Chapter 3

"Found her. Denise's at the Milinton Hotel!" Sherman burst into the funeral hall with his phone in his hand. His voice brought me back to reality.

Without a second thought, Enoch bolted straight for the door. Jayden snatched up the car keys, with Marcus and Dylan hot on his heels. Their faces were contorted with a fury I'd never witnessed before.

I hovered above the coffin, watching their rushing figures disappear, and I murmured with a cold smile, "Go on. See for yourselves what your doted-on Denise is really doing right now."

My soul tagged along. There was no way that I would miss out on this show.

*****

The blisters on my hand took three full days to heal. During those three days, not a single family member came to see me, except for the housekeeper Marlene, who brought my meals.

"Erika, your meal is ready." Marlene set the tray on the bedside table, her eyes full of quiet pity. In this household, even the housekeeper could tell who the favored one was.

"Thank you, Marlene." I forced a weak smile. With my right hand still bandaged, I awkwardly scooped up food with my left hand.

Marlene hesitated, then finally sighed and said, "Denise said you were unwell and needed complete rest."

I clumsily spooned some porridge into my mouth.

Hearing what Marlene said, I sneered.

It was clear that Denise wanted everyone to ignore me.

After that incident, Farrell went on a business trip, leaving me without a single soul who would stand up for me.

The door suddenly swung open, and Denise swept in like a social butterfly. Her pristine white dress was spotless.

"Erika, are you feeling better?" she said, her voice sickly sweet. Then she sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch my bandage.

I recoiled. Her manicured nails looked nice, yet I was well aware of just how vicious those hands could be.

Denise was dismissive. Leaning in until her lips nearly brushed my ear, she whispered, "You really think Dad can protect you forever? He's leaving for Topandia on business tomorrow, and he won't be back for a whole month."

She flashed an innocent smile. "This month, I'll show you who the real heiress is in this family."

I tightened my grip on the spoon. "Why do you have to be like this? We could have gotten along."

"Get along?" she scoffed, as if she'd just heard the most ridiculous joke. "Do you have any idea how many years I've spent making everyone adore me? Why do you, a country bumpkin, think you can just waltz in and take what's mine?"

I looked her straight in the eye and said firmly, "I want nothing but my family."

"Family?" Denise scoffed in disdain.

She added, "They've been my family for a long time now. Jayden peels shrimp for me. Marcus teaches me how to paint. Dylan tutors me, and Sherman follows me around all day."

She stood up, looking down at me. "As for Enoch, he's promised to marry me ever since we were kids."

That was the first time I had heard Enoch's name.

Denise seemed delighted by my reaction. She said, "Oh, you didn't know? You and Enoch are engaged. It was arranged by our grandparents." With a triumphant twirl, she added, "But don't worry. This engagement will soon be mine."

After she left, I couldn't take another bite. No one had told me about the engagement.

*****

That afternoon, I removed the bandages. The skin on my hand was still red, though the pain had eased. Feeling suffocated by staying cooped up in my room, I decided to take a stroll in the garden instead.

The Kline residence's huge garden was alive with vibrant roses. As I bent down to breathe in their fragrance, footsteps suddenly approached.

"Oh, Denise, there you are," a man said.

I turned and saw a strange man standing on the garden path. He wore a charcoal-gray suit. His face was chiseled, and his features were sharp and angular. When our eyes met, he visibly froze for a moment.

"You're not Denise," he said.

I stood up, brushing the grass off my skirt. "I'm Erika, her sister."

He gave me an appraising look. "So, you're the Kline family's long-lost heiress?" he said coolly. "I'm Enoch Leblanc. Nice to meet you."

I finally saw Enoch, the man Denise claimed would marry her. I didn't know what to say. All I could do was give a nod.

"Where's Denise?" he asked, his tone noticeably softening.

"I'm not sure. Maybe inside," I replied.

Enoch frowned. "She told me to meet in the garden at three." He checked his watch, his expression darkening. "It's already twenty past three."

I shrugged. "Maybe she got the time wrong?"

"Impossible. Denise is never late," Enoch said flatly, as if I'd just slandered Denise.

Just as the awkward silence dragged on, Denise's voice rang out from behind. "Enoch, I'm so sorry I'm late!" She trotted over and immediately linked arms with Enoch in an intimate gesture. "I was baking a cake for Erika. I wanted to surprise her, and I completely lost track of time."

Enoch's expression instantly softened. He said tenderly, "You're always so thoughtful."

Denise flashed a sweet smile and then "suddenly" noticed my hand. "Does it still hurt, Erika? I was so worried about you that day," she said, reaching out to grab my hand. I instinctively dodged.

My movement was unmistakable. Enoch's gaze turned icy in an instant. "Erika, is that how you respond to your sister's concern?"

I opened my mouth, but words failed me. Should I say, "She was actually aiming for my wound?"

"It's alright," Denise said in a kind voice. "She just got home, and she isn't used to things yet." Turning to Enoch, she added, "Let's go to the gazebo. I made your favorite macaroons just for you."

Enoch gave a curt nod. Before leaving, he shot me an icy glare.

I bit my lower lip as I watched their retreating figures. It had only been a few days, and Denise had already succeeded in turning everyone against me.