Chapter 3
The whole place went dead silent, but for only a second. Then the room burst into deafening laughter. Some even laughed until they cried.
“You’re Erica Costello? That woman’s supposed to be some legendary figure who could shake up the entire city of Jedo. No one’s heard from her in years—why would she show up here?” Bonnie said as she clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she could barely stand.
She continued, “Grace, where did you hire this actress? She almost had me fooled!”
Bruce frowned and looked over in disgust. “Grace, get this fraud out of here already. Aren’t you embarrassed enough?”
Grace clung to me, eyes wide with stunned disbelief.
Fury was written all over my face as I fought to hold back the anger surging within me. I snarled, “When Arnold gets here, we’ll see who’s telling the truth!”
I pulled Grace behind me, and my eyes turned cold and focused. I added, “Until then, if anyone touches her, I’ll cut off their hand!”
Bonnie laughed mockingly, her hand covering her mouth. “Oh, her acting is pretty good!
“But if Erica had really shown up, she would be surrounded by a crowd. Why would she come alone?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my bodyguards packed into a corner. I couldn’t help but smirk.
“Tell Arnold to get out here! I want to know if he still remembers me.”
Betty narrowed her eyes and looked at me from head to toe. A cruel smile curled at her lips, and she said, “Who do you think you are, daring to summon Mr. Tucker like that? You don’t know your place!”
As she fiddled lazily with the emerald bracelet on her wrist, her voice suddenly turned icy. “Take her down! Let’s see what she’s really all about!”
A few burly men grinned hungrily, and their voices were laced with cruel amusement.
“Yes, Ms. Carson. We’ll strip her down completely and show you everything there is to see!”
As they spoke, they reached for me and Grace.
I slapped one of them hard across the face and snarled, “How dare you? Do you have a death wish? Do you know what happens when you cross me?”
His head snapped to the side. Then his eyes turned vicious, and he grabbed my throat.
“You filthy bitch! Do you think you’re tough?” he roared. “I’ll teach you some manners right here in front of everyone!”
Laughter exploded around us. A few men closed in, leering. One of them even pulled out his phone to start recording.
Grace tried to rush over, crying, but Bonnie yanked her by the hair and threw her to the floor.
“Grace, where did you dig her up? She must be crazy to think she can act like some big shot here!”
Bonnie sneered. “You pretend to be all prim and proper, but you don’t even know who the father of your baby is!”
Then, Bonnie slapped Grace hard, splitting the latter’s lip.
I kicked away the man next to me and lunged to help Grace, but muscular arms grabbed and held me down.
My bodyguards were trapped on the edge of the crowd, unable to get through.
“Oh, please, the fake Erica is really getting into character, huh?” Bonnie stepped up in her heels and nudged Grace’s chin with the toe of her shoe.
Bonnie said, “Get on your knees and beg. Maybe Ms. Carson will let your fake sister off the hook.”
Grace looked at Bruce through tears, her voice shaking. “Bruce, she really is my sister. If you hurt her, you’ll all regret it!”
Bruce straightened his cuffs indifferently, looking at her like she was trash. He said, “If it weren’t for you, none of this would have happened. Just apologize to Bonnie already.”
“Start begging! If you don’t, we’ll strip her right now!” Several men sneered as they reached for my collar.
“I’ll beg!” Grace dropped to her knees on the marble floor. She pressed her forehead against the cold stone, begging, “Please, don’t hurt my sister…”
I watched her grovel over and over, begging them not to hurt me. Every time she did, my heart ached like it was being torn apart.
Victor still hadn’t returned, and my bodyguards at the door were unusually still.
Something wasn’t right.
Betty looked at my face, and a hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes.
At some point, she pulled out a scalpel and pressed the blade to my face.
“Such a pretty face,” she sneered. “I wonder if Mr. Tucker will recognize it once it’s all cut up?”
“Don’t touch Erica!” Grace suddenly fought back. “Arnold will make you wish you were dead!”
“You act like you’re still the Costellos’ heiress. But unfortunately for you, that name doesn’t mean anything anymore.” Betty sneered as she pressed the blade to my skin, and I felt warm blood slide down my neck.
Just as she made another cut, the door slammed open. Arnold strode in with a group of men.
His eyes swept over Grace’s bloodied forehead and the cuts on my face. Then, the atmosphere around him suddenly turned icy.
