Chapter 1
Jessica pointed at the safe I had just cracked open.
“Where did you take the company’s most valuable files?”
I lowered my head, speaking calmly.
“I gave them to the Masons.”
“Smack!”
Her slap landed hard across my face.
“Those files are my parents' blood and sweat! And you’re just throwing it all away? After ruining the Green family, you still have to go play lapdog for the Masons?”
Footsteps echoed behind me as I met Jessica’s glare, cold and unbothered.
“Michael treats me well. I’m marrying him because I love him.”
“And as the rightful heiress of the Green family, I can do whatever I want with those files. It’s none of your business, fake sister.”
Jessica’s face turned pale with rage.
“You love him? If our parents knew, they’d regret ever finding you!”
She raised her hand again and slapped me so hard I almost fell over.
The footsteps grew louder, closer.
I grabbed Jessica by the throat and slammed her against the wall.
“Jessica! Are they your parents? You’re calling them so fondly, but guess what? The Green family’s rightful head is me now!”
“Here’s some advice: don’t mess with me, or I’ll make sure you have no place left to bury your corpse.”
My grip tightened.
Jessica’s terrified struggles grew weaker as her face flushed red.
Just as she was on the brink, a hand touched mine.
“Emily, let go.”
I released her, and Jessica collapsed to the floor.
Michael stepped in, wrapping an arm around my waist and forcing me to meet his eyes.
“She’s your sister, Emily. Did you really want to kill her?”
I stared straight back at him.
“Of course. I’m the Green family’s real daughter. Jessica’s been playing the role for too long. She’s nothing but a squatter who got comfortable.”
Michael’s hand caressed my face.
“But everyone thinks it was my family who ruined yours, who drove your parents to jump. Don’t you blame me at all?”
I leaned into his touch, smiling faintly.
“Those two useless fools couldn’t run a company and couldn’t handle pressure. Their deaths were on them.”
“Why would I blame you? If anything, I should thank you for getting rid of them. All they ever did was favor Jessica.”
Jessica screamed, “Emily!”
She lunged at me.
“How dare you insult our parents! I’ll fight you to the death!”
I ducked behind Michael, clutching him tightly.
“Michael, I’m scared.”
Seeing me like this only made Jessica more furious.
She started hurling every insult she could muster.
“Emily, you should’ve been strangled at birth! Why weren’t you the one to die, you miserable witch?”
I trembled dramatically, clinging to Michael.
He glanced at the guards behind him and gave a simple command.
“Take Jessica and feed her to the dogs.”
Chapter 2
Michael had a thing for dogs—vicious ones.
He owned a whole kennel full of banned breeds, fed on raw meat to keep them wild and aggressive.
The guards grabbed Jessica, who fought them with everything she had, screaming curses as they dragged her toward the door.
“Emily, you’re worse than an animal! Even as a ghost, I’ll never let you off!”
“Michael, you’re a murderer! You’ll burn in hell for this!”
“You’ll both get what’s coming to you!”
Michael pulled me into his arms, his tone almost playful.
“So, Emily, should we feed her to the dogs? Or do you have something else in mind?”
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips.
“Let the dogs have her. They could use a change in diet.”
Michael raised an eyebrow.
“Not even a little bit of pity?”
I laughed, sharp and cold.
“Why would I pity her? I hate Jessica. She deserves it.”
Michael studied me, his gaze curious.
“Funny thing, though. I heard you two used to be close. Didn’t you even go on a trip abroad together, back before your parents died?”
I clenched my fists subtly.
How much did he know?
It was obvious the Masons had been targeting the Greens for a long time, carefully planning every move.
No wonder my parents fell into their trap.
I pushed down the pang of bitterness and forced a smirk.
“Oh, that? My clueless parents insisted we act like sisters. I figured, why not? Fake it for a bit, and they’d hand over all the money I wanted.”
Jessica’s eyes filled with rage, her face twisted with disbelief.
“Emily, you told me you were grateful I stayed by Mom and Dad’s side while you were gone. You’ve been lying to us all this time?”
I snorted.
“And you believed me? Please. You’re nothing but a thief who stole my life. You really thought I’d thank you? You’re not worth it.”
Jessica’s tears spilled over as she choked on her sobs.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Mom, Dad... this is the daughter you searched so desperately for. She’s not even human.”
Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Jessica broke free from the guards and ran straight toward the wall.
“Mom! Dad! Your daughter’s coming to join you!”
The sickening thud echoed in the room as she hit the wall and collapsed to the floor, blood seeping from her head.
I felt Michael’s eyes on me.
Turning to meet his gaze, I shrugged.
“She was planning to sell the house anyway. Now she pulls this? What bad luck.”
I gestured dismissively.
“Drag her outside. If she dies here, it’ll tank the property value.”
Jessica lay barely conscious, her lips pale and trembling.
She didn’t even have the strength to hurl another insult.
Michael chuckled, brushing a finger under my nose.
“Always thinking about money, aren’t you?”
I swallowed the disgust rising in my throat and forced a playful pout.
“The Greens owe me. Once the house sells, I’ll buy you something nice.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he said, pulling me closer before calling out to the guards.
“Forget the dogs. Take her outside and give her a good beating. I don’t want her dying in my fiancée’s house.”
Chapter 3
The guards dragged Jessica into the courtyard.
Each of them grabbed a baseball bat and started swinging at her.
Jessica was barely conscious already, but the first blow made her cough up blood, a gut-wrenching scream escaping her lips.
Michael stood watching me, his eyes full of amusement. I clapped my hands.
“Beautiful sound. Hit her harder!”
Michael laughed this time. “If they hit her any harder, she’ll die! You’re something else, my little savage.”
He pinched my cheek, his voice almost teasing.
“Emily, I thought I was cruel, but today, you’ve outdone me.”
I playfully hooked his finger with mine.
“We’re a match made in heaven, aren’t we?”
“Just don’t let them kill her,” Michael called to the guards, pulling me toward the car.
Inside, he didn’t waste any time.
His lips pressed to my neck, his hands roaming lower, gripping my thigh under my dress.
The touch made my skin crawl, but I forced myself to stay still, wrapping my arms around his neck like I didn’t care.
Just as his hand slid higher, his phone rang.
Michael groaned in frustration, trying to ignore it, but the ringing wouldn’t stop.
He finally pushed himself off me to answer.
Relief washed over me as I took a deep breath.
The moment Michael saw the caller ID, his entire demeanor shifted. He sat up straight.
“Dad?”
On the other end, I could hear the sharp tone of Mr. Mason’s voice.
“Get to the office. Now.”
Michael hung up, his usual arrogance gone in an instant.
“My dad wants me at the office. You get out here.”
A flicker of frustration crossed my mind.
After everything, he still didn’t trust me. But I couldn’t show it.
I nodded obediently.
“Okay.”
As I reached for the car door, Michael grabbed my hand, pulling it back to close the door again.
“On second thought, come with me. If you’re going to marry into the Mason family, you’ll have to start learning the ropes at the company anyway.”
The car pulled away, and in the side mirror, I caught a glimpse of Jessica.
The guards tossed her onto the side of the road like a piece of trash.
