Ash Rose 4

Chapter 4 

“Forget it. When this is all over, I’ll get you a better one,” Alexander said, answering his own question before I could even finish my sentence, blocking my unspoken breakup. 

I gave a bitter smile, pulled my hand back, and walked toward the backyard. 

I stood beside Annabelle, took the microphone, and spoke with ridiculous words. 

“Annabelle is my biological sister.” 

“Her mother was not a mistress but my father’s legal second spouse.” 

“This old estate is my gift to Annabelle. Consider it a welcome-home present from me.” 

From the audience, Alexander led the applause. It was clear he had firmly secured Annabelle’s place in the social circle. 

Just as I was about to leave, Annabelle grabbed my sleeve. 

“Thank you for clearing my and my mother’s names, Vivienne. Since I came back, we haven’t really talked. Do you have 

some time now?” 

I couldn’t refuse her in front of everyone. 

Following her to a quiet courtyard, barely had we settled when Annabelle dropped the act. 

She mocked. 

“Do you think forcing Dad to send me abroad was going to work?” 

“The moment I came back, everything became mine. So what if I’m the illegitimate daughter? With Alexander on my side, 

who in this circle dares to frown or show any disapproval in front of me?” 

“Vivienne, soon you’ll be crushed under my feet like that dead old dog of yours!” 

My gaze drifted to a hidden camera tucked under the courtyard eaves. 

I scoffed and said deliberately, 

“The Sinclair family will never accept a cripple as Mrs. Sinclair.” 

As expected, Annabelle wasn’t angry at my words. 

Instead, she slowly stood up from her wheelchair in front of me, grinning triumphantly. 

“Surprised? I was faking it.” 

“Just watch. The real show is yet to come!” 

“I took your family estate. Your husband will soon be mine too!” 

With that, she stepped onto the railing and jumped into the courtyard pond, shouting, 

“Help! Somebody save me!” 

Hearing her cries, Alexander rushed over hurriedly. 

Without hesitation, he dove into the water and pulled Annabelle out. 

Her face was pale as she weakly curled in his arms, accusing, 

“Vivienne, why did you push me into the water?” 

“I know you’ve always hated me. But with me like this, pushing me into the pond is basically trying to kill me!” 

Alexander held her with a concerned expression, glaring fiercely at me. 

“Vivienne, I thought you just lacked compassion. I never expected you to be so cruel. Do you realize if I’d been a few seconds later, Annabelle would have drowned? How could you hurt a disabled person like that?” 

“Apologize!” 

I frowned. I hadn’t expected Alexander to deny me even a chance to explain. 

“She jumped in on her own!” I said firmly. 

Alexander’s anger flared. 

He practically shouted at me, 

“Nonsense!” 

“Annabelle needs her wheelchair to move around. How could she jump in by herself?” 

I pointed toward the courtyard’s surveillance monitor, confident. 

“There’s footage. Am I lying or not? Just check the cameras.” 

With that, as I was about to instruct someone to pull the footage, Alexander suddenly shoved me angrily into the pond. 

In an instant, I was struggling underwater. 

“What’s the point of checking? Since you dared to do this, you must have a backup plan.” 

“Instead of forcing you to apologize unwillingly, I’ll let you experience drowning firsthand. Let’s see if you’ll still dare to 

hurt Annabelle next time!” 

The water was shallow. I fought hard to stay standing. 

But Alexander seemed determined to teach me a lesson. 

Every time I caught a breath, he pushed my head back under. My throat filled with water, spasming violently. My chest felt 

like it would burst. 

Then he’d lift me up again, only for me to gasp for air for less than two seconds before he pushed me back down. 

It went on and on until my body was completely exhausted. 

Eventually, I lost the strength to fight. My consciousness slipped toward a foggy darkness. 

Finally, Alexander showed mercy and pulled me out, tossing me onto the bank casually. I coughed up water, gasping and 

miserable. 

“Hope you remember this lesson well. Go home and think it over.” 

Chapter 

“Tomorrow morning at nine, I want to see you apologize to Annabelle.” 

With that, Alexander scooped up Annabelle and walked away. 

The crowd around us looked at me with mixed expressions carrying sympathy, ridicule, entertainment until they slowly 

dispersed. 

I collapsed on the ground, too weak to get up. 

Cough… 

I choked out a mouthful of water. 

Fumbling, I wiped away tears I didn’t even realize had fallen, smiled bitterly, then broke down crying again. 

Thank goodness. 

Thank goodness Alexander gave me a brutal clarity. 

He doubted me, abandoned me, tortured me without a second thought. 

Until not a shred of that love we once had remained. 

And I finally laughed aloud. 

Wishing myself to give up completely, wishing myself freedom. 

At nine the next morning, I was at the airport boarding gate. Alexander’s texts kept coming nonstop: 

“Apologize to Annabelle. Don’t think about running away.” 

“Where are you? Where the hell have you gone?” 

“Vivienne, answer your phone!” 

I didn’t reply. 

Instead, I deleted and blocked every one of his contacts. 

My eyes settled on the latest message popping up on my screen: 

“Ms. Kingsley, per your instructions, the video footage of Annabelle’s fall into the pond yesterday has been posted online. It’s expected to hit over a million views within twenty minutes and reach the top three trending topics.” 

“Good.” 

The plane took off, carrying me far from this land. 

I silently vowed to myself. 

The next time we met, I would take back everything that belonged to me. 

Meanwhile, in the company office, Alexander noticed the red exclamation mark beside the chat window and paused. 

He thought I was just sulking and refusing to apologize, so he was about to call me. 

But just then, his assistant hurried in, holding up a phone. 

“Good.” 

The plane took off, carrying me far from this land. 

I silently vowed to myself. 

The next time we met, I would take back everything that belonged to me. 

Meanwhile, in the company office, Alexander noticed the red exclamation mark beside the chat window and paused. 

He thought I was just sulking and refusing to apologize, so he was about to call me. 

But just then, his assistant hurried in, holding up a phone. 

“Mr. Sinclair, take a look at the trending topic. Yesterday’s incident might really be serious!”