Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
Tags: Engagement Drama, Stolen Heirloom, Entitled Mistress, Face-Slapping, Broken Engagement
Right before my engagement party started, I noticed the only heirloom my father had left me was missing.
It was a flawless Imperial Jade pendant worth a million dollars.
I searched the entire venue in a panic, only to find it hanging around the neck of Chloe Brooks—Carter's so-called "foster sister."
Chloe looked at me with puppy-dog eyes. "Natalie, I just borrowed it to match my dress. You're not going to be petty about a tiny necklace, are you?"
Carter stepped in front of her protectively. "Natalie, it’s just something left behind by a dead man. Chloe likes it, so let her wear it for the night. Stop acting like a bitter, nagging housewife."
His mother, Eleanor, sneered from the couch while chewing on roasted pistachios. "You haven't even signed the marriage license yet and you're already throwing your weight around? Who do you think you are? Selfish brat!"
Looking at their shameless faces, I pulled out my phone and dialed my chief financial officer.
"Cancel the five-million-dollar investment wire to Carter’s company immediately."
If they thought I was petty, then this engagement was officially over.
I hung up the phone and stared at the three of them with a stone-cold face.
Carter froze for a second, then burst into an arrogant laugh.
"Natalie, quit putting on an act."
"Pulling your investment? You honestly think Vance Group can't survive without your five million?"
Eleanor rolled her eyes and tossed a nutshell onto the pristine floor.
"Exactly. She thinks she's some kind of mafia boss."
"Who are you trying to intimidate with a fake phone call?"
Chloe hid behind Carter, gently tugging at his jacket sleeve like a helpless victim.
"Carter, it’s all my fault. Natalie is mad because of me."
"Natalie, please don't fight with Carter. I'll take the jade off and give it back to you..."
She sounded like an angel, but her hands were clutching the jade tight against her chest. She had zero intention of taking it off.
I didn't even spare her a glance. I turned around and walked straight toward the VIP lounge behind the ballroom.
I had brought my own gown for the party.
More importantly, my mother's heirloom—a flawless Imperial Jade bracelet worth ten million dollars—was locked in the private safe in that lounge.
However, the moment I pushed open the door, my heart dropped.
The safe was wide open. The velvet box was gone.
The bracelet was missing.
My mother had placed it on my wrist on her deathbed. It was priceless.
"Looking for something, Natalie?"
Chloe’s voice purred from the doorway.
She had slipped in behind me, leaning against the doorframe while twirling a red velvet box in her fingers.
It was the exact box from the safe.
"Looking for this?"
Chloe tilted her lips into a smug, victorious grin.
I stared at the box, my eyes chilling to absolute zero.
"Put it down."
Chloe chuckled as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. She slowly opened the box and lifted out the glowing green bracelet.
"Wow, this color is stunning."
"Too bad Carter said this bracelet looks way too tacky on you. He said someone with my delicate charm is the only one worthy of its elegance."
I inhaled slowly, suppressing the volcanic rage rising in my chest.
"Chloe, stealing jewelry worth ten million dollars will get you locked up for the rest of your life."
Chloe’s smile stiffened for a second, but then her arrogance returned.
"Prison? Who are you trying to scare?"
"Carter told me that what's yours is his, and what's his is mine."
"How can it be stealing if my brother gave it to me?"
Just then, Carter and Eleanor strolled into the room.
Carter frowned the second he crossed the threshold, his voice dripping with annoyance.
"Natalie, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now?"
"Chloe just likes the bracelet. What's the big deal if she wears it for a bit?"
"Do you have to threaten her with prison over every little thing? Can't you show a shred of grace as the future lady of this house?"
Eleanor spat an olive pit into a napkin and sneered at me with pure contempt.
"She’s an orphan whose parents are six feet under. Any dowry she brings into this family belongs to the Vances anyway."
"Chloe is Carter's sister. Using your trinkets is doing you a favor."
"Guarding your jewelry before the wedding even starts... God, you're so cheap."
Hearing their twisted, thieving logic, I almost laughed out loud.
