He Framed Me, So I Laughed At His Fake Lov

Chapter 3

With my job at Maggie's diner gone, I began searching for work all over town just to make ends meet.

No matter how short-stuffed those restaurants were, the moment I walked in, they would turn me down.

Dejected, I returned to the tiny place I had been renting. As soon as I reached the entrance to the alley, I saw my landlady, Eleanor Walker, standing outside.

She was very kind. When I first moved in, I barely had any money. Not only did she waive a month's rent so I could focus on finding a job, but whenever she cooked something nice, she would always think of me and bring some over.

But now, she stood at the door with tears in her eyes. The moment she saw me, she grabbed my hand and said anxiously, "Nora, you're finally back! I'm so sorry, but I can't rent this place to you anymore. Please don't blame me. I have no choice. A big shot has come to town. If I keep renting the house to you, then my daughter, who's working in Seabridge, will..."

She broke down in tears before she could finish.

I didn't want to make things difficult for her, so I packed up and moved out that very night.

This was Adrian's idea of "compensation".

First, he destroyed the life I had managed to rebuild. Then he offered me so-called compensation as though he were doing me a favor. It was absurd.

On the day I moved out, Adrian showed up again.

He had lost more weight since I'd seen him a few days ago. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, as though he hadn't slept well.

He arrived with a team of movers and directed them to carry my luggage, as if we had never separated, and he had simply come to take his fiancée home.

Once we arrived at the apartment, he poured me a cup of honey tea.

"Drink some. You must be thirsty."

I accepted it in silence and took a small sip.

The tea was far too sweet—so sweet that it made my body tremble.

It was just like his so-called compensation. Sweet on the surface, yet deeply unpleasant.

I set the cup down. "Mr. Lawson, what happened in the past is over. If you truly want to compensate me, then you shouldn't have come here and interfered with my life."

Adrian froze for a moment. A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes.

"Nora, don't let your emotions make you reject this. I know you're unwilling to accept what happened. This is only the first step. I'll find someone to take the blame for you, then help you restore your reputation bit by bit. I know you don't like Vivi, so I'll make sure she stays out of your way. Get some rest first."

His tone sounded gentle, but the meaning was unmistakable.

He wouldn't allow me to resist.

He wanted complete control over me.

But Vivian had no intention of staying away simply because Adrian told her to.

On the day I moved in, shortly after Adrian arrived, she stormed in with a group of reporters.

"Adrian, I heard Nora was here. Why didn't you tell me? What Nora did back then was wrong, but everyone deserves a second chance. I hope Nora learns from this and turns over a new leaf!"

The real culprit spoke without a trace of shame in front of the cameras. Then she handed me a card.

"This is just a small token from me. You're my senior in the industry, and you're also my fiancé's ex-wife. Please don't refuse it. If you need anything, just let me know!"

Her performance was flawless.

That afternoon, news about me spread throughout Seabridge.

"Poison Chef" Responsible for Twelve Deaths Reappears; Powerful Ex-Husband Offers Generous Help!"

"Killer Returns to the Food Industry—How Can the Victims' Families Ever Rest Easy?"

Adrian was painted as a devoted man, while Vivian was portrayed as a considerate and understanding fiancée.

Only I was once again thrust into the center of public scrutiny and condemned by everyone.

Whether Vivian did it deliberately or not, she also leaked my address.

From then on, people protested outside every day, including the victims' families and furious members of the public.

They held up photos of the victims, splashed red paint across my door, and played recordings of the deceased over loudspeakers again and again.

Three days later, my parents came as well.

It was the first time they had come to see me in 8 years.