Chapter 3

The air suddenly fell silent.

Then came a burst of laughter.

Irene strolled over and gave my face two light pats.

"Edward transferred Grant Manor into my name last month. It was our eighth anniversary gift."

She tilted her head and sneered, "So what does your mother-in-law have to do with any of this? You really have quite the imagination."

Transferred?

I turned to look at Emma.

Her expression was a mix of shock and fury. She clearly hadn't known either.

Anne gently stroked her stomach and smiled disdainfully.

"Everyone knows how much Mr. Grant loves my mother. Last year, she happened to mention wanting to see the autumn leaves in Isdoria. He flew her there by helicopter that same night."

She looked down at Emma, her eyes brimming with mockery.

"Just look at you—thinking you're the lady of the manor. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day."

The rage must have been too much. Emma clutched her chest, struggling to breathe.

"That's impossible! Grant Manor belongs to me!" she shouted.

"Edward! How could he do this?"

I rushed over to support her.

"Mom! Mom, calm down!"

Irene showed no concern at Emma's distress. Instead, she let out a contemptuous laugh.

"If you're that old, you belong in a nursing home. Faking a medical emergency now is just pathetic."

She waved her hand, and several housekeepers immediately lunged forward, pinning Emma and me down.

"Mrs. Grant, there are plenty of gift boxes inside the manor. Which ones would you like us to use?"

Irene smiled and casually pointed toward the fountain at the center of Grant Manor.

"Edward and I met in front of that fountain eight years ago. He said he'd put on a fireworks show for me there tonight," she said, as if reminiscing.

Then she turned to the housekeepers. "Stuff them into the gift boxes in the middle of the fountain. It'll make the surprise even better."

The housekeepers shoved me into a box. It was tiny. The moment the lid closed, I could hardly draw a breath.

"No!" I shouted, struggling desperately. "You can't do this!"

Emma also squeezed her eyes shut. Her whole body trembled violently as she flailed her arms.

"Stop it! Let go of me! I can't breathe in there!"

Not only did the influencers do nothing to stop the housekeepers, but they also eagerly pulled out their phones and started recording.

"If they didn't want to end up this pathetic, they shouldn't have gone after other people's men!"

"Those two are absolutely shameless. The fountain is exactly where they belong."

"That's right! Why are they still barking? This is what happens when you offend Mrs. Grant and Anne!"

I tried to reach out and help Emma.

But suddenly, Anne gave the gift box I was in a hard kick.

I didn't see it coming. The box tipped over, and I tumbled into the fountain with it.

Freezing water instantly poured in, making me choke and cough violently.

Just as I tried to surface, Anne used her foot to push me back under the water.

She bent down, pressing my head down with her foot, and hissed viciously, "Caleb and I haven't even had our wedding photos yet, and you already took yours? Who do you think you are?"

I was completely submerged. The cold water filled my ears, nose, and lungs. Suffocation crushed in from all sides.

"Maddie!" Emma screamed.

"Maddie and Caleb are already married! What's wrong with them taking wedding photos? You two are the real—"

Before Emma could finish, Irene strode over and slammed the lid of her gift box shut.

"Married?"

Irene scoffed.

"I've been with Edward for eight years, and I've never once heard that Caleb was married. As for Caleb, he's been secretly in love with my daughter for years."

She bent down and rapped her fingers hard against the box.

"If you dare keep spouting nonsense, I'll make sure you never leave Grant Manor alive today."

Emma's muffled sobs drifted from her box.

"Maddie, I can't breathe…"

Her voice was barely a whisper, and my chest clenched in response.

I tried to struggle back to the surface, but Anne shoved me down again.

Water once again flooded my nose and mouth.

I coughed violently, feeling as if my lungs were about to burst.

Anne stared down at me from above and sneered, "A pathetic fraud like you dares to covet my fiance? You really do have a death wish."

At that moment, a familiar voice sounded from above.

"Anne! Are you and the baby alright? Who on earth dared to bully you?"

It was Caleb.

His voice was full of anger.

"This is a private party. Who let these troublemakers in? If anyone hurts Anne or my unborn child, I'll make sure they regret it."

While they were all focused on Caleb, I seized the chance and rose from the water.

Our eyes locked.

"I did."

He went completely still.