Chapter 5
Cold sweat started to form on Aria’s forehead.
She absolutely couldn’t admit that she’d been faking her illness. Otherwise, all her years of pretending would be wasted.
Aria denied it frantically. “Of course not! Mom, how could I lie to you? I really have been weak
since I was little.”
Suzanne asked, “Then what about these medical reports?”
Aria started to cry. “I don’t know either! Maybe it’s some kind of rare disease that can’t be detected.
Mom, I’m your biological daughter! Don’t you believe me?”
The moment Suzanne saw Aria crying, her heart softened instantly. She hurried forward and
hugged Aria, patting her back to comfort her. “Of course I believe you! Don’t worry, Aria. Whatever illness you have, I’ll make sure it gets treated!”
Aria was her own daughter, after all. Her poor child had suffered so much. How could she ever
doubt Aria?
Seeing how easily Suzanne fell for her words, Aria immediately turned her tearful eyes toward
Shea, shifting the blame again. “Why do you have all my medical reports, Shea? Were you
investigating me? Shea, why would you do that? Do you want to drive me out? Please, don’t make me leave…”
Hearing Aria’s accusations, Suzanne’s expression changed again as she turned sharply toward
Shea.
That was true. Why had Shea investigated Aria?
Suzanne got suspicious as she demanded, “Shea, is what Aria said true? Are you really trying to kick her out of the house? Shea, how could you do such a thing?”
Her voice grew more and more certain, with each word turning her accusation into a verdict.
Shea looked at Suzanne, who had once been so gentle and kind to her.
She laughed, but there wasn’t a hint of amusement in her smile.
For Shea, 20 years living together as mother and daughter with Suzanne still couldn’t compare to
the blood relation between Suzanne and Aria.
“Mom, you don’t have to worry about me trying to drive Aria out,” Shea said calmly.
She continued, “I’m married now. I’ll be moving out of the house. From now on, there will be no ties between me and the Carrington family.”
Lance stared at her, stunned. “Shea, where are you going? Are you going to my place? That might not be too convenient-”
X CLOSE
Shea interrupted him coldly, “You’re overthinking it.”
She looked at Lance. “I’m moving in with my husband. What does that have to do with you?”
Lance’s eyes widened. “I’m your fiance! I didn’t even go to the wedding today, so who could you have married? What husband?”
Shea crossed her arms and sneered. “Lance, you think too highly of yourself. I’m beautiful and talented. There are plenty of men in Zeremont who’d kill to marry me. Even if you don’t want to marry me, there are plenty of others who do.”
Then, she turned around and headed upstairs.
A moment later, she came back down with her documents in hand.
“Shea, can you stop making a scene?” Lance frowned, assuming that she was just throwing a
tantrum.
He knew her and knew that she hardly had any men around her. There was no way she’d actually marry someone else.
She was just bluffing and trying to make him jealous.
“It’s up to you if you want to believe it,” Shea said flatly, rolling her eyes before walking out of the
house.
Lance still thought that she was just angry. He was debating whether to follow her when his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced down and saw that it was Daisy calling. He answered the phone, “Hello, Mom? What’s
wrong?”
The moment the call connected, Daisy shouted furiously, “Lance! I absolutely forbid you to have anything to do with that little tramp Shea ever again!”
Lance replied, “Mom, calm down. Shea and I…”
Daisy continued, “That woman ran off with another man at the wedding! She humiliated our entire family!”
“What?” Lance widened his eyes in shock.
Shea had actually married someone else?
Meanwhile, outside the Carrington residence, Shea couldn’t care less about the chaos she left behind.
But bad news traveled fast. She’d barely stepped out of the gates when she heard people whispering behind her.
“Isn’t that Shea from the Carrington family? I heard that her fiance dumped her.”
“Yes, the groom never even showed up. She got so mad she just grabbed some random guy and
married him instead!”
“What? That’s insane!”
“And she said she’s cutting ties with the Carrington family, too. She won’t ever go home again.”
“Sounds like she lost her mind! How could she say something like that?”
Shea was speechless.
She was right here and could here every word.
Even though she’d made up her mind to cut things off cleanly, the words still stung.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, so why was everyone blaming her?
She felt a surge of frustration, and her eyes started to prickle with tears.
Just then, a car screeched to a halt in front of her.
The sharp sound of tires against pavement startled her, and she looked up in surprise.
The window slowly rolled down, revealing a handsome face.
Hansen looked at her with a smirk on his face. “Mrs. Grant, I’m here to pick you up.”
