Chapter 3: Mia Fortune

My mum didn't say a word, crying her eyes out, but Xena stepped forward. “Killed? I wouldn't do that to my sister, and neither would my mum do that to her. If we killed her, would she have even left two houses in our names? We would have gotten nothing!” she screamed back, and the crowd stopped. She glared at them and continued, “I just lost my sister, how dare you do this to the deceased's family? If it was you, how would you feel?” she barked, bursting into hot tears. Hearing her say those words made my heart ache.

I always fought with Xena because she never liked Christian. She would always tell me how he gave off a weird kind of aura, how he irritated her, and how he was too close with his ex. Even when she provided photos, I never believed her...I should have cut everything off then. I should have ended it all. Instead, the one dead was me, and I left them grieving.

“The someone you all should suspect is Christian. He got everything. Isn't that suspicious?” she yelled, and Christian, at a corner, eyes widened in shock and confusion. Clearly, he was faking it. I scoffed as he walked closer.

“I earned that fair and square because she trusted me!” he said, making sure he dragged out “trusted.” He wanted the crowd to tag it as her trying to push the blame to him to avoid suspicion.

“See, she's trying to push it onto him. You killed your sister. The police should arrest you first!” the same girl from earlier yelled and raised her hand to toss another egg, but one look from Xena and she dared not.

“Mum, let's go,” Xena said, holding my trembling mum as they walked out.

They must be devastated, I thought and wiped the tears that had escaped my eyes. I will make sure to reveal everything to the media, the paparazzi, who Christian really was! Hmm, he did say he also scammed other women. So right now? How many women like me actually fell victim? That aside for now, I stared back at the folder. At the last page there was a contract. Vincent had signed already, only mine was needed.

“Hereby Party A and Party B agree to sign a contractual agreement....” I read through the first paragraph.

“Rule one: Never disclose who you really are to neither family nor friends.”

“Rule 2: You are not allowed to become close friends with Mia's associates. They know how she behaved, her preferences, even small traces will end everything.”

“Rule 3: Protect Mia's fortune.”

“Rule 4: Never fall in love during these terms.”

Seeing the last rule, I sneered. After everything that happened to me? I had decided not to fall for any man, just focus on myself and my family. I read through every detail again. I didn't want to get ripped off like how Christian took my inheritance. I never gave them to him. He used love and other strategies to make me put everything in his name, especially after causing a rift between my family and me. After signing, I laid on the bed and closed my eyes, breathing calmly.

The door pushed open, and my eyes snapped open. A nurse walked in. “Good afternoon, Miss Mia,” she said softly, and I sat upright.

“Mr. Noir hopes you get changed instantly,” she said and set aside a clean outfit. Staring at it, they were extravagant and clearly Mia's style.

I nodded simply but paused as it dawned on me. As soon as she was about to leave, my lips parted. “What about the bandages?”

I waited roughly twenty minutes, and the doctor from earlier walked in, just as broad as Vincent was, but with a calmer face.

“Sister-in-law,” he said, and I raised a brow...what the f*ck did he mean? Or perhaps he was pretending because the nurses were around. After all, no one was to be trusted. Anyone could snitch if they heard him call me a different name.

I tried to flash a warm smile, but the bandages stopped me, and I didn't stress it. I sat down and gently moved closer as he began to unwrap the bandages. Vincent walked in later, his hands inside his pockets and his cold eyes glued to me. I didn't shiver because I was a queen at giving the same aura...

By the time the bandage finally fell off, I just stood there, glancing between the two men and the maids.

“What is happening?” I thought and reached out my hands, gesturing for a mirror. A nurse rushed to me, and I gazed down at it, staring as my eyes widened in shock, but I immediately replaced it with a smile...I looked exactly like Mia. Wasn't my face completely destroyed? How was the plastic surgeon able to achieve this?

“Welcome back, Mia,” Vincent said, and I snapped out of my fascination.

“It's been so long,” I replied. “You grew...in a different way,” I said, and I swore a satisfied smirk lay on his lips for a split second, but then he dismissed it.

“Leave,” he said. I felt my body tremble at his words, even the nurses' eyes flew wide in horror, and they rushed out...

Once they were gone, I dropped the act and rushed to the large mirror by the corner of the room. I placed my hands on my face, gently running them through the smooth surface. I smiled, and it looked so natural, no sight of plastic surgery...the surgeon did well, I thought and turned to him.

“You were actually convincing,” the doctor said and stretched out his hands for a shake. “I'm Liam,” he said. I stared at it for a while and gently shook it. He smiled and looked over his shoulder, winking at Vincent, but Vincent's eyes grew darker.

“Wink at me again and those eyeballs of yours will be gone.”

Liam paused and looked away, but on landing his gaze on me, he smiled.

“Spa treatment?” he asked, and I raised a brow in confusion till my gaze landed on my hand.

“Oh, spa,” I said, and he smiled, his lips parting, but Vincent cut in.

“Get the bandages off your body and get changed.” He looked at his watch and turned back to me. “We leave in 45 minutes,” he said, and I nodded.

I took the clothes off the table and rushed into the bathroom. I even turned on the shower, letting the water cool my burning skin...I closed my eyes, feeling the melting sensation and shivered. Thankfully, the water was chilled and cold, so I felt no pain. I breathed softly and gently walked out, got dressed in the black bodycon, added a tank top on, and paired it with high heels...

Once I walked out, Vincent and Liam's gazes were fixed on me.

Liam smiled and said, “Welcome home, Mia!”