Married to Destroy You

Chapter 6

Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport…

The beautiful sunset embraced the Paris sky on the day Anna set foot in her homeland. A week had passed since she met Julian and since she agreed to their marriage contract.

Although she didn't like the man, in her current situation... Anna was cornered, she had no choice. Clearly, the man was cunning and manipulative, but rejecting him meant allowing her uncle to continue to hold on to her mother's fortune, allowing everything that should have been hers to be destroyed in the hands of others. And if she had to bind herself to Julian in order to reclaim her throne... then she would do it. At least for a while... before she broke free from him after getting everything...

The Falcon 8X that had brought her from New York had just landed. Anna stared at the Charles de Gaulle Airport runway from behind the large glass window in the VVIP lounge, her beautiful face framed by Dior Sostellaire sunglasses, which she wore to hide the empty gaze in her eyes.

Her homeland, which once felt warm, now felt so empty. The name Delacroix no longer sounded warm to her ears; they had discarded her and forgotten her.

"Miss Anna?"

The call distracted Anna from the fading sunset before her. She looked up before rising from her seat.

"Yes, it's me."

Her gaze fell on the tall man in a black suit with a stern face who had just called her name. Anna showed a hint of confusion on her face as she noticed the man bowing slightly before her.

"I'm sorry, Miss. I'm late to pick you up. I was supposed to arrive an hour before you landed as instructed by Mr. Julian, but I was stuck in traffic. Please forgive me."

Anna's eyelids fluttered slightly, not expecting the fierce and muscular man in front of her to be this polite. After giving a small nod, she walked ahead of him.

Her steps stopped in front of a black sedan that had been waiting for her, none other than the car Julian had sent to pick her up.

“We’re heading to Beaumont Palace, Miss.”

The driver’s voice came from the front, mentioning one of the tallest buildings in the center of Paris, where Julian’s penthouse was located, one of several facilities the man had provided for her during her stay here.

"No, we're going to Gualle Garden." Anna said softly, prompting the driver to nod and drive south, away from the airport.

The row of buildings lining the road was captivating to anyone passing by. Paris was always beautiful and colorful at night, but Anna's face seemed to grow grayer as the car sped down the road toward Gualle Garden, the Delacroix family's private residence.

The car finally stopped in front of a 5-meter-high gate that was heavily guarded by two men in special uniforms who monitored every car that entered the area. The guard gave a brief nod when he saw that it was Anna in the car.

Gualle Garden, an area covering 20 hectares, was inhabited by most of the Delacroix family.

The area contained several mansions, including those belonging to her mother, uncle, and cousins. The area was considered by most to be the most harmonious, where families lived together without knowing of the cold war between each member, even though they appeared to be fine on the outside.

The main mansion of the family is Venuel Mansion, the residence of the family elder, Haraya—her grandmother.

And it is there that an event is being held tonight, which is the only reason Anna flew to Paris and returned to the Delacroix family, an event commemorating the first anniversary of her mother's death...

There was no welcome awaiting her after her long absence from the house; instead, she was met with sneers as she walked through the living room.

"Look who's here. If I were her, I wouldn't have the nerve to come back after constantly embarrassing the family name while she was here!"

"If it weren't for her mother, she wouldn't be worthy of bearing the honorable Delacroix family name!"

Yeah... at least now it's better "because this family has cut ties with her!"

Anna ignored all the snide remarks that entered her ears, something she had been used to since childhood, when she was teased for always getting the lowest grades in class, bullied at school, and various other embarrassing things that made her famous as the laughing stock of the Delacroix family.

"She walked past them without looking back, heading towards the main hall where the memorial for her mother was being held."

When she arrived at the door, her steps were stopped by two guards who blocked her way, each of them spreading their arms wide, leaving her no chance to enter.

Anna had no choice but to take off her sunglasses, her sharp gaze falling alternately on the two guards. Let me through. Anna said with emotion in her eyes, even though her voice was clearly calm.

"I'm sorry, Miss, Mr. Gustav has given orders not to allow anyone who is not a family member to enter the hall."

Anna's body felt frozen, her sharp nails silently clenching the black dress that wrapped her body, and that name, Gustav Delacroix, made Anna's blood boil, the emotions she held back making her chest slowly feel tight.

No one has the right to stop me on the anniversary of my mother's death. Let me in.

Anna was still holding back her patience. The two guards looked at each other, then one of them spoke through the earpiece in his ear.

Anna waited for them with increasingly uncontrollable emotions, and those emotions exploded when more guards arrived, surrounding her with hostile looks on their faces.

"Sorry, Miss, Mr. Gustav just gave orders that you are not allowed to enter. Please leave before we have to drag you out."

"Gustav... you old bastard..." A muffled growl escaped Anna's red lips. Anger flared in her eyes, her fingers itching to scratch Gustav's face, her uncle who had taken all of her mother's possessions after she died, leaving her with nothing.

And now... this man wanted to prevent her from connecting with her mother? What right did he have? Was she now even forbidden from paying her mother her respects? Anna laughed bitterly inside, this old man really wanted to completely erase her existence from this family!

One by one, Anna gave the guards a sharp look.

"So that's how it is..." Anna's lips curled into a slight sneer. "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble." Her lips curved into a cold smile. "Tell your master that I have come with sincere intentions to commemorate my mother's death... and besides that..." Anna's voice lowered. "Tell him that I have come with the intention of taking all my inheritance from him, without leaving a single cent behind."

A grim smile appeared on Anna's lips. With her last sentence, she believed her uncle would immediately explode and rush to see her.