This was the man I had loved for three years, and this was his family.
In their eyes, I wasn't just a bottomless ATM; even my deceased parents' heirlooms were free for them to plunder.
I checked my phone.
It had been exactly three minutes since I called my CFO.
My executive assistant was ruthless and efficient. The five-million-dollar wire withdrawal had already cleared.
At that exact moment, Carter’s phone began buzzing frantically.
The caller ID flashed: *Chief Financial Officer.*
I met Carter’s eyes, a cold smirk gracing my lips.
"Carter, pick it up."
"Let's see if your grand Vance Group is running so smoothly now."
Carter glared at me, swiping to answer.
"Hello? What's the panic about?"
The CFO's hysterical scream blasted through the speaker.
"Mr. Vance! We're ruined!"
"Rivers Enterprises just pulled their five-million-dollar capital injection!"
"Our credit line is shattered! The bank just called—they're calling in our loan early!"
"Mr. Vance, the company is going under!"
In an instant, Carter’s face turned whiter than a sheet of paper.Carter’s hand shook so violently he almost dropped his phone.
He stared at me in complete disbelief, his eyes widening with pure rage.
"Natalie! You actually pulled the funds?!"
I crossed my arms and watched him like he was an insect.
"What? Did you think I was joking?"
Eleanor panicked the moment she heard. She lunged forward, pointing her bony finger at my face.
"You vicious, wicked bitch!"
"You're trying to destroy our entire family!"
"It's just two pieces of cheap jewelry! How can you be so vindictive?!"
Chloe looked terrified, shrinking timidly against Carter.
"Carter, I'm so sorry... this is all because of me..."
Seeing Chloe's tearful face, Carter's heart ached for her.
He turned back to me, his tone aggressive and commanding.
"Natalie, call your finance department right now and wire the money back!"
"If you apologize right now and fix the funding, tonight's engagement can still happen."
"Otherwise, don't even dream of marrying me!"
I burst out laughing.
"Carter, did you lose your damn mind?"
"I'm the one calling off the wedding."
"What makes you think you have any right to bargain with me?"
Carter's fragile ego shattered, his neck flushing bright red.
"Natalie! Don't push your luck!"
"Without the Vance name, who would want a miserable orphan like you?"
"If you walk out that door today, I won't take you back even if you beg on your knees!"
Eleanor chimed in instantly.
"Exactly! A cursed girl who brought bad luck to her own parents should be grateful to marry my son!"
"Acting like you're some priceless treasure... Bah!"
I stared at the vile mother-son duo coldly.
"Cursed?"
"Eleanor, have you already forgotten who knelt in front of my parents' graves, begging for this match?"
"And who used my family's connections and resources to drag Vance Group out of the gutter?"
Eleanor trembled with rage, her face twisting in humiliation.
"You... you disrespectful brat!"
"Carter, don't waste your breath on her! She just thinks she's hot shit because of her dirty money!"
"We Vances have pride! We won't take this disrespect!"
Carter glared at me through clenched teeth.
"Fine, Natalie. You want to play hardball?"
"Don't forget, the luxury apartments your parents left you are still managed by my property firm."
"If you pull that money, you won't see a single deed to those properties ever again!"
I arched an eyebrow.
"Oh, really?"
"Let's see who ends up with nothing."
I dialed another number on my phone.
"Arthur, move forward."
"Sue Vance Property Management for illegal asset seizure. And file an emergency injunction to freeze every single personal asset under Carter Vance's name."
"Make sure he doesn't leave with a single dime."
When I hung up, Carter finally realized the gravity of the situation.
He never expected that the woman who had pampered him like a devoted kitten for three years could turn into a ruthless shark in seconds.
"Natalie! Are you insane?!"
"You really want to burn the bridges and go down in flames with us?!"
I stepped closer to him, my gaze piercing like a blade.
"Burn in flames with you?"
"Carter, you're not on my level."
"You'll drown. But my empire won't feel a scratch."
Sensing that the tides had completely turned, Chloe panicked. Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly let out a dramatic gasp.
"Ah! My hand!"
