Chapter 3
Jackson never expected Ivandro to be such an ingrate.
Ivandro was actually after the shares his own mother left behind, and he was going to rob his family's fortune!
"Where... where did you get all this stuff? Turn it off! Turn it off right now!"
Ivandro's earlier facade of a charming, romantic gentleman was completely shattered.
He roared in a fit of rage, and his facial muscles were contorted with extreme panic and fury.
He pounced on the control panel like a madman, trying to pull the plug.
However, there was no way I was going to give him a chance to cover it up.
I strode purposefully toward Josette, who was still slumped on the floor.
"Naevia! I was wrong! What Ivan said was all nonsense. I didn't… I really didn't want your money!" Josette finally panicked.
She knew that the innocent, kind persona she had painstakingly crafted was utterly ruined.
She reached out to pull me, but I slapped her hand away. "Get lost. Don't touch me with your filthy hands."
I gradually closed in, grabbed a handful of her carefully styled hair, and yanked it hard backward.
"Ouch! That hurts! Let go of me!"
Josette was forced to tilt her head back. Her scalp was stretched tight, and the pain made tears stream down her face.
"Let go?" I gave a scornful laugh.
My gaze fell upon her fair neck, where she wore a dazzling ruby necklace.
It was the only heirloom my maternal grandmother had left to her real granddaughter.
On my first day back at the Labrousse family's house, Laura snatched it right out of my hands, claiming, "You're not worthy of something so valuable." She then hung it around that phony's neck so she could show off.
"Don't you feel this necklace is too tight around your neck?"
I reached out and grabbed the necklace. Then, I yanked it hard.
Snap! The sturdy, solid-gold chain dug harshly into Josette's delicate neck, leaving a deep, glaring gash.
Then, with a resounding snap, it broke.
The expensive ruby pendant fell into my palm, and a few shards of diamond scattered onto the floor.
"My necklace!" Josette shrieked, clutching her bleeding neck.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with you." I clutched the ruby tightly in my hand and stuffed it into my pocket.
I straightened up and glared at my resentful parents and the terrified, disgraced scumbag.
The pain in my head felt like a rusty blade sawing frantically at my nerves.
My vision began to blur momentarily, and the buzzing in my ears grew louder.
But I stood ramrod straight, my back as rigid as freshly forged iron.
"Jackson, Laura, from today on, I am severing all ties with the Labrousse family."
I wiped the blood from my chin and flung it forcefully onto the pristine white carpet. Drops of jarring red spread out at once.
"Since you care so much about this phony, protect her well. Don't leave her alone under any circumstances.
"Because over the next thirty days, I'll haunt all of you as a vengeful spirit until I've flayed the skin off every one of you, layer by layer."
With that, I ignored the stunned, angry, and remorseful expressions on their faces.
Then I turned and strode purposefully toward the exit of the hall.
As I passed, the VIP guests, who usually looked down on others from their lofty perch, automatically parted fearfully to make way for me as if I were the plague.
No one dared to stop a lunatic who didn't even care about her own life.
I pushed open the heavy double doors of the Labrousse family's mansion.
Outside, the torrential rain was still raging, and a biting rain-laden wind lashed against my face.
I took a deep breath and filled my chest with the icy night wind.
For the first time, I felt truly free.
What was the point of pleasing others? What was the point of being a good girl?
Rules were meant to be broken, damn it.
I walked to the parking garage within the estate.
I immediately caught sight of Ivandro's flashy, limited-edition Aston Martin sports car right away.
The keys were still hanging from the door.
He had been in such a hurry to rush inside and protect his Josette that he hadn't even had time to take it out.
I walked over, opened the car door, and got into the driver's seat.
I started the engine and shifted into gear with practiced ease.
The V12 engine roared to life like a wild beast.
I glanced in the rearview mirror.
I saw Jackson, Laura, Ivandro, and the rest of the group running out the front door.
Ivandro pointed at my car and shouted like a madman, "Naevia! Get out of the car right now!"
I rolled down the window and stuck my hand in the rain.
Then I gave them the middle finger defiantly.
After that, I floored the accelerator.
The black Aston Martin was like a beast that had completely lost control.
Instead of heading toward the wide asphalt driveway, it spun its wheels violently in place.