Chapter 3

Slap!

I could no longer hold back and slapped Isis hard across the face.

She stumbled back a few steps, and her hat fell off. Her face was mostly healed by now-clearly, my brother and Ricky had spared no effort for her.

Instead of being angry, Isis laughed. She looked at me with a spiteful gaze and said, "Slapping me won't change anything. Your hand is crippled now, and you won't even be able to attend Old Mr. Mann's birthday party. Do you think he'll hold it against you?"

With that, she turned to leave, taking my embroidery with her.

I gritted my teeth against the pain and tried to chase after her, but Ricky, who had been watching the whole scene unfold with amusement, blocked my way.

Looking at him, I recalled his words from my previous life.

Back then, I was devastated after my embroidery had been stolen, but Ricky came to console me, saying, "Isis saved your brother's life. For his sake, you should let this go. Otherwise, it would be seen as ungrateful."

I had believed him then and swallowed my grievances in silence.

But now, I kicked Ricky without hesitation and exposed their deceit before he could speak.

"How long were you planning to keep lying to me? You've known each other all along, haven't you? Don't think I'll let either of you off for this!"

Remembering Isis's smug face, I couldn't help but sneer again.

She's so desperate to marry Harvey, only because she's set her sights on him inheriting the Mann Group.

But what if the heir changes?

My expression darkened, and I turned my attention back to Ricky, the fool. He'd seen how Isis had been tormenting me, yet he always took her side and urged me to endure it.

"I lied to you because I didn't want you to misunderstand Isis. Look at yourself now. You shouldn't embarrass yourself at the birthday party," Ricky said shamelessly.

"And besides, this was your brother's idea too. Don't even think about complaining to Chairman Mann. Your brother would be implicated as well."

He reached out as if to touch me, but I shoved him away.

"Why should I pay for your debt to her? I gave you my heart, and yet you teamed up with my brother and that b*tch to hurt me!"

Before he could respond, I pulled an embroidery needle from my pocket and stabbed it straight into Ricky's eye!

He didn't even have time to react. It wasn't until I pulled the needle out of his eyeball that he began to scream in agony.

"If you don't move now, your eye won't be saved."

I sneered, admiring my handiwork.

Ricky glared at me, seething. "Danica! You're insane! I'll never forgive you."

"Insane? You brought this on yourself! You, my fiancé, chose to side with someone else to bully me. Don't blame me for fighting back!"

I glanced at my watch and warned him, "If you don't move, your right eye will be permanently damaged."

But Ricky, despite the blood covering his face, stubbornly stood his ground.

"I'm not letting you go today."

His determination was almost more insane than mine.

I had run out of patience and prepared to stab his other eye, but this time, he dodged.

Not wasting any more time, I sprinted toward the birthday banquet hall.

Though Ricky tried to follow, the severe injury to his eye slowed him down significantly.

My grandfather's birthday banquet had already started in the grand hall.

All the elites and socialites were present, and even though Isis was just my brother's so-called savior, she had no real family background. But my brother was biased, so he let her present my embroidery first.

The piece was a landscape painting, my grandfather's favorite, which I had painstakingly embroidered over a week of sleepless nights.

Seeing it, my grandfather was elated, about to give his praise when I rushed in.

"Grandfather! This is the gift I personally embroidered for you!"

I made it in time and breathed a sigh of relief.

Isis, still in shock, stared at me with resentment.

The room fell silent, and everyone turned to watch the drama unfold.

I kicked Isis without hesitation and accused her, "Grandfather, my brother and Ricky helped this woman steal the gift I had prepared for you."

"This took me a whole week to make, and I'm the only one who knows the exact painting that hangs in your study."

There were murmurs of surprise throughout the hall as people began to whisper amongst themselves.

I knew my appearance was a mess, but I couldn't care less.

My grandfather had always doted on me, and after decades in the business world, he could easily see through such petty tricks.

"Danica, what happened to your hand?"

Instead of responding to my accusation, my grandfather noticed my limp arm.

A surge of emotion welled up in me, and I answered directly, "It's Ricky. He cornered me in the backyard to stop me from coming, and he dislocated my arm."

Old Mr. Swanson, one of my grandfather's longtime friends, was present as well. Upon hearing this, he angrily slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

He and my grandfather had been close brothers for many years, and he was fuming with rage.

My arm was already red and swollen, and after running here in such pain, it now hung limp and weak.