Chapter 4 Take Back What Belongs to Her

"Evie, you're going too far! Vivian just secretly told me she'd give you the room, but now you're bullying her like this!" Jasper couldn't hold back and scolded her.

He hadn't said a word earlier. The Vance family's harsh words to Evie made him feel bad inside, and he realized he still had feelings for her.

Looking at Evie's thin body that a gust of wind could knock over, he felt extra sorry for her and couldn't help thinking back to their sweet times together.

If not for that accident three years ago, he and Evie would have been the perfect couple everyone envied.

He used to feel sorry for Evie, but seeing her now acting like she was possessed made him a bit disappointed too.

"It's okay, Jasper. I know Evie resents me for not saving her back then. Just let her vent a little." Vivian leaned into Jasper's arms like a little bird depending on a branch, looking so pitiful.

"But that wasn't your fault. You're being too hard on yourself." Jasper said, full of heartache.

"She's the one who's aggrieved?" Evie laughed like it was the biggest joke. "She set it all up to get me locked up and persecuted for three years. Compared to what I went through, what right does she have to feel aggrieved?!"

Jasper was speechless.

With all Evie's fussing, the guests outside the villa heard the noise and started heading upstairs to check. Seeing the guests coming up, Thomas gritted his teeth in anger.

Finally, after a glance at Margaret, he agreed to let Evie sleep in the dressing room.

"No way! Then where do I put my clothes?!" Vivian blurted out in shock, then realized she overreacted and softened her voice.

"It's not right for Evie to sleep in the dressing room. She should sleep in my room instead."

Margaret sighed and took Vivian's hand, saying with affection, "Sometimes I wish you weren't so understanding. The only choice is to give up the dressing room to Evie and wrong you. Later, Mom will get you a bigger one renovated. Come on, there are guests outside. We have to get your birthday party done smoothly today."

Vivian nodded obediently and followed Margaret out of the room.

As she left, Vivian shot Evie a venomous look.

She never thought Evie could come back alive, but it didn't matter. Everyone, including Evie's fiancé Jasper, was already on her side.

So what if Evie was back? Three years ago, she sent Evie to "hell," and three years later, she could do it again!

—

The group left in a noisy crowd, leaving Evie alone in the room.

Evie felt all her strength drain away and collapsed on the bed. She was already weak, and after all that fussing, she couldn't hold up anymore.

Evie lay on the bed staring blankly at the pink ceiling.

She knew that was just the start. If she wanted revenge on Vivian and make her pay, there would be endless schemes and plots ahead.

And Jasper the betrayer—when she got kidnapped by the gang back then, he had helped make it worse.

If it was before, Evie would have just swallowed it.

But she had already been through "hell." No matter how tough things got later, she would never let this cheating couple off the hook!

After a while, the sky grew dark, and there was noise at the room door.

Evie got up and opened the door. A group of servants were hovering outside. When they saw her open it, they backed away in fright, avoiding her like the plague.

"What's up?" Evie asked coldly.

One servant worked up the nerve to step forward but kept her distance. "Mrs. Vance sent us to collect Ms. Vivian's things."

Evie glanced back at the clothes and bags she had scattered all over the room. She didn't want to see Vivian's stuff anyway.

Evie stepped back into the room. "Come in."

Even then, the servants didn't dare enter. Someone finally brought protective suits, and only after putting them on did they carefully go in to pack.

Evie stood by watching quietly. When one servant carefully picked up jewelry from the display case, Evie said, "Hold on."

Evie walked over fast and snatched the jewelry back.

The servant got scared and backed away quick, like afraid of catching something. "Miss Evie... this... this is Ms. Vivian's jewelry. Ms. Vivian said we have to take all of it."

Evie recognized it as the coming-of-age gift Margaret gave her at 18. A lot of the pieces in the case used to be hers too.

Evie sneered. She had only been gone three years—how did her stuff become Vivian's?

"Go tell Vivian I don't want any of her things, but what's mine, she can't take."

Evie took out all the jewelry from the case that belonged to her. The servants didn't dare argue and just kept packing the rest.

While they packed, Evie finally took a good look around the room. By the window was a big cabinet stuffed full of award trophies.

Evie looked closely and saw they were all trophies Vivian had won in international design contests—way too many to count.

There were also honor certificates from Vivian graduating top design school.

It made Evie's already numb heart ache all over again.

Vance Group was one of the top 100 design companies in the country. Evie grew up around it, and as a kid her dream was to go to Parsons School of Design and become a great designer.

She had real talent for design, but her family wouldn't let her do it. They said she was the family baby and didn't need to worry about the company.

On top of that, Jasper wanted her to be a good wife at home and not show her face outside, so when Parsons School of Design gave her special admission, Evie turned it down.

But now everything she wasn't allowed to touch had all gone to Vivian.

Evie clenched her fist tight, then let go and gave a mocking smile.

When she got rescued, she had asked about the family company. A few years back, Vance Group's business tanked—old designs got left behind by the times.

It was all thanks to a mysterious designer named Nox that Vance pulled back from the edge of bankruptcy to the top again.

But that Nox disappeared three years ago, so now Vance Group looks flashy on the outside but is really on its last legs.

Evie looked at all the fancy trophies and curled her lip. "Vivian is so amazing, but why hasn't she made the company boom? All looks, no real skill. My dear mom and dad, I'm waiting for the day you come begging me."