Chapter 85: The Wedding Surprise
Nicole's POV
I stared at the two figures grappling outside the car window, and fragmented images suddenly flashed through my mind.
That rough, dark face looked familiar somehow.
I frowned, trying to recall as I asked, "Wasn't Wendy an orphan? Why is her biological mother still alive? And it looks like they've been in contact for some time."
Eric explained, "Mary used to work as a maid for the Gerald family."
A maid?
Those two words unlocked memories I had buried for over a decade.
I suddenly remembered her.
That woman who always wore a gray apron and showed yellowed teeth when she smiled.
She would give me candy and hold my hand to take me to the garden, but the way she looked at me never held the kindness that other servants showed.
Until one day, she took me away from Astoria and abandoned me in a strange city.
If the Austins hadn't adopted me, I probably would have died in that cold winter.
And she had disguised her own daughter as an orphan and sent her to the Gerald family.
"I see..." I murmured.
From their earlier conversation, it was easy to deduce that Wendy had known all of this for a long time.
All these years, she had maintained contact with Mary, playing the role of the Gerald family's kind and elegant young lady while using money from the Geralds to keep Mary silent.
She knew she was a fraud, yet she felt perfectly entitled to everything that should have been mine.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms.
Hodgson, sitting beside me, sensed my emotional shift. He turned to look at me, a dangerous gleam flickering in his eyes.
"Want me to go down there right now and deal with both of them, hmm?"
I looked at the two figures still fighting outside the window and slowly shook my head.
"No need."
That would be too easy for them.
For someone like Wendy, death wasn't frightening.
What was truly terrifying was falling from grace, watching everything she had carefully built crumble to nothing before her eyes.
Hodgson raised an eyebrow, indicating I should continue.
"Wendy is about to marry a wealthy man. Even though she's lost Shier's affection, no woman is unhappy before her wedding."
I curved my lips into a cold smile. "I want to let her enjoy it for a while, then plunge her into complete despair."
The pain of falling from heaven to hell was far worse than being in hell all along.
Hodgson understood my meaning. He reached out and ruffled my hair.
The next day, following the address Eric had given me, I went alone to find Mary's residence.
It was a dilapidated apartment building with hallways piled high with garbage and air thick with the smell of damp mold.
This was worlds apart from the life Wendy had been living at the Gerald estate.
I found Mary's apartment and knocked on the rusty iron door.
"Who is it?" Mary's impatient voice came from inside.
The door cracked open and Mary poked her head out.
When she saw my face clearly, her entire body visibly froze. Her pupils contracted sharply, as if she'd seen a ghost in broad daylight.
I curved my lips into what I hoped was a gentle smile and spoke first.
"I'm here to deliver money on Wendy's behalf."
Mary's face went deathly pale. She instinctively stepped back, waving her hands frantically.
"I don't know you! You've got the wrong person!"
With that, she tried to close the door.
I extended my hand and forcefully held the door open.
"Has Aunt Mary forgotten me? I'm Nicole."
I pushed the door open and walked into the cramped, suffocating room.
Mary was forced to retreat as I advanced. She stared at me warily.
"You... what do you want? Are you going to turn me in to the police?"
I looked around the room. The place was pitifully bare, a complete mess with leftover takeout boxes and bottles scattered everywhere.
Apart from a bed, table, and a few chairs, there was hardly any decent furniture.
"I'm not here to turn you in to the police." I turned back to look at her. "I'm here to help you."
"Help me?" Mary's face was full of suspicion.
"Don't you need money?"
At the word "money," Mary's eyes immediately lit up, and even her fear was temporarily suppressed.
"You're going to give me money?" She licked her lips and asked tentatively.
I sat down on a chair and crossed my legs.
"Wendy is about to marry a wealthy man, did you know? The wedding is in a few days, being held at a luxury hotel downtown. The entire upper class has been invited."
"What!?" Mary shrieked, her face filled with jealousy and rage.
"That bitch! She's marrying a rich man behind my back?! "
I continued my gentle persuasion.
"You see, she doesn't have any respect for you as her mother. Once she marries into a wealthy family, do you think she'll still care whether you live or die? In fact, the first thing she does might be to have someone silence you permanently."
A flash of terror crossed Mary's face. She knew Wendy was capable of doing exactly that.
I pulled a wedding invitation from my purse.
"I'm giving you an opportunity. In a few days, you go to the wedding venue and in front of all the guests, tell everyone that Wendy is your biological daughter, and reveal everything that happened back then."
"After it's done, I'll give you one million."
One million.
For someone like Mary, that was already a fortune.
Her eyes grew brighter and brighter as greed completely conquered fear.
"Alright, I agree!"
A few days later, Wendy's wedding took place as scheduled.
The Hyatt Hotel had been decorated magnificently, with flowers and champagne everywhere.
Hodgson and I appeared together at the entrance to the banquet hall.
His presence immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Mr. Hodgson, it's such an honor that you could come."
A middle-aged man in an expensive suit hurried over, his face full of obsequious smiles.
This must be Wendy's new husband, the wealthy Bruce.
"Congratulations." Hodgson said flatly, not even bothering to give him a proper look.
Bruce was clearly nervous, constantly rubbing his hands, wanting to make conversation but not knowing what to say.
Just then, Wendy approached wearing a white wedding dress.
Her makeup was exquisite, her hair styled into an elegant updo, with a diamond necklace around her neck.
She truly was beautiful.
But when she saw me, the smile on her face immediately froze.
"Nicole?"
She quickly walked up to me, pulled me aside to a deserted corner, lowered her voice, and asked through gritted teeth, "What are you doing here?"
I smoothed the wrinkles she'd made in my clothes, met her hate-filled eyes, and broke into a brilliant smile.
"Of course I came to give you a surprise."