They Sabotaged My Future, Then Begged Me to Come Back When I Built a Better One Chapter 09

They Sabotaged My Future, Then Begged Me to Come Back When I Built a Better One Chapter 09

An irritable guest grabbed a wine glass and hurled it straight at 

Vivian. 

“You were crying up there about depression a second ago, acting all innocent and pure?” 

“Turns out you clawed your way to the top over your own. 

sister’s blood!” 

“And these so–called parents–covering up their own daughter’s assault?” 

“Even a beast protects its young. You two are beneath 

contempt!” 

My parents went ashen. They collapsed onto the floor, their legs giving out beneath them. 

The reporters exploded into chaos, pushing forward with 

cameras raised. 

“Mr. Cross! Is the recording real? The Cross family donates to 

charity all the time. Is this what you call charity behind closed 

doors?” 

“Miss Harrington, how do you sleep at night knowing your honor was bought with your sister’s blood?” 

“Or was the ‘depression‘ just a convenient excuse to dodge 

the law?” 

Soren’s always composed face finally cracked completely. 

He shielded the screaming Vivian in panic, trying to block the 

cameras. 

In the chaos, he suddenly turned his head. 

I stood quietly in place, watching everything unfold like a spectator at a play. 

Through the shifting crowd, I met his disheveled gaze and tilted my head slightly. 

With the most innocent expression, I mouthed silently, 

“Looks like Vivian’s shiny little crown just flew right off.” 

Soren felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. 

Then it hit him. 

My obedience these past two weeks–it had never been surrender. It was a lie. A long game. 

After the banquet, the Harrington family and Soren became infamous across the internet as “murderers” and “privileged monsters.” 

Vivian, unable to withstand the wave of public outrage and investigation, truly broke down mentally this time. 

She locked herself in her room, screaming and stuffing paper into her mouth. 

The Harrington family company’s stock plummeted for days, heading toward bