Chapter 13
My name is Sloane. I’m the woman who once stood in court across from Vivienne Blake the heiress to the richest family in Riverstone.
Six months ago, my mother brushed against Miss Blake’s dress on a yacht. For that, she had her arms and legs broken… and was thrown into the sea
That night, I received a phone call from my mother. Her screams still haunt me. That call became the nightmare I would never wake from…
In the letter, Sloane detailed her months–long effort to collect evidence and bring the case to court–only to be met with a justice system that turned its back on her.
Every line dripped with pain–as if her heart had bled through the page. Each word hit Declan like a knife to the chest.
[…If you’re reading this letter on the day, it means I’m already gone.
The final link in this post leads to a cloud server. It holds the footage from a hidden button cam. If I ever activated it… then that footage must be the last piece of evidence,
Please, I’m begging you–help me fulfill my final wish.
My life–once filled with love–was later stripped bare of it.
I once had someone who would’ve died just to marry me. On our wedding day, he said, “Sloane, we may come from two different worlds, but you make mine feel complete. You’re the reason I breathe. ”
But now I’m dead. And Declan Hawthorne–how much do you even remember of me?]
By the time he finished reading, Declan could no longer stand. His eyes, bloodshot and wet, blurred the screen. His chin dripped blood from the cut he’d made earlier his tears mixing with it.
He collapsed to the ground, fingers trembling violently as he clicked on the final link.
The video began to play, the footage shaking slightly. Vivienne’s face filled the screen–arrogant and cold. She laughed as she recalled that night on the yacht.
“You should’ve seen her arms snapped, mouth gagged, couldn’t even scream. Pathetic, really.”
“Her blood soaked this very deck, and then it spilled right into the ocean.
But Declan belleves me, you know? He even defended me in court.
Then the camera caught her grabbing Sloane by the neck and shoving her over the railing. The image jolted violently–sky, sea, chaos. “No!” Declan screamed, clawing at the screen “Sloane, no!”
But the video kept playing. A splash echoed–then silence. The sea swallowed everything, and the screen went completely dark.
In that moment, Declan broke. He curled up on the floor, feeling the warmth drain from his body.
It was the kind of numbness that came with devastating loss–like dying
Why? Why had he done this?
Why had he pushed his own wife into the abyss with his own hands?
His Sloane… was she reall
really dead?
That thought brought a sudden jolt. No–there was still hope. She couldn’t be gone. Everything pointed to Vivienne. She held the truth.
Declan sprang up from the ground, stumbling as he bolted down the stairs. “Get the car! Now! We’re going to the hospital!”
Chapter 13
The household staff already teary–eyed after seeing the video blowing up online–tried to stop him
“Sir, it’s storming outside… it’s dangerous…”
But he didn’t care. He threw the door open and disappeared into the sheets of rain.
The storm howled like a beast, pounding against the car and slicing into Declan‘ already fraying nerves.
Vivienne was at the hospital. Yesterday, she’d threatened to slit her wrists again. The hospital had called, saying she refused treatment unless Declan came in person.
Declan knew her too well. After the blow of the divorce, he just didn’t have it in him to care anymore…
But now, he slammed the gas pedal down–racing through flooded streets like a man possessed.
By the time he reached the hospital, he was soaked through to the bone. His frozen fingers clutched the door handle to the VIP suite Just then, a crash echoed from inside–glass shattering
“You worthless idiots! What the hell am I even paying you for?!”
Vivienne’s voice was shrill with rage. “I want every single post deleted! I don’t care what it costs–scrub the whole damn internet! If you can’t delete it, shut the damn site down! Are you deaf?!”
“Miss Blake, please stay calm… Things are escalating too quickly–we can’t keep a lid on it anymore,” the veteran lawyer who’d long served the Blake family said cautiously.
“Thankfully, the torrential storm today and your suicide attempt last night bought us some time–to prepare and steer public opinion before it gets worse.”
“If you don’t want to be arrested today, you have to cooperate. You need to tell me the entire story, in full detail right now.
Vivienne rolled her eyes, yanking off the fake bandage from her wrist. “Suicide? Please. Anyone with eyes could see I was faking.”
“And seriously, what’s the big deal? That woman’s mom touched my dress. I taught her a lesson–what of it? She jumped off that boat herself. It’s not like I pushed her.”
The lawyer’s face twisted, “And what about Miss West? The girl you pushed into the ocean–on video?”
Vivienne sneered. “She’s dead. I saw her go under. Gone, just like that. Bitch had it coming. I just never thought she’d leave a backup plan…”
Before she could finish, the door to the suite was kicked open–hard.
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