THE VENGEFUL HEIRESS

CHAPTER 2

I shook my head wildly, refusing to accept the unjustness as I dialed Ariana's number.

It rang and rang before going to voicemail. But I wasn't going to give up. She needs to take the post down before it goes viral. When I called her for the third time, she cut the call.

My lips quivered as I watched the likes on the post shoot up and I don't need someone to tell me that I'm doomed.

Everyone in my social circle knew that was me.

My phone rang again and my heart bloomed with hope. It was Mira, my only close friend. I picked it up.

“Mira–”

“Camilla, what the f**k? I know that's not true but what the actual f**k?!”

“It was Ariana.” I said in a whisper, my voice shaky.

“I already told you that b***h has feelings for Albert but you are too blind to see it.”

She was right.

“I'm sorry.”

“That aside, where the f**k are you?”

“Carlton gates. It was supposed to be our honeymoon Mira. He said I'm a means to an end.” I said, tears streaming down my face.

“I'm coming. I should be there in twenty minutes. Just enough time before the reporters flood the gate.” She said in a hurry. I heard something jingling before the line went dead.

And I'm surrounded by silence again.

I should have known.

But I thought what I knew was best.

When my father married Stephanie, Ariana's mom, I'd thought acting neutral would make me free and I wouldn't fall prey to the step mother stereotype I'd always read in books.

But I was wrong.

I shouldn't have agreed to the marriage. I shouldn't have fallen in love. But I wanted my father to be happy. It was filial piety. He wanted his first daughter to get married to the Cargill family and I just happened to be his first with a difference of two years.

Albert was the first friend Ariana made. They were like best friends.

I was a fool. A big one.

The sound of a fist knocking on my door jolted me out of my thoughts. I hurried to it and locked it.

“Who's there?” I asked, my voice shaky, pushing the door close.

“Open the door, Mila.”

It was Mira's voice. I hurriedly opened the door and she stepped in, locking the door before dropping her bag on the ground.

Her blue eyes raked my body before it fixated on my face, searching. I saw them well with tears before she walked towards me and engulfed me in a hug.

“I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry about what that fucker did to you.”

I sniff in her familiar scent as I let her hug me in silence.

Then, she got her bearings back and pulled away from the hug. She picked up her bag and moved to the bed, sat down and started rummaging through it.

“Go get dressed. I bought face masks for us.”

I nodded and hurried to the closet. I picked a black gown with scarf and slipped into a pair of slippers. Then, I picked up my phone as I wrapped my head with the scarf.

“I'm ready.”

She passed me a face mask as she put on another one. Then, she checked her wristwatch.

“We have five minutes. Come on.” She said with urgency as she walked towards the door.

I sighed and stalled. My eyes raked the room. The same room in which I'd given myself to Albert. It was my first, and it was my first time with him.

I bit back a choked sob as I slipped out of the room and followed Mira.

_ _ _

Two days had passed and no one had been able to reach me. Mira made sure of that and I'm grateful.

We are staying in her little cottage outside of town for now and she had literally ordered me to put my phone on airplane mode.

But today, her phone rang. We were sitting on her couch, watching Divergent and ogling the stunner that is Theo James, when it beeped against the table my leg was stretched out on.

“Who's that?” She asked, mouth filled with cookies.

I leaned and picked the phone since it was closer to me, checking the name.

“My blue.” I read.

It was her Father.

I passed her the phone, my heart which had settled for two days, awakening and beating loudly again.

She picked it carelessly and put it on speaker, placing it on the armrest of the couch as she continued to fiddle with the pack of cookies.

“Pops, wassup?” She asked.

“Mimi, is Camilla with you?” He asked, getting straight to the point.

Her eyes widened as they met mine, a cookie halfway into her mouth.

“Mimi, are you there?”

“Y..yes.”

I cursed mentally, knowing she'd given herself away with her stammer. I know Mira. She doesn't know how to lie to her father.

“I know Camilla is there with you and to be honest, for your reputation, you shouldn't be seen with her. She cheated in her marriage and she could ruin your chances of getting a good husband.”

“Pops, calm down. She didn't cheat. It was Aria–”

“Shut up and listen, Mimi.”

I gulped. I'm tired of pretending and acting like I'm okay but heaven knows how much I don't want to be a burden to anyone.

“Her father is searching for her and you'll leave her and come back to the family house right now. You shouldn't be seen with someone like her anymore.”

“Dad, wait–”

“ –and that's final, Mimi.” He said. Then, the line went dead.

She watched her phone's screen for some minutes before she shifted her gaze to me, eyes pleading.

I bit the insides of my cheek and nodded in understanding. She doesn't need to say anything. I understand.

She stood up and walked towards me before engulfing me in a hug.

“I'm sorry.” She whispered, rubbing my back.

I rubbed her back too. “Don't be. I understand.”

She pulled back, her eyes searching mine. Then, she sighed and stood straight.

“I will leave the keys to you. And I will leave one of my cards to you so you can take care of yourself. Knowing your father, he would have blocked your cards.” She said the last part more to herself as she walked back to the couch she was sitting on and picked her phone.

Some minutes later, she descended the stairs, drawing a little luggage with her. I escorted her to the door and she placed the card on my palm.

“Take care of yourself.” She said, hugging me again.

I choked on a sob as I watched her speed off in her car.

Lucky me.

And I know for sure. I know I'm alone again just like those years after my parents divorce. And when mother finally died too. I'm always alone. This one won't break me.

I spared the trees surrounding the little cottage a last glance before stepping back into the warm cottage, my hand tightening around the smooth card.

I opened my phone's pouch and hid it behind it before turning off airplane mode.

Don't.

I can hear that particular voice screaming in my head.

But I refused to listen to it this time as I dropped it beside me, waiting for it to finish dinging with notifications.

When the dinging stopped, I picked it up, hands shaky as I scrolled through my inbox on the gram. Most of the messages were filled with condescension and mockery.

Mother told me that no one can devalue me without my consent so I tried not to let their words affect me but I failed miserably.

At that moment, my phone dinged with two messages from my mail.

The first was my father.

The second was his lawyer.

I opened the one from father first and I scrolled straight to the last one he'd sent.

My eyes scanned the content of the mail, devouring the content as a fresh wave of tears pooled in my eyes.

My inheritance had been withdrawn.