Chapter 103: New schemes

Miranda's POV

As I stepped into my room, I slammed the door behind me, letting out a frustrated sigh. My hands trembled with a mix of anger and adrenaline after the heated encounter with Mara and her wretched mother. My stepmother's words still echoed in my ears, laced with venom and the audacity to threaten me in my own home.

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the room like a caged lioness. My room, though modest, had become my sanctuary. Its warm, earthy tones and the faint scent of lavender candles I'd lit earlier offered me a shred of solace in a house that was anything but. But even here, I couldn't shake off the suffocating tension that filled the mansion.

Sitting down at my desk, I powered on my laptop. The faint hum of the machine was oddly soothing. Little did Mara or her mother know, I had installed hidden cameras in their room months ago. It wasn't paranoia-no, it was survival. The cameras gave me eyes and ears on the people who wanted me gone. Every whisper, every scheme, every venomous plot against me-I heard it all.

I adjusted my wireless earbuds, anticipation tightening my chest. My fingers trembled as I opened the live feed. The grainy black-and-white footage of Mara's room appeared on the screen. Within moments, Mara and her mother burst into the room, their faces contorted with rage.

Mara's hair was disheveled, and her eyes burned with fury as she threw herself onto the bed. Her mother followed, shutting the door behind her and folding her arms like a hawk ready to strike. I turned up the volume, leaning closer to the screen as their conversation began.

"Mother," Mara hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "Can you believe what that witch did to me? She humiliated me! In front of the servants!" She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "None of them listen to me anymore. They all mock me behind my back because of her!"

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Calm yourself, my dear. She's not worth your tears."

"Not worth it?" Mara scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. "She's the reason I can't hold my head high in this house! And don't forget, she's the one standing between me and Nolan. She has to pay for this!"

I smirked, watching them unravel. If only Mara knew I was listening to every word.

Mara's mother sighed, her face darkening with frustration. "I already tried to have her eliminated today, Mara," she admitted, her voice low but seething with anger. "I hired the best men for the job, but somehow, she's still breathing. I suspect Nolan might have intervened."

My breath caught. So they had sent those assassins. It wasn't just my suspicion anymore-it was confirmed.

Mara's eyes widened in shock, and she shot up from the bed. "What? You mean she was supposed to die today?"

Her mother nodded, her jaw tight. "Yes. Everything was set. But that damn Nolan always seems to be in the way."

Mara's expression twisted into pure hatred. "Why does he keep saving her? He never even looked at her twice before, and now he's chasing after her like a lovesick puppy! It's disgusting!"

Her mother crossed her arms and shook her head. "Men are fools, Mara. The moment a woman stops chasing them, they start chasing her. You should know this by now."

Mara clenched her fists again, her entire body shaking. "I don't care! Nolan is mine. I won't let that tramp steal him from me. Mother, we have to try again. We have to get rid of her-for good this time!"

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by how far they were willing to go. The hatred they harbored for me was almost amusing.

Her mother hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I have another plan," she said, lowering her voice. "If killing her isn't working, we'll try something else. Something that will ruin her reputation beyond repair."

Mara's eyes lit up, a cruel smile spreading across her face. "What do you mean?"

"We'll hire someone to…" Her mother paused, her lips curling into a sinister grin. "…harass her. Publicly. It'll destroy her image, and Nolan will want nothing to do with her."

Mara clapped her hands together, laughing maniacally. "Brilliant, Mother! If we can't kill her, we'll humiliate her instead. Nolan would never marry a woman with such a tarnished reputation."

I leaned back in my chair, my heart pounding in my chest. So this was their new plan? To humiliate me in front of everyone and turn Nolan against me?

My lips curled into a smile of my own. If they wanted to play dirty, I'd play along. But they didn't know I had already anticipated their moves. I would make sure their plan backfired spectacularly.

Mara's voice snapped me back to the screen. "But Mother, we need to act fast. Every day that passes, Nolan grows closer to her. We can't afford to wait!"

Her mother nodded. "Don't worry, Mara. I'll make the arrangements tonight. By tomorrow, Laila's life will be in shambles."

I closed my laptop, my mind racing with thoughts. They truly underestimated me. Did they think I'd crumble under their schemes? I was no longer the naive girl who let them walk all over me. I was smarter, stronger, and far more dangerous than they realized.

Pushing my chair back, I stood and paced the room, my fists clenched. My reflection in the mirror caught my eye, and I paused, staring at myself. My eyes burned with determination, and a wicked smile tugged at my lips.

"If they want a fight," I murmured to my reflection, "I'll give them one they'll never forget."