Chapter 3
I knew exactly how this scene played out.
Andrew thought Vivian's photos were photoshopped, but they were actually real. Vivian had been hooking up with someone in private.
"Serena" was the scapegoat.
Andrew motioned for a few burly men to come forward and tie up my hands and feet. As they closed in, a wave of terrible memories crashed over me.
They were the memories of me being falsely accused, never believed, humiliated, and so on.
I started to panic again.
I couldn't stop shaking, thrashing and biting at the men who tried to grab me. "Don't touch me!
"I didn't do it! Why are you treating me like this?
"Andrew, are you an idiot? Why don't you actually check the facts? You swallow whatever Vivian says. Even an animal is smarter than you!"
Andrew blinked, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his eyes.
Then, his phone rang.
He glanced down at the screen, and the frown on his face instantly disappeared.
He answered the phone. "Hey, Vivian. Don't worry, I promised I'd get revenge for you, and I always keep my word.
"Serena knows she's guilty, and now she's pretending to kill herself. I'm not buying it."
He hung up without even glancing at me, nodded at his men, then walked straight out of the warehouse and lit up a cigar.
The flashes kept going on and off. I was like a caged beast, struggling, biting, and crying out in desperation.
At last, the flashes died down, and the door finally opened.
A man with a cold, icy presence rushed in, gently took off his coat, and carefully wrapped it around me.
"Don't worry. It's all over now," he reassured me.
Andrew stood behind the man, his voice full of open disdain. "Julian, don't let Serena's pathetic act fool you.
"She was throwing a tantrum, acting all dramatic like she was about to end her life just now, but she totally slipped up.
"If she really wanted to end it all, would she be screaming her lungs out just for a few photos? She was wailing louder than a pig at the butcher.
"Anyone who walked in would think we were slaughtering pigs in here..."
Before Andrew could finish his sentence, Julian's expression suddenly changed. "Wait, her tongue!"
Blood started streaming from the corners of my mouth.
It turned out that, under all that mental torment, I'd bitten through my own tongue.
The intense pain finally overwhelmed my fear.
The System went haywire, blaring alarms in my mind. [Host has violated protocol by attempting suicide!
[Host's vital signs in this world are dropping. Erasing your existence in the original world!]
With the last bit of strength I had left, I forced my eyes open and looked up at the man holding me.
Even now, the System was still relentlessly issuing warnings.
This was Julian Grant, the powerful fiancé arranged for the real heiress in this world.
He used to be Serena's only hope, but then he ditched her for Vivian, leaving Serena broken inside and out.
I actually laughed at how stupid this whole plot was, even as blood gushed from my mouth and nose.
Julian was so desperate that he looked like he might burst into tears. His face twisted up in worry.
There was something about him that felt strangely familiar.
He didn't feel like a character, but more like someone I'd actually met in real life.
Before I lost consciousness, I could hear Julian shouting desperately at the air, "Stop it! She's not gonna make it!
"Serena, hang in there!
"Please, don't die..."
When I finally came to, I found myself back in the Grant Estate.
The room was crowded with private doctors, and the whole Hart family was there, too.
"Julian, what did the doctors say? Is Serena going to be okay?" someone asked anxiously.
The System kept broadcasting updates in my mind. [The Grant family brought in top-tier medical equipment to stitch up your tongue. Your vitals are stable. Mission resumes.]
When Julian nodded, the Hart family finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Evelyn's attitude softened a bit. "Honestly, Serena has a point. She grew up away from the family, and we really neglected her. Maybe that's why she ended up so troubled.
"If she got into trouble, as her parents, we're also responsible for that."
Andrew was still dismissive. "Even if Serena's upset, Vivian was just a baby when the switch happened. She's totally innocent. Serena shouldn't be blaming Vivian for any of this.
"Vivian's about to launch her career as a celebrity. If those photos leak, how is she ever going to live it down?"
Richard slapped Andrew across the face. "How could you force Serena to shoot those kinds of photos? She's your own sister!
"She almost killed herself because of that. Look what you've done!"
Andrew took the slap, but he kept whining. "It's not like I was really going to let those photos get out.
"She's always throwing these tantrums. You can't keep spoiling her.
"I swear, she's just putting on an act to make you all go soft, so Vivian ends up suffering for it."
Vivian stood off to the side, acting all sweet and innocent, looking helpless. "It's fine. I'm not a real Hart anyway, so of course Mom and Dad would care more about Serena."
Evelyn's heart ached for her, and Richard's attitude shifted. "No one can ever replace Vivian.
"Julian, maybe you should have Serena transferred to the Hart family's private hospital. You two aren't married yet, after all.
"Vivian's the one who's always had feelings for you. Maybe it's time to reconsider this engagement."
Julian kept his expression cold, his voice polite but firm. "Serena is still my fiancée. That's not up for discussion.
"Serena has suicidal tendencies. Even if it's just her acting out, we need to take it seriously.
"She's still holding a grudge against you guys. Let her stay at the Grant family's place to recover before she goes back."