Vivienne stood in the grand hallway of the Sutherland estate, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she followed Jared through the ornate corridors. The scent of expensive leather and fresh flowers permeated the air, yet she barely noticed it. Her mind was focused entirely on the conversation she was about to have with the man who held the key to everything.
Jared led her into his private office, a room that screamed wealth, with dark wood paneling and shelves filled with trophies, books, and antique artifacts. He gestured to the leather chair across from his desk and she sat down, not bothering with pleasantries. She was past all that now. Her patience had worn thin.
"So," Vivienne began, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "What's the truth, Jared? What do you know about my birth parents?"
Jared leaned against the desk, his hands folded in front of him. His eyes were calculating, assessing every word she spoke, but Vivienne saw a flicker of something—unease? Guilt? Maybe. It was the first crack in his composed exterior.
"I'm sure you've uncovered a lot already," he said, his tone casual but guarded. "I'm sure you're aware that your birth parents weren't exactly the picture-perfect couple."
Vivienne's eyes narrowed. "Go on."
Jared hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Vivienne, you need to understand something. What happened to your parents wasn't just a simple accident of fate. It was orchestrated. Your mother wasn't some innocent woman who had her life stolen from her. She was involved in something much darker—something that could have destroyed everything. Your birth was a result of that."
Vivienne's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"
Jared moved around the desk and sat down across from her. "Your mother's ties to your father went deeper than anyone knew. Elias Ward wasn't just a stockbroker—he was tied to organized crime. They were both part of a network that used offshore accounts to launder money for illegal enterprises. The Rothsfords—Arthur and Elizabeth—were aware of that. In fact, they were complicit."
Vivienne's head was spinning. Everything she'd believed about her parents—everything she thought she knew—was unraveling in front of her. She felt a sharp pang of betrayal.
"You're saying my mother and father were criminals?"
"Not in the way you're thinking," Jared replied, his voice low. "They weren't the masterminds, but they were pawns in a larger game. Your mother tried to leave that life behind, but Elias dragged her back in. When she got pregnant with you, it became a liability for everyone involved. Arthur Rothsford… he didn't just take you in out of kindness. He saw an opportunity."
Vivienne's fists clenched. "So, they used me. Like a tool."
Jared's gaze softened, almost pitying. "Not just you. They needed someone to help cover up the mess they'd gotten themselves into. Your adoption, your identity—it wasn't a matter of love. It was business. They saw you as a solution to their problems."
Vivienne stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "You're telling me that my entire life, my every step, my every move—was planned by them? I was a project to them?"
Jared's eyes met hers, and he nodded slowly. "You were the answer to a financial crisis, Vivienne. But you were never meant to be the heir. The moment they saw the opportunity to raise Ivy as their biological daughter, they pushed you aside. They never cared about you the way they pretended."
Her breath caught in her throat. Everything—every hurt, every disappointment, every moment of isolation—was falling into place. The Rothsfords hadn't loved her. They had used her. And then they'd thrown her away when she wasn't useful anymore.
Her pulse quickened. She was done being used.
"I'll bring them down," Vivienne said, her voice colder than she'd ever heard it before.
Jared leaned forward, his gaze sharpening. "That's not the only thing you need to worry about, Vivienne. There's more to the story, and it's worse than you think."
She stared at him, unmoving. "What do you mean?"
"Your mother's death… It wasn't an accident."
Vivienne's blood ran cold. "What are you talking about?"
Jared's face darkened. "Your mother was killed because she was going to testify. She was going to expose everything—Arthur, Elizabeth, and the dirty money. They had to silence her before she could speak out."
Vivienne's world tilted. Her mind raced to process the new revelation, but it wasn't just the idea of her mother being murdered that shattered her. It was the fact that the Rothsford family was responsible.
"Arthur killed her," she whispered, her voice trembling with rage. "He killed her to protect his empire."
"Not just him," Jared said quietly. "Elizabeth too. They were both involved. And they've been covering it up ever since. That's why they kept you away from the truth. You were too close to everything. Too close to your mother's legacy."
Vivienne's chest tightened with grief and fury. Her mother—the woman who had fought so hard to keep her safe—had been taken from her by the very people who were supposed to love her. They had stolen her future. And now, they had stolen her past.
"Why are you telling me this now?" Vivienne asked, her voice barely audible.
Jared hesitated before answering. "Because you deserve to know the truth. And because you need to understand that the Rothsford family won't stop until they destroy you completely. They'll stop at nothing to bury the past. If you want revenge, if you want justice for your mother, you have to be ready to fight—and be prepared for the fallout."
Vivienne stood still, her fists still clenched. The shock of the information was settling in, but underneath it was a surge of something stronger: determination. She wasn't going to let them get away with this. Not after everything they had taken from her.
"I'm ready," she said, her voice fierce. "Let them come. I'll bring their empire to its knees."
Later That Evening – Vivienne's Hotel Suite
Vivienne sat at her desk, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she compiled the information Jared had given her. Every word, every detail was critical. The Rothsford empire wasn't just built on wealth—it was built on blood, lies, and murder.
Her phone buzzed again.
It was a new message, this time from Rhys.
"The media's picking up on the leaks. It's going viral. The Rothsford name is being dragged through the mud. The public is demanding answers."
Vivienne's lips curled into a smile. The first wave of her plan was already working. The world was starting to see the truth. The Rothsford family was no longer invincible.
But this was just the beginning. She had more to uncover, more to expose. And she would stop at nothing to tear down the empire that had ruined her life.