Chapter 48: The Gossip

"Vera, you gotta face the facts. I've told you before, no way you can marry into the Pierce family," Bert said.

"Why do you even care?" Vera snapped back, annoyed.

Bert didn't like her tone, but he kept his cool. "Come back with me now, and I'll give you whatever you want."

"Bert, are you out of your mind?" Vera couldn't hold it in anymore.

She yelled, "I've told you already. I don't like you anymore. Now get out of my place!"

Before Bert could say anything, Vera slammed the door in his face, almost hitting his nose.

He thought angrily, 'Did Vera just say she doesn't like me anymore? No way! That can't be true!'

Bert wanted to knock again, but a neighbor warned him, "If you knock on that door again, I'm calling the cops!"

Fuming, Bert had no choice but to walk away.

"You'll regret this, Vera," he muttered as he left without looking back.

Exhausted, Vera couldn't believe she had to deal with this lunatic even after moving so far away.

After tidying up, Vera went to work on Monday. As soon as she walked in, the office was buzzing with whispers.

"That's her, dumped by Arnold and kicked out of the Pierce Villa."

"Relying on men never works."

"She's got the looks. If she can't rely on Arnold, she can find another guy."

"She closed a lot of deals before, right? Probably all because of the Pierce family's connections, sleeping her way to the top."

Vera ignored the gossip, letting the truth speak for itself.

Victor's secretary found Vera and said with a sneer, "Come with me."

In Victor's office, Shirley stood there looking smug. It was clear everyone knew about Vera getting kicked out.

Victor got straight to the point, "Hand over all your projects to Shirley and assist her."

"Are you seriously asking me to hand over billion-dollar projects to someone useless?" Vera shot back.

Shirley's face twisted in anger, but Victor didn't deny it. "That's why I want you to assist her."

"I'm a shareholder too, and I won't agree to this," Vera said firmly.

"Do you think Arnold's still protecting you? Everyone knows you've been kicked out," Victor slammed the table.

"What can you do to me? I'm not handing over the projects to Shirley. If you want them, go take them yourself."

"Shirley's your sister. Why are you so selfish?" Victor questioned.

Vera sneered, "I've given in so much over the years, but you're still not satisfied with me. Am I really your biological daughter?"

Victor started his usual rant, "If you weren't my daughter, why would I have taken you back? You have no manners, you come back just for money. Have I ever scolded you for that? We've raised you for years."

"Stop," Vera cut him off. "You think I'm after money? For years, I've had to report every penny I spend. How much does Shirley get for her monthly allowance? A hundred grand, right? And what about me? I have to justify every five dollars to your finance team. Everything I eat, wear, or use is the cheapest. Many things I bought with my own cash."

"I give Shirley whatever she wants. If I really wanted something from your family, I would've left long ago!"

With that, Vera stormed out of the office. She looked at the secretary standing smugly at the door and said, "If you don't want to work here anymore, go to HR, get your paycheck, and leave."

The secretary was fuming, but she stomped her feet and didn't dare to fight back. After all, Vera was a shareholder, and with just one word, she could decide the secretary's fate.

Victor sat in his chair, deep in thought. Had they really treated Vera so badly all these years?

"Does Laura really not give Vera any pocket money?" Victor asked Shirley.

Shirley immediately put on a pitiful face. "Dad, Vera's exaggerating. Mom's always tried her best to give her whatever she wanted. It's not like what Vera said."

Victor's face darkened. "She's a habitual liar, never changes."

Shirley sighed in relief, glad Victor trusted her. If he ever found out how Vera had really been living, he might blame Laura. But then again, even if he did, Victor would still side with her.

Back in her office, Vera's heart ached despite cutting off contact. What had she been expecting from the Garcia family all these years?

The latest email in her inbox was Katie Bell's file, the victim in the murder case.

Vera gathered her courage and looked through the file. Katie seemed like an ordinary person, a farmer from a village who had never left. There was no way she could be connected to someone like Shirley.

But strangely, Katie was from Vera's hometown, Willow Creek. Yet Vera had never seen her before. The private investigator noted: [Her identity is quite suspicious. It looks like someone intentionally fabricated it. I need to dig deeper.]

Vera couldn't shake the feeling that there was an invisible hand controlling everything, hiding something.

Her mind was in turmoil, but she was more worried about Arnold lying in the hospital.

At the hospital, Shirley used her connection with Bert to get into the ward and saw Arnold still unconscious in bed.

Full of resentment, she thought, how could such a handsome and powerful man not belong to her?

Just then, Charles ran to the bedside, using his small arms to block Shirley.

Charles's eyes were filled with resentment and wariness. He didn't know why, but he just disliked Shirley.

"You little brat!" Shirley glared at him and cursed. She raised her hand to slap Charles.

But her wrist was grabbed by the bodyguard at the door, who said coldly, "Who let you in?"

Shirley immediately put on a sweet smile. "I'm Bert's fiancée, here to visit Arnold on his behalf."

The bodyguard scolded, "Get out. No outsiders allowed in this ward!"

Without any mercy, he threw her out. Shirley, in high heels, staggered and almost fell.

She didn't dare speak up in anger, but as she glanced back at the ward, she saw Charles lying on the bed, still drawing.

From a distance, she couldn't see clearly, but she vaguely saw a word on the paper: [Dad.]

Shirley broke out in a cold sweat. This little brat was actually the child rumored to be Arnold's.

Thank goodness she didn't act rashly. If the Pierce family found out, she'd be done for.

"Leave now!" The bodyguard urged again.

Shirley smiled, "I'm leaving now."

But as she turned around, she hid her smile and revealed a sinister look. "A bunch of bastards. If I marry into the Pierce family, I'll get rid of all of you."

She then remembered the scene at the banquet when Bert rushed towards Vera without hesitation.

The more Shirley thought about it, the angrier she got! She thought, 'What charm does that bitch Vera have? Since that child is Arnold's, could it be the one they abandoned years ago?'