Chapter 18
Mr. and Mrs. Vance were forced into chairs by bodyguards, their faces ashen.
Damien stood before them, his eyes like chips of ice.
“Where is Elara?” he asked, biting out each word.
2012
Mrs. Vance’s lips trembled, but she tried to sound defiant. “That girl took the money and left! Five million dollars! She was always a difficult child, and now she thinks she can do whatever she wants, with no regard for her own parents…”
“Shut up!” Damien slammed his hand on the table, the sound echoing through the room. “How my wife is, is not for you to comment on!”
Just then, his assistant rushed in and handed him a stack of papers.
“Sir, we found this.”
Damien ripped the file open. With every page he read, his expression grew darker.
Elara had been sent to the countryside at birth. For over twenty years, her parents had never visited her once. They hadn’t even sent money for living expenses. She had survived on the meager savings of her grandparents.
When she was five, she had a fever of 104 degrees. Her grandmother called the Vances for help, but her mother simply hung up. The doctor said if she had arrived ten minutes later, she might not have made it…
Every year, Seraphina had lavish birthday parties, while Elara didn’t even own a proper winter coat…
“Good. Very good.” Damien’s voice was dangerously quiet. He threw the papers at their faces. “How can parents like you even exist?
The edge of the paper cut Mr. Vance’s cheek, but he still tried to argue. “We gave birth to her, we raised her! Isn’t that enough?”
“Raised her?” Damien grabbed his collar. “Every piece of clothing she wore before she was eighteen was a hand–me–down from the neighbors! What was she to you? A tool for a substitute marriage?”
He shoved him back and snarled at the bodyguards, “Lock them in the basement. Take ‘good care‘ of them. They can come out when they’re ready to tell the truth.”
“Damien! You wouldn’t dare!” Mrs. Vance screamed. “We are Elara’s parents!”
A cold sneer twisted Damien’s lips. “Now you remember you’re her parents?”
As the bodyguards dragged them away, the study door was thrown open.
Seraphina rushed in, her face white. “Damien! Are you insane? Let
He looked at her coldly. “So you’ve finally dropped the act, Seraphina.”
parents go!”
She froze, then shrieked hysterically, “Yes! I’m Seraphina! So what? That bitch never deserved to marry you! She’s just a country girl,
what right did she have-”
CRACK!
A sharp slap sent her stumbling backward, her hand flying to her cheek in disbelief.
“That was for your sister,” Damien’s voice was venomous. “Everyone in your family is more disgusting than the last.”
Seraphina suddenly burst into crazed laughter. “Hahaha… Damien, what’s with the touching display now? How did you treat her for the past three years? You made her sleep in the guest room, brought other women home, and even threw her into an icy lake for
20:12
Chapter 18
Isabelle!”
2012 C
Her eyes narrowed with malice. “Stop pretending, Damien! You think you love my sister? You didn’t even notice she was gone. You don’t know her at all!”
Damien’s breath caught in his chest, as if he’d been hit by a sledgehammer.
“Where is she?” His voice was terrifyingly hoarse.
Seraphina wiped the blood from her lip and smiled. “You’ll never find her.”
He lunged forward and wrapped his hands around her throat, but the sight of her face, so identical to Elara’s, turning purple made him lose his strength.
“Get out,” he turned away, his voice weary and cold. “Don’t ever let me see you again.”
Seraphina collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, still laughing. “You deserve this… Damien…”
He didn’t look back.
His phone vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number.
【Sir, a possible lead. A Miss Vance purchased a ticket to Seabrook two weeks ago.】
Damien’s pupils contracted.
【Book me the next flight. Now.]
2012
