Chapter 2
697words
This place was once my sanctuary, but now it's plastered with court seals.
The security guard dumped me at the entrance and sped away, mission accomplished.
I slid the cold key into the lock and pushed open the heavy door.
The living room was in shambles—evidence of creditors who had ransacked it days earlier.
Too drained to clean, I curled into a corner of the sofa.
My father's cigar scent still lingered, and I could almost hear my brother's booming laughter echoing through the room.
But they were gone forever.
The man I'd loved for a decade had sent them to their graves with his own hands.
With my phone destroyed, I'd lost my only connection to the outside world.
In this vast mansion, only I remained, surrounded by deafening silence.
I don't know how long I sat there before the landline's shrill ring cut through the stillness.
I lunged for it, hoping my mother had finally come to her senses.
"Mom!"
A brief silence followed, then my mother's voice—hesitant yet reproachful.
"Nina? What's gotten into you? Ethan tells me you caused a scene at his office today?"
My heart plummeted.
"Mom, it's not what you think! Ethan, he—"
"Enough!" Mother cut me off sharply. "Nina, how can you be so selfish? In our situation, if not for Ethan's help, we'd be homeless by now!"
"He's our savior! How dare you repay his kindness with such hostility? Your father would be so disappointed in you!"
Disappointed?
If Dad knew his beloved daughter had fallen for the murderer who destroyed our family, he'd be turning in his grave!
"Mom, please trust me just once—Ethan Lane is a murderer! He killed Dad and Nathan! He's been lying to us all along!" I sobbed uncontrollably.
"You've completely lost your mind!" Mother's voice dripped with disappointment and impatience. "You're just grief-stricken and talking nonsense! Have you forgotten how good Ethan has been to you?"
How could I possibly forget?
Ten years ago, I first met Ethan Lane at a charity gala in our family's garden.
He wore a waiter's uniform, carrying trays among guests, yet carried himself with the confidence of any blue-blooded heir.
I accidentally bumped into him, knocking his tray and spilling red wine all over myself.
Before I could apologize, a socialite who'd been splashed nearby pointed her finger in his face and started berating him.
"Are you blind? Do you have any idea what this dress costs? You couldn't afford to replace it if you sold yourself on the street!"
My father stepped in to defuse the situation.
He said gently to the girl: "Young lady, a little grace costs nothing."
Then he patted Ethan's shoulder and handed him a business card.
"Young man, you've got backbone. If you're looking for better opportunities, come see me."
Later, Ethan joined Howard Group, starting from the bottom.
He was brilliant, diligent, and patient. Within five years, he became my father's right-hand man.
Five years after that, he became my fiancé.
Father often said: "Nina, you've found yourself a good man. Ethan is steady, reliable, and responsible. I can entrust both the company and you to him without reservation."
My brother would tease me: "My future brother-in-law is perfect in every way—except maybe his humble origins. Better hold onto him tight, Nina, before someone snatches him away."
Back then, our entire family believed Ethan Lane was heaven's gift to the Howards.
Who could have imagined he was a wolf in sheep's clothing, a slow-acting poison infiltrating our family for a decade?
"Nina, I'm calling to inform you of something," my mother's words yanked me from my painful memories.
"Ethan has arranged new accommodations for me—quite lovely. It's time I start fresh with a new outlook."
"As for you, stay in the old house and think about your behavior. When you're ready to apologize to Ethan, you can come find me."
Beep… beep… beep…
The line went dead.
My mother had completely abandoned me for our supposed "savior."
I clutched the cold receiver and collapsed to the floor.
Outside, the once-pristine garden had withered into decay.
Just like my world.
