I Reclaimed My Birthright, Humiliating Them Both

Chapter 2

His gaze landed on the half-burned wedding photo sticking out of the trash can. His expression tightened almost imperceptibly, and an inexplicable irritation stirred in his chest.

"Vivienne's just a spoiled little sister. What happened at the wedding was her acting out. Don't keep holding it against her."

When he met Elara's calm, unreadable eyes, the irritation in his chest only grew. He paused for a moment before continuing.

"I know you were wronged at the wedding. I'm throwing you a big banquet tonight to make it up to you."

Make it up to her?

A bitter, self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of Elara's lips. She'd lost count of how many times Cassian had tried to "make it up to her" after Vivienne's so-called "harmless antics."

In her past life, she'd treasured every one of those empty gestures as if they were precious gifts.

Now that she'd been given a second chance, they only made her sick.

Night fell, and the banquet hall glittered beneath lavish decorations and dazzling chandeliers.

Yet Elara stood huddled in a corner, chilled to the bone.

The gown she'd been given was several sizes too big. The shoulder seams slipped down her arms, while the hem dragged across the floor.

"What a cheap little gutter rat. I wonder what dirty tricks she pulled to marry into the Vale family!"

"I heard her father was a degenerate gambler. Stay away from her. You don't want her bad luck rubbing off on you."

The socialites' cutting remarks came one after another, each one stabbing straight into Elara's heart. The humiliation was so painful she could barely breathe.

Cassian had never once defended her in public. Over the years, she'd learned to keep her head down and tread carefully around everyone.

The thought made her glance toward him.

He was dancing with Vivienne for the opening dance. The two of them looked perfect together, handsome, elegant, and effortlessly matched.

In her past life, she'd treated his bare-minimum kindness like a lifeline.

Now, with a second chance at everything, seeing so clearly who mattered to him and who didn't hurt so badly that her eyes burned.

When the song ended, Cassian looked up and spotted Elara standing alone in the corner.

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but it vanished almost instantly, replaced by his usual expression.

Before he could say anything, Vivienne stepped forward, a mocking smile curling across her lips.

"Elara, standing all by yourself? You look even more like a pathetic outsider!"

Elara had no interest in arguing with her. She turned and walked straight toward the bathroom.

Barely a minute later, she heard Vivienne's shrill cry from outside.

When Elara stepped out, she saw tears streaming down Vivienne's face as the entire room turned toward the commotion.

"My sapphire necklace is gone! The only person who was near me just now was Elara..."

The moment the words left her mouth, shocked whispers swept through the room.

Someone immediately sneered, "Figures. She grew up poor, so of course she'd have sticky fingers."

Elara lifted her head, her eyes turning icy.

"I didn't take it."

"But no one else touched me except you!" Vivienne burst into louder sobs, then turned toward Cassian as he approached.

"Cassian, have them search her! Now!"

The people surrounding them stared at Elara with undisguised contempt. Everyone knew exactly how humiliating a public search would be.

Cassian's expression was cold. His voice was flat and firm.

"Elara, cooperate with the search. That'll stop people from spreading rumors about you."

Elara's blood ran cold. She glared at the man standing before her.

"Cassian, I didn't steal it! You know what kind of person I am!"

"Elara, be good."

The next second, a servant stepped forward and easily pulled the glittering sapphire necklace from Elara's pocket.

Vivienne lifted her chin, triumph flashing in her eyes.

"Well, since you stole my necklace, just apologize to me. I'll let this go."

"I didn't steal it. Why the hell should I apologize?"

Rage churned violently in Elara's chest.

Before she could explode, Cassian pressed a firm hand against her shoulder and stepped in front of Vivienne, shielding her from Elara.

His voice dropped to a quiet, warning growl.

"Don't embarrass Vivienne in front of everyone."

A crushing sense of suffocation washed over Elara.

She opened her mouth several times, but no words came out. After a long, agonizing moment, she finally forced out the words.

"Cassian, is my reputation really worth less than her dignity?"

Tears suddenly flooded her eyes, but she clenched her jaw and forced them back.

The moment Cassian saw her like that, his gaze turned icy.

"Your mother's still in the ICU. You know exactly what will happen if you refuse."

Elara's blood froze.

For a second, she wondered if she'd heard him wrong.

Her mother, also her adoptive mother, Cindy Lawson, was the only person in the world who had ever truly treated her with kindness.

Cassian was actually using Cindy to threaten her.

The rigid spine she'd fought so hard to hold straight seemed to crumple in an instant.

She was just about to force out an apology when the massive crystal chandelier overhead suddenly came crashing down with a deafening roar!

Cassian's pupils widened.

Acting on instinct, he yanked Vivienne into his arms and rushed out of the way.

Elara didn't have time to move.

Jagged shards of glass tore into her calf. Warm blood quickly soaked through her gown, and the pain was so fierce that her entire body trembled.

"Elara, Vivienne's in shock. I have to get her to the hospital right now. Go back with the driver."

He rushed out the words, then turned and sprinted away with Vivienne in his arms. He didn't look back once.

Elara stared down at her bleeding leg and gave a bitter laugh.

Dragging her injured, blood-soaked leg behind her, she limped toward the entrance and finally managed to climb into the waiting Maybach.

But the car had barely been on the road for a few minutes when two black sedans came barreling straight toward them.

They slammed into the Maybach with a brutal crash!