Chapter 71
Evelyn felt the air leave her lungs.
The bracelet was a precious gift from Archibald, and Vanessa had shattered it into pieces. Rage ignited in her veins like wildfire. She wanted to snap every bone in Vanessa’s body.
“Vanessa Delacroix!” Evelyn’s voice was sharp, her eyes burning with fury.
Vanessa flinched but quickly regained her composure. “So what if I broke it? There’s no one else here. I can say you attacked me. Who do you think Sebastian will believe?”
A wicked smirk curled her lips as she picked up a jagged shard of the bracelet. Then, with deliberate slowness, she pressed it against her own delicate wrist.
Evelyn’s stomach dropped. She lunged forward—but she was too late.
Vanessa let out a sharp cry as the shard sliced deep into her skin. It wasn’t a fatal wound—she had avoided major veins—but blood spilled instantly, staining her dress crimson.
Even Vanessa seemed startled by her own actions. But she had committed to the act now. If she wanted to play the victim, she had to sell it.
Tears streamed down her face as she bolted from the restroom, leaving Evelyn standing there, trembling.
Evelyn’s vision blurred as she knelt, gathering the broken pieces of the bracelet in her hands. Her heart ached.
Unseen, the door of the farthest stall creaked open slightly.
Vanessa sprinted down the hallway, clutching her bleeding wrist, her sobs echoing through the corridor.
The auction had ended, and guests were mingling in the grand hall. When they saw her—wild-eyed, blood dripping—they recoiled, whispering among themselves.
“Sebastian! Mother! Aunt Isabella! Help me!” Vanessa wailed, her voice breaking.
Just as she’d planned, all eyes turned to her.
The Montclair sisters and Cassandra rushed over, gasping in horror at the sight of her wound.
“Vanessa! My darling, what happened? Who did this to you?” Seraphina cried, her hands shaking as she reached for her daughter.
Vanessa’s performance was flawless.
Seraphina had seen her follow Evelyn into the restroom. She knew exactly what her daughter was doing—and she was ready to play her part.
But even she was shocked. Vanessa had always been terrified of pain. A paper cut could send her into hysterics. Yet here she was, willingly cutting herself.
She was becoming more like Isabella every day.
Isabella had won Alistair’s heart by playing the fragile, innocent victim. She’d framed others by hurting herself, stealing the title of Mrs. Blackwood from Sebastian’s mother.
And now, Vanessa was walking the same path.
Time was running out. They had to act fast.
Evelyn Sinclair was a problem—one they needed to eliminate.
Vanessa noticed people pulling out their phones, recording the scene. She leaned into the role, her cries growing more desperate.
Then—silence fell.
Evelyn stepped into the hall, her expression icy. The crowd instinctively parted for her, as if she were a force of nature.
Her beauty was striking, but it was the aura around her—cold, regal, untouchable—that left everyone breathless.
At the same moment, Sebastian and Damien appeared.
“Sebastian…” Vanessa whimpered, her voice trembling.
His brow furrowed at the sight of her wound. Without hesitation, he strode toward her.
Seraphina seized the moment, shoving Vanessa into his arms.
“What happened?” Sebastian demanded, his voice tight.
“It hurts… Am I going to die?” Vanessa sobbed, pressing her face into his chest.
“You’ll be fine,” he murmured, though his jaw clenched as he examined the deep gash.
Evelyn watched, her lips curling into a bitter smile.
The stage was set.
Now, it was time for the main act: Evelyn Sinclair vs. the Delacroix Family.
By now, phones were raised, recording everything. Damien acted swiftly, signaling his bodyguards to clear the area.
The game had just begun.