Her fingers jerked deliberately, and the ten-million-dollar Imperial Jade bracelet slipped right off her fingertips.
*SMASH!*
The priceless, flawless heirloom struck the hard marble floor, shattering into three broken pieces.The last thread of my sanity snapped.
That was the last, most precious piece of my mother left in this world.
"Natalie, I'm so sorry! It was an accident!"
Chloe covered her mouth as fake tears rolled down her cheeks, playing the innocent victim to perfection.
"I just wanted to hand it back to you... My hand slipped..."
"Please don't blame Carter, it's all my fault!"
Seeing her cry, Carter immediately pulled Chloe behind his back, comforting her softly.
"It's okay, Chloe. It's just a damn bracelet. It's broken, big deal."
Then, he turned to me and shouted with unearned righteousness.
"Natalie! Why are you looking at her like that?"
"She already apologized! What more do you want?"
"It's just a piece of rock! I'll buy you a new one later!"
Eleanor let out a sharp laugh.
"Exactly. Something left by a dead person brings bad luck anyway. It's good that it broke!"
"Wiping your tears like someone died again—who are you performing for?"
I stared down at the fractured pieces on the floor, an agonizing ache ripping through my chest.
But within seconds, the sorrow calcified into pure, blinding fury.
I looked up, locking eyes with Chloe's barely hidden smirk.
"Chloe."
"Do you honestly think your cheap life is worth that bracelet?"
Chloe shrank back from the sheer venom in my eyes.
"Natalie, you're scaring me... Carter, I'm terrified..."
Carter flew into a rage and raised his hand toward my face.
"Natalie! How dare you threaten Chloe! I'll teach you a lesson, you crazy bitch!"
Before his palm could touch my skin, I caught his wrist in an iron grip.
I had five years of competitive kickboxing training under my belt. Handling a soft, alcohol-soaked lightweight like Carter was child's play.
*SLAP!*
I brought my other hand across his face with everything I had.
The crack echoed through the room. The impact whipped Carter’s head to the side, blood instantly splitting his bottom lip.
The VIP lounge fell dead silent, save for Carter’s ragged breathing.
"You... you hit me?!"
Carter clutched his cheek, his eyes wide in absolute shock.
Eleanor shrieked like a banshee.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"You little whore, you dare lay a hand on my son?!"
"I'll tear your hair out!"
She lunged at me like a feral animal.
I sidestepped effortlessly, grabbed a glass of vintage red wine off the table, and splashed it directly into her face.
"Ahhh!"
Eleanor shrieked as the dark liquid soaked her designer dress and ruined her hair.
Chloe trembled in the corner, so terrified she forgot how to cry.
I dusted off my hands and looked down at them with supreme disgust.
"Touching you makes my hands feel dirty."
"Lucky for you, the engagement party is about to start."
"The guests outside have been waiting long enough."
I pulled a wet wipe from my clutch, casually cleaned my fingers, and tossed the used wipe onto Carter’s chest.
"Let's go, Mr. Vance. Mrs. Vance. And your precious little sister."
"Let's go out there and settle this tab in front of every media outlet in the city."
Carter clutched his bruised cheek, his teeth grinding in fury.
"Don't get cocky, Natalie."
"Every elite family and business titan in the city is in that ballroom."
"If you dare humiliate the Vance family out there, I will blacklist you from every industry in this town!"
I smiled.
"Is that a promise?"
"Let's see who gets blacklisted."
I turned on my heels, pushed open the grand double doors, and walked into the ballroom.
The crystal chandeliers glowed brilliantly above hundreds of high-society guests.
In an instant, hundreds of eyes shifted toward me.
On the massive projector screen hanging above the stage, a blank slide was currently displayed.
I walked straight to the AV control booth, plugged my phone into the system, and hit play.Taking a deep breath, I lifted the train of my gown and walked up the steps to the central stage.
Carter practically dragged Chloe behind him as he rushed in from backstage with Eleanor trailing close behind.
Their faces were twisted in residual rage, but seeing the crowd, they were forced to plaster on stiff, awkward smiles.
"Natalie, stop this nonsense. Get down here right now," Carter hissed under his breath, trying to look composed.
Chloe assumed her trademark fragile pose, wringing her hands by the edge of the stage.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd below.
"What’s going on? Why hasn't the ceremony started?"
"Look at Carter’s face—did someone slap him?"
"Who is that girl clinging to Carter's arm like that?"
I tapped the microphone gently.
*Tap, tap.*
The room instantly quieted down.
I looked down at the Vance family with a calm smile.
"Distinguished guests, partners, and friends from the press. Good evening."
"Tonight was supposed to be the engagement celebration for Carter Vance and myself."
"Unfortunately, I have an announcement to make: the engagement is officially canceled."
A collective gasp echoed across the grand hall.
Carter’s face went crimson. He tried to lunge onto the stage to snatch the microphone.
"Natalie! Shut your mouth! Get down here right now!"
Before he could take two steps, two towering private security guards in black suits blocked his path like brick walls.
"Mr. Vance, step back."
Their voices were ice-cold.
Eleanor jumped up and down from the floor, pointing a trembling finger at me.
"Don't listen to her! The girl is completely insane!"
"She's just jealous of our Chloe! She's having a psychotic episode!"
I let out a soft laugh and clicked the remote in my hand.
The massive screen behind me flashed.
A crystal-clear, high-definition video began playing on the wall-to-wall display.
It was the exact footage recorded by the security camera inside the VIP lounge just minutes ago.
There was Chloe, flaunting the Imperial Jade bracelet with a smug smirk.
*"Too bad Carter said this bracelet looks way too tacky on you. He said someone with my delicate charm is the only one worthy of its elegance."*
Then came Carter’s entitled voice through the surround sound speakers:
*"Chloe just likes the bracelet. What's the big deal if she wears it for a bit?"*
Followed by Eleanor’s vile curses:
*"She’s an orphan whose parents are six feet under. Any dowry she brings into this family belongs to the Vances anyway."*
And finally, the crystal-clear close-up of Chloe intentionally loosening her fingers, letting the ten-million-dollar heirloom shatter on the stone floor.
The audio was deafening. The footage was undeniable.
The entire ballroom plummeted into a suffocating, dead silence.
Guests stared at the screen, jaws dropping in absolute disbelief.
"My god... are they out of their minds?"
"They stole an heirloom from a deceased mother and smashed it on purpose?!"
"The Vances are complete vultures! They were plotting to rob her blind before even tying the knot!"
"And who the hell is that Chloe girl? A 'foster sister'? She’s a homewrecking gold digger!"
The public sentiment flipped in a fraction of a second. Disgusted, venomous glares rained down upon Carter, his mother, and Chloe.
Chloe’s face turned ghostly pale. Her knees wobbled.
"No... that's not real... It’s deepfaked! It's all fabricated!"
She shrieked, desperate to defend herself, but nobody bought a single word.
Carter panicked. He looked around at the business partners he had spent months schmoozing, only to see them staring at him like he was garbage.
"Mr. Harrison, let me explain..."
The billionaire investor scoffed, taking a step back.
"Save your breath, Vance. All contracts between our firms are terminated immediately."
Another senior executive stood up.
"Same here. We don't do business with lowlife scumbags."
Several key clients walked out of the hall on the spot, shaking their heads in disgust.
Carter crumpled to the floor, his legs giving out completely.
Eleanor tried to resort to her usual street tricks, throwing herself onto the carpet and wailing.
"Where is the justice?! This evil woman is trying to kill my family!"
Before she could finish her sob story, the grand doors of the ballroom swung open once more.
A squad of armed police officers marched in with grave expressions.
Behind them stood the elite legal team from the city's top law firm, led by Arthur Miller.
"Who is Chloe Brooks?"
The lead detective held up his badge, his tone authoritative and firm.
Chloe flinched, trembling from head to toe as she backed away.
"I... I am. What is this about?"
The detective stared down at her coldly.
"We received a report of felony property destruction and grand larceny involving high-value personal assets."
"You are under arrest. Please come with us."
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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