Chapter 39 The Poisoning
Serena
The first thing I did the moment I stepped into my room was rip the rings off my fingers.
They were beautiful, delicate platinum bands with flawless diamonds that caught the light like tiny stars.
They made my chest ache with a longing I had no right to feel. I wanted to flaunt them.
I wanted to wear them proudly and let the whole world see that I belonged to the Rivers twins.
But I couldn’t. How could I? After Mr. Rivers had publicly announced Lara as Sin’s fiancée in front of hundreds of people?
He’d done it so smoothly, so calculatedly, knowing exactly how obsessed Lara was with Sin, knowing it would drive the knife deeper.
I tossed the rings onto the nightstand like they burned my skin, then headed straight for the shower.
The hot water did nothing to wash away the humiliation, the anger, or the confusing mix of desire and betrayal still swirling inside me.
I climbed into bed hoping sleep would bring clarity.
It didn’t. Instead I woke up confused when I saw the women in my room.
Mrs. Rivers stood in the doorway like a queen surveying her kingdom.
Mrs. Hale stood beside her, her face flushed red, the clear imprint of a hand burned across her cheek.
My eyes narrowed. That was not right!
Mrs. Rivers had slapped her?
I jumped out of bed and crossed the room in three quick strides.
“Did you hit her?” I demanded, not caring that I probably looked like a mess after rolling right from bed. “She’s been nothing but kind to everyone in this house.”
Mrs. Rivers’ eyes narrowed to pin me with an icy, unimpressed look.
“I blame my sons for giving you the impression that you have the right to speak to me like that.”
She lifted her chin. “I’ve disposed of the rings, by the way. I thought you should know.”
“What?”
“The housekeeper brought them to me.”She waved a dismissive hand. “Sienna, or whatever you call yourself, let’s come to an agreement. How much do you need to leave my sons alone?”
Mrs. Hale’s face was pensive, eyes downcast, but I caught the faint tremble in her hands.
The slap mark stood out angrily against her pale skin..
I stared at Mrs. Rivers, torn between fury and disbelief.
“You hit her… because she brought you the rings?”
My voice rose. “She was doing her job. You had no right—”
“I have every right,” Mrs. Rivers cut in with her icy tone. “This is my house. My family. My legacy. And you….” She laughed. “You are a temporary distraction that has already caused far too much damage.”
She took one elegant step closer, her eyes raking over me like I was something stuck to the bottom of her shoe.
“So name your price, girl. How much to disappear from my sons’ lives? A million? Two? Name it and it’s yours. Just leave. Tonight.”
Mrs. Hale remained silent, but her eyes flicked to me, worried, almost pleading.
I looked between them, the powerful matriarch who saw me as a threat, and the housekeeper who had shown me more kindness in this house than almost anyone else.
My hands clenched at my sides.
“You really think money can fix this?” I asked quietly. “You think throwing cash at me will make your sons stop wanting me?”
Mrs. Rivers’ smile never faltered. “Everyone has a price. Even you.”
I took a slow breath, feeling the weight of everything that had happened.
I lifted my chin.
“My price,” I said clearly, “is that you stop treating me like I’m disposable. Stop hitting the people who work for you. And stop pretending you can control who your sons love.”
Mrs. Rivers’ eyes flashed with pure contempt.
“You insolent little—”
“I’m not finished,” I cut in, surprising even myself with how steady my voice sounded. “You can keep your money. I don’t want it. But if you ever lay a hand on Mrs. Hale again… or try to force Sin into a marriage he doesn’t want… I won’t disappear quietly.”
I stepped closer, close enough to see the surprise flicker across her face.
“I’ll make sure the whole world knows exactly what kind of family the Rivers really are.”
The silence that followed was heavy.
Mrs. Hale’s eyes widened slightly, a mix of shock and something that looked almost like pride.
Mrs. Rivers stared at me for a long moment, her lips pressing into a thin line.
Then she turned on her heel.
“This isn’t over,” she said coldly as she walked out.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Mrs. Hale let out a shaky breath.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered. “She’s dangerous when she’s crossed.”
I looked at the red handprint still burning on her cheek.
“So am I,” I said softly.
I reached out and gently touched her arm.
“Are you okay?”
She gave me a small, tired smile.
“I’ve survived worse. But you… you need to be careful, Serena. This family doesn’t like being challenged.”
“I know.” I said, trying to sound nonchalant even though I know it was the truth l.
We both startled at the blood-curdling scream that tore through the house.
Without a word, we bolted toward the sound, Mrs. Hale surprisingly fast for her age, me right on her heels.
I crashed into her back when she suddenly stopped at the top of the grand staircase, and my stomach dropped at the sight below.
Mr. Rivers lay sprawled at the bottom of the stairs.
He was foaming at the mouth and convulsing violently.
His body jerked in unnatural spasms, his eyes rolled back, his limbs twitching like a broken puppet.
Lara was on her knees beside him, cradling his head and wailing dramatically, the picture of a grieving almost-daughter-in-law.
“What happened? Why is he—”
The second Lara heard my voice, she whipped around and pointed a trembling finger straight at me.
“The two of you conspired to kill the patriarch!” she shrieked.
Mrs. Rivers turned her hateful glare on me as the bodyguards gently pulled her away from her husband’s seizing body.
Why weren’t they helping him?
He was still foaming and jerking, dying right in front of us, and no one was moving to save him.
“What is Lara talking about?” I asked Mrs. Hale who slumped her shoulders.
“You poisoned his tea!” Lara screamed, tears streaming down her perfectly made-up face. “I saw you! Both of you!”
Sin and Saint burst into the living room at that exact moment, both dressed for work and looking every inch the powerful heirs they were.
“Who poisoned who?” Saint demanded, his eyes scanning the chaos.
Sin was the first to notice their father’s limp, convulsing form on the marble floor.
“Call the fucking ambulance!” he roared, already moving toward the body.
“Sin, listen to me,” Lara cried, reaching for him. “She poisoned your father. She and Mrs. Hale poisoned his tea!”
Sin ignored her completely, dropping to his knees beside Mr. Rivers and checking for a pulse.
But Lara wasn’t done.
“I have proof,” she announced, her voice rising with triumph as she pulled out her phone.
The room went deathly silent. I felt my body turn to a statue.
Proof? What proof?
Sin’s head snapped up.
“Show it,” he said coldly.
Lara whipped out her phone while I just stood there, with Mrs. Hale’s hand trembling on my arm, realizing with sickening clarity that whatever came next was going to change everything.
Because if Lara really had proof…
Then someone in this house was about to go down for murder.
And I had a terrible feeling it was going to be me.