn for her questionable background.

Vanessa felt trapped, as if she'd stumbled into a maze with no exit.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, she spotted Ethan stepping out of his car and striding toward them.

A sudden realization struck Vanessa. There’s one way to turn this around—to shatter this suffocating stalemate.

"Evelyn, Ethan is mine. Mom and Dad’s love belongs to me. Did you really think you’d won? No. I won’t let you steal what’s rightfully mine."

Before Evelyn could process the venom in Vanessa’s words, her stepsister suddenly screamed—

"Evelyn, even if you hate me, please don’t—AH!"

Vanessa’s body lurched backward, tumbling down the stone steps in a dramatic spiral.

Evelyn froze.

She’d known Vanessa was ruthless, but this? Hurting herself?

Then she saw Ethan rushing forward—and understood.

The same old game.

The same twisted performance.

Three years had passed since Vanessa Hart's elaborate scheme.

She had orchestrated her own assault back then, hiring thugs to attack herself just to frame Evelyn Carter. The cruel plot successfully turned Ethan Caldwell and the entire Hart family against Evelyn.

But this time was different.

Vanessa didn't need outside help to stage her latest performance. She was determined to trap Evelyn in another inescapable situation.

Last time, her scheme sent Evelyn straight to prison.

Ethan happened to be standing behind a marble pillar, his view partially obstructed.

A cold smile played on Evelyn's lips as realization dawned. "If she can play the victim, so can I."

Evelyn despised being the center of public scorn - that familiar feeling of standing alone against accusing fingers and judgmental whispers.

Drawing a sharp breath, Evelyn deliberately stepped forward. With calculated precision, she "lost" her footing at the exact moment Vanessa tumbled.

Their bodies collided as they both went crashing down the grand staircase.

"Now we'll both be victims," Evelyn thought as the world spun around her. "Her little act won't work this time."