A Scandalous Discovery

“Mr. Declan, should we allow Ms. Vance to stay for now?” Arthur asked, breaking the tension in the room.

Like magic, the iron hold around Declan’s ribs vanished. Valerie let go and scrambled backward, nodding with wide eyes like a naive child.

Declan gasped for air. The moment her sticky fingers left his jacket, a sickening wave of revulsion crashed over him. He ripped the ruined suit coat off his shoulders, hurling it at the nearest maid for immediate washing. Loosening his silk tie with shaking, desperate hands, he stepped as far away from Valerie as the living room rug allowed. He glared at the deranged stranger.

“Keep an eye on her. She is not allowed to set foot outside this mansion without my strict permission.” Declan gritted his teeth, locking eyes with the butler.

Without another word, he pivoted and marched out. The heavy front door slammed shut behind him. He fled the property as fast as possible, as if a predator were nipping at his heels.

As the latch clicked into place, the weeping mask on Valerie’s face melted away. A cold, sinister smirk curled her lips for a fleeting second.

Arthur blinked, rubbing his eyes in sheer confusion. He stared at the new bride, but the dark, calculated expression was already gone. Did my eyes just play a trick on me?

“Mrs. Thorne, please follow me upstairs. We have prepared a room for you.” Arthur cleared his throat, forcing a polite tone.

“Yay! Okay!” Valerie clapped her hands together.

She pushed herself up from the floor, eyeing the tacky strawberry syrup on her fingers. She licked the sugar away with a giggle. After that, she followed the butler up the grand staircase to a bedroom on the second floor.

The moment the door clicked shut behind her, Valerie dropped the act. Her posture straightened, the naive slouch replaced by a rigid grace.

She walked straight into the bathroom. After taking a hot shower and changing into silk pajamas, she sat before the vanity mirror and wiped away her smudged makeup.

Without cosmetics, the jagged scars stretching across her forehead stood out in harsh relief. She raised a steady hand, tracing the textured skin. A sharp sting pulsed under her fingertips, a phantom pain dragging her back into a nightmare.

Three years. It had been three years to the day since that cold night when she was pushed off a sheer cliff, plummeting into the dark abyss.

She only survived that fatal drop because a renowned doctor found her broken body in the freezing rain. Over the next three years, she buried herself in the study of medicine, mastering everything she could to rebuild her shattered mind and body. She clawed her way back from the grave for one sole purpose.

Camilla Vance.

Valerie stared into her own cold eyes in the mirror. I cannot wait to see the look on Camilla’s face when she realizes I am not just alive, but legally married to her precious Declan.

Declan did not return to the mansion over the next few days. The Thorne household staff despised Valerie, treating her with open, mocking disdain. However, they bit their tongues and kept their distance to avoid inciting Archibald’s legendary wrath. Valerie played the fool without missing a beat, weaponizing her fake intellectual disability to extract intelligence regarding the family dynamics.

Early on the morning of the gala, Arthur knocked on her door and stepped inside, holding a sleek iPad.

“Mrs. Thorne, tonight is Old Mr. Thorne’s eightieth birthday celebration. The event will take place in the Lotus Ballroom of Lumina Hotel. I have listed your schedule for the day right here.” Arthur handed the tablet to her.

Valerie snatched the iPad. She tapped the screen with erratic jabs while her eyes scanned the text.

A gown fitting at Elegance Couture at two o'clock. Chauffeur to Lumina Hotel at five o'clock. The celebration begins at six-thirty.

“Hehe, this looks like fun!” Valerie beamed at the screen.

She dragged her finger across the display with calculated malice, pretending to swipe in the wrong direction. The schedule vanished in a blink, bringing up the personal photo gallery. A crisp image filled the high-resolution display. Declan stood in a tailored black suit, a stunning woman clinging to his arm.

Arthur gasped and lunged forward, snatching the iPad out of her hands in a panic.

It was too late. Valerie had seen what she needed to see. A cunning, dangerous glint flashed in her eyes, hidden behind a mask of pure innocence.

“Who is that? She is so pretty! Is she Hubby’s stepmother?” Valerie tilted her head, blinking at the butler.

Arthur swallowed hard, awkwardness washing over his features. “Yes, you are right! Mrs. Thorne, the car is waiting for you downstairs. You should get going after lunch!”

He spun around and hurried out of the room. Arthur wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow in the hallway. Why am I nervous around a dim-witted girl?

Inside the bedroom, Valerie narrowed her eyes and walked over to the large window. She would recognize that beautiful, treacherous face anywhere. The woman hanging onto Declan’s arm was Camilla. Tonight was going to be a volatile, unforgettable reunion.