Chapter 5

That auction was specifically arranged by Liam for Chloe Hayes.

He kept me by his side, introducing Chloe to every acquaintance as his fiancée.

I noticed that Liam actually seemed to be treating Chloe Hayes differently.

Before, it was always just a game, never serious. This time, he seemed to be truly considering marriage.

And Liam liked to let me witness his endless glory, attempting to make me regret the decision I had made to abandon him.

So, he gave Chloe Hayes all the spotlight, bidding on countless precious jewelry pieces for her, making her the envy of every woman present.

Meanwhile, Liam required me to wear a janitor's uniform and clean the banquet hall.

At the entrance of the banquet hall, Chloe Hayes found me, flaunting her victory. "You're so jealous of me, aren't you?"

"After all, you were with him for so many years, you spent the darkest days of his life with him, but now he still wants to marry me, right?"

"Anya, don't you want to know why?"

I continued sweeping the peanut shells off the floor, remaining silent.

"You've always been like this, from childhood. At home, no matter what mean things I did to you, you'd act like you didn't care, but deep down you must have hated me, right?"

I fell silent, memories resurfacing. "You've always been this way, from childhood. Anything I liked, you had to steal."

Chloe Hayes scoffed. "You're just an extra. Everything should rightfully be mine. Why should it be shared with you?"

"Actually, he only planned to treat me like those other women, give me some money and send me away. But I told Liam that from the first time I saw him in middle school, I had a secret crush on him. I told him the money for his bone marrow transplant surgery was earned by me working multiple jobs, and the matching bone marrow was begged from Noah Sterling!"

"I did so much for him silently, while you betrayed him at his peak and abandoned him in his toughest time, leaving him homeless. He hates you even more now!"

My eyes widened. Not just because Chloe Hayes had taken credit for my efforts, but more importantly, she knew all the details of what I had done back then!

"How do you know…"

After I turned adult, my father kicked me out of the house, and I cut off all ties with my family. I certainly wouldn't have told Chloe Hayes those things.

Chloe Hayes leaned close to me, whispering in my ear. "Because, I secretly snuck into your house and took your diary and all the payment receipts from Liam's hospitalization back then."

"Now all the evidence is with me. Even if you run off and tell him the truth, he won't believe you. He'll just think you're making it up to get his attention."

I quickly regained my composure.

The past didn't matter.

Anyway, I wasn't planning to tell him. It didn't matter who Liam thought did it.

I didn't want to get involved with her anymore and tried to leave, but Chloe Hayes wasn't done yet.

My eyes darted. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and placed it on her waist.

Then, her body fell backward, crashing into a champagne tower nearby.