The guards looked at each other, waiting for one of them to speak into the earpiece.

Soon after, the man who had just been talking through the earpiece gave a signal to his colleagues. One by one, they stepped back from Anna, clearing the way for her to continue walking into the middle of the hall.

Anna felt all kinds of stares as she stepped inside. Among all the family members in the hall, their heads were now turned toward someone who was gracefully walking toward her mother's memorial altar.

Whispers filled the room as Anna paid her respects to her mother, Merry Angeline.

Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Behind her indifferent expression, she hid the emotions she was trying to suppress. All this time, even though her relationship with her mother was marred by misunderstandings,

her mother was the only one who cared for her, even though she raised her with a harsh style. And her mother's words, which she had ignored all this time, were true: that love equals destruction. And that was her life now....

"Look, she has the nerve to show up after her name was removed from this family."

"I heard she was dishonorably divorced by her husband..."

"I heard her husband chose another woman... It's only natural... Who would want a useless woman like her? She's just a burden to her husband..."

A barrage of taunts reached Anna's ears even after she had finished paying her respects to her mother.

Her back was straight as she turned away. Those hurling the taunts were all members of the Delacroix family. However, there was not the slightest change in her expression as she walked past them. Anna continued to maintain a cold expression. Her task was simply to warn her mother and then return home.

But she had to put that plan on hold when a woman in a rather striking dress

suddenly approached her and blocked her path. The woman was none other than her cousin, Chalsea, who was also Gustav's favorite daughter.

"My father asks that you meet him immediately in the living room." Her words were haughty, accompanied by a flash of disgust in her eyes as she looked at Anna.

Anna's eyebrows rose spontaneously, a small twitch appearing on her lips. Just as she had expected. The man couldn't wait to see her...

"You'd better hurry up and see my father, then leave here immediately." Chalsea continued her sarcastic words, her slender body moving closer to Anna to whisper in her ear.

"I'm seriously giving you this advice for your own good, Anna. If not... your face might soon fall from embarrassment. If I were you, I wouldn't come to the family that abandoned you. You're still stupid and shameless..."

"You're right, I am shameless. And I hope you realize it too. Aren't you ashamed to show off in front of me with my mother's wealth? If I were you... I wouldn't have the nerve to show my face in front of me."

Anna's gaze fell on something that caught her attention. She couldn't help but sneer at the pearl necklace Chalsea was wearing, which was none other than her mother's favorite necklace.

"If I may give you some advice... that necklace doesn't suit you." Anna backed away after voicing her opinion, her lips curving into a subtle smile as she saw Chalsea's face redden with anger.

Anna didn't want to argue with her any longer. She was satisfied after upsetting Chalsea and chose to walk away.

Anna's departure only made Chalsea's face redden even more. What Anna said hurt her pride mercilessly, fueling her hatred.

"Anna... you better watch out..." Her gaze was wild as she followed Anna, who had left her and headed for the side door of the hall.

The sound of Chalsea's footsteps hurriedly followed Anna. Anna turned her head for a moment, stopping by the pool as the sound of heels grew closer to her. She found Chalsea with her face bent down, stopping in front of her.

Anna looked at her lazily. She was clearly tired of dealing with Chalsea because it was a waste of time.

"Chalsea... I'm busy. If you still have something to say, you'd better tell me now." Anna didn't want to beat around the bush with her, her arms crossed over her chest, waiting for Chalsea to speak.

Chalsea didn't answer her. The sudden movement of her hand made Anna frown.

Roughly, Chalsea took off the pearl necklace around her neck and swung it in front of Anna's face.

"This necklace is your mother's favorite, isn't it? I used to like it. But I got bored with it pretty quickly and I don't want it anymore." A mocking laugh escaped her lips.

"If you think it's valuable and want to keep it, take it, before I throw it in the nearest trash can."

Those words instantly sparked Anna's anger.

"Don't you dare, Chalsea!" she snapped, giving Chalsea a sharp glare. She was disgusted that her mother's possessions were being touched by Chalsea's dirty hands and hated that Chalsea considered her mother's belongings to be trash.

"Give it to me before I snatch it from your hands, Chalsea!" Anna held out her hand, waiting for the item to be handed over.

Chalsea laughed even harder. The necklace was completely worthless to her. She only wanted it because it was pretty, and now that Anna was protecting it so fiercely, she couldn't wait to destroy it and see Anna cry like she used to.

"You want it so badly? Then take it..."

As soon as Chalsea swung her hand, the necklace floated smoothly towards the pool, then sank into the water filling the pool.

"Chalsea, you're crazy!" Anna screamed in panic, her hands clenched tightly as the object disappeared from her sight.

How dare Chalsea throw away something that was priceless to her! She turned to Chalsea with anger flashing in her eyes.

"Chalsea... I will never forgive you—ahhh!"

A strong push from behind caused Anna to lose her footing.

Splash!

Anna's scream mingled with the sound of splashing water as her body fell into the pool, followed by the laughter of two women standing by the pool. Chalsea... and her personal assistant Mina, whose appearance was only to give Anna a push. This brought back Anna's bad memories one by one, this situation was the same as what they did to her every time she came home from school.

"Is this still fun for you guys? Throwing me into the pool like you used to?" Anna muttered coldly. Her gaze was like a sharp knife piercing through the two of them. She itched to pull their legs so they would fall into the pool with her, but it felt pointless. That kind of response would certainly not satisfy her. They had to get a response that was many times more painful than what she had suffered!