Chapter 5

I stood behind the door, my voice flat. "I don't want the milk."

"I know you're upset with me, but you have to give me a chance to make it up to you," Mom said.

"Make it up to me?" I leaned against the door, holding back the turmoil inside. "Answer one question first.

"Why did I go missing back then?"

There was silence outside the door.

It took her several seconds to speak, her voice strained. "Didn't I tell you before? The hospital was crowded, and the nurse mixed up the babies."

"Really? Then what does Linda have to do with it?"

Her breathing hitched.

I closed my eyes.

I understood.

She knew.

She might have known all along.

The next second, her voice turned icy cold. "Where did you hear that name?"

I didn't answer.

She dropped the act. "Lily, I'm warning you, don't dig into this. Some things are better left unknown."

Her footsteps faded away.

I stood there, my chest tight with pain.

In my previous life, I'd thought I lost to Yolanda.

Now I realized I'd been trapped since the day I was born.

If that was the case, I'd dig up the whole trap and bury them all in it.

*****

At one a.m., I changed into sharp, practical clothes and snuck down the back stairs to the backyard.

It rained lightly, and the stone path glistened wet.

The workshop had been locked for ages, with a padlock on the door.

Following what Grandma said in the video, I felt behind the third brick on the west wall and found a key.

As I opened the door, dust blew right into my face.

Everything inside was still the way Grandma had left it: the embroidery frame, threads, the old desk lamp, and her favorite wooden table by the window.

I stood in the doorway, tears stinging my eyes.

In my previous life, I'd spent countless nights here drafting, stitching, finishing work for Yolanda.

In the end, I wasn't even allowed inside.

I pushed down my emotions and, as Grandma said, pulled a metal box from the bottom of the old cabinet.

Inside were account books, a copy of the notarization, a USB drive, and a yellowed medical file.

Just as I finished packing everything into my bag, footsteps sounded outside the door.

My heart jumped. I quickly turned off my flashlight.

In the dark, someone pushed the door open.

A tall figure stood in the moonlight, his outline sharp.

"Come out," the man said, his voice low and steady.

I gripped the scissors tightly, staying still.

He paused for a couple of seconds, then chuckled softly. "Ms. Rivers, if you don't come out, you'll hurt yourself with those scissors."

I froze.

I recognized that voice.

It was Chester Ford, the youngest tycoon in Silveroity, ruthless, sharp-eyed.

In my previous life, he'd tried to hire me for his new brand three times. I'd refused every time, clinging to the Riverses' fake love.

When Silverloom fell apart, he was the only one who'd spoken up for me publicly.

I stepped out of the shadows and looked at him. "What brings you here?"

Chester wore a black shirt, with a little rain on his shoulder. His gaze swept over my bag, then my face.

"Came to watch the show," he said. "Heard the Rivers family's welcome-home party tonight was quite the spectacle."

I didn't reply to his taunt.

He glanced at the old embroidery frame on the table, then suddenly asked, "You got it?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You knew something was here?"

"Just a guess," he said lazily. "Maria met me not long ago. She told me, if the Rivers family mistook a diamond for glass, I could reach out and grab it."

My heart skipped a beat.

Grandma had even met with Chester ahead of time.

He was terrifyingly smart.

Seeing the change in my expression, he didn't press further.

Instead, he held out his hand. "Partner up?"

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Silverloom," he replied bluntly. "To be exact, the valuable parts of the Silverloom name.

"I couldn't care less about those losers in the Rivers family. What I'm after is what you've got, plus your embroidery skills."

The wind breezed in through the half-open window, carrying a hint of dampness.

I looked at him, not agreeing right away.

In my previous life, I'd met too many people who said they'd help, only to use me to climb higher.

Chester seemed to read my wariness. He said, "You've got two choices now.

"First, keep fighting the Rivers family all by yourself and let them pull you down with them.

"Second, lay your cards on the table, and I'll help you turn the whole game upside down."

He paused, his tone calm and almost chilling. "Lily, you know better than anyone. If you want to make them suffer, you can't just confront them. You have to make them fear you first."

That hit me straight in the heart.

I didn't come back to argue.

I came back for revenge.