Chapter 3

Mrs. Katrina dismissed me entirely, turning her back to address my father's assistant. "Is there any other thing, Mr. Pascal?"

"Yeah." Pascal replied. "He has also ordered a brand new Lamborghini and a private mansion in Sonic estate as a gift. The most beautiful and luxurious estate in the entire country."

"Oh my God! Mr. Orton loves Stacey so much," Bella squealed from behind them.

"That's not enough. If he truly cares about me and my daughter, he should throw a proper party to show it off." Mrs. Katrina said.

"He didn't forget that either." Pascal said. "Mr. Orton also booked the main ballroom at Newlife Hotel for the celebration. I've sent invitations across the entire city as he ordered. It's going to be the biggest, most extravagant birthday gala in the city."

"That's great," Mrs. Katrina smiled and turned to Stacey. "Go and put on your new dress and shoes."

"This way, Miss Stacey. Follow me," Pascal said, gesturing toward the executive suite as he carefully dragged the massive display box.

Stacey flashed me a wicked, victorious smile, her eyes glittering with malicious glee as she turned and followed Pascal down the corridor.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves! We are all going to Newlife Hotel for Stacey's birthday celebration." Mrs Katrina said and turned to me "And for you. Gather those scattered papers right now and start working. And make sure every single toilet in this building is shining and spotless by the end of today. If I see your disgusting face anywhere around Newlife Hotel, I will kill you." She threatened.

Bella and the rest of the office staff erupted into cruel, mocking laughter as they began clearing off their desks, eagerly preparing to leave for the event.

Amidst my flowing tears, I picked my phone and slowly gathered the strewn papers. I was expecting my father's call but it never came. I thought maybe, it was a mistake.

In less than ten minutes, the entire office was empty and dead quiet. It was my birthday, yet I was left alone in the office, forced to slave away and clean toilets while my mother's killers went off to celebrate.

I sat down at my desk, trying to focus on the computer screen through a blur of persistent tears, when suddenly, my phone buzzed on the desk beside me. I checked the screen, It was my Dad again. He was calling again. Maybe it was never a mistake.

My hand was shaking as I pressed the green button, wiping my face with my sleeve as I brought the phone to my ear. "Hello, Dad..."

"Vicky! Oh God, Vicky, finally!" His voice broke through the speaker, frantic, breathy, and laced with absolute despair. "Please... I am so, so sorry for everything! Early this morning, I received a video file that exposed the real killers of my wife, your mom. It was Katrina and her daughter, Vicky. It was them all along!"

He choked back a sob over the line before he continued. "Please, my sweet girl... please forgive me for not believing you. I was such a fool!"

"Daddy!" Fresh, warm tears spilled over my eyelids and rolled down my cheeks.

"I know I'm not worthy to be called your Dad." He wept desperately into the receiver. "I know I can never undo the hell I put you through, but I'm trying to make it up to you. I've arranged a massive birthday gala for you at the Newlife Hotel. I sent Pascal to deliver your custom birthday dress."

"Thank God... Thank God you finally found out I'm innocent," I sobbed into the phone. "So... the gown was really meant for me?"

"Yes! Of course it's for you! It's your special day, my princess." He said, his tone shifting as he heard my breathless cries. "But why are you crying like this? Tell me, is someone hurting you right now?"

The painful reality of what just happened crashed back into my mind. "Stacey and her mom claimed it, Dad. She wore the dress, and they've all gone to Newlife Hotel to throw the party for Stacey. They gave me endless work to finish, ordered me to scrub every toilet in the building, and... and Katrina threatened me. She warned me not to show my face at Newlife Hotel, or she will kill me."

Silence hung on the line for some agonizing moment before a terrifying, visceral roar exploded from my father's throat.

"Those wild animals!" He screamed, his rage vibrating through the phone speaker. "They killed my lovely wife and turned me against you! And now she dares to threaten my daughter's life again?! I am going to destroy them! I will make them pay a hundred times!"

"Where are you right now, Dad?" I asked, wiping my wet cheeks with a newfound strength surging through my veins.

"I'm still in the air on my jet, but we are getting closer to the City. Just thirty five minutes away. Hold on, my baby, I'm coming straight to you!" He. said.

"Alright." I replied, drawing in a long, deep breath and standing up behind my desk. The helplessness that had weighed me down for years evaporated completely. "Don't come to the office, Dad. I'm going to Newlife Hotel right now. I'm going to take back everything you prepared for me. Meet me there."

My Dad was back. The nightmare was finally over. It was time to show Mrs. Katrina and her vile daughter once and for all that they never belonged in our lives, that their stolen royal life had come to an end.

I reached out, clicked the power button on my monitor, and shut off the computer. then walked out with reckless abandon.

In less than fifteen minutes, I was standing right in front of the grand entrance of the Newlife ballroom. I took a slow, deep breath to steady the adrenaline surging through my veins, ready to shatter their stolen fantasy, and pushed the heavy door open.

The magnificent grand ballroom was bathed in golden light, packed with high-society guests, photographers, and booming music.

Stacey stood near the stage wearing my multi-million-dollar diamond dress, holding a glass of champagne while her mother beamed beside her.

The moment I stepped onto the polished marble floor of the hall, Mrs. Katrina's saw me. Her fake, graceful smile dropped instantly into a ugly, distorted glare.

"How dare you show up here!" Mrs. Katrina questioned in a sharp anger, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the crowd as she marched toward me. "Who let a filthy trash like you in?"

"I thought my mom warned you never to show your ugly face here!" Stacey strutted over in my gown, clutching her glas. "I'm sure you haven't finished the work or cleaned the toilets like you were instructed to do! What on earth gave you the nerve to step foot into this hotel!"

I held my head high, staring directly into Stacey's arrogant eyes without flinching.

"Why won't I be here when It's actually my birthday." I declared, my voice echoing clearly across the entrance hall, catching the attention of several wealthy guests around us. "My father prepared this entire party for me. Even the diamond dress and the shoes you are wearing right now were bought for me. I'm here to get back what is mine."

"How dare you spit such delusional nonsense in public!" Bella yelled, breaking away from the crowd and rushing furiously toward me with her face red with rage.

I looked at Bella and simply smiled. She had no idea that the balance of power had shifted and returned to the rightful person.

"Kneel down and apologize to Miss Stacey right now before I punish you and drag you out myself!" Bella commanded, towering over me aggressively.

"And what if I don't?" I asked. My voice was calm, steady, and chillingly confident.

"You're still talking back?!" Bella screeched, raising her right hand high in the air, swinging it down hard to strike my face.

Before her hand could make contact, my reflexes kicked in. I reached up instantly and caught her wrist mid-air, locking my grip around her arm like a vice. Bella's eyes widened in sheer shock as she tried and failed to pull her arm back.

"Not anymore," I whispered coldly. With a sudden surge of built-up fury, I yanked her arm away, throwing off her balance, and swung my left hand across her face, landing a deafening, thunderous slap directly against her cheek.

The sharp sound echoed loudly across the entire ballroom, stunning the surrounding crowd into a dead silence. Bella stumbled backward onto the floor, clutching her red, burning face in absolute shock and horror.

Stacey and Mrs. Katrina stood frozen in place, their faces draining of all colors as they stared at me in disbelief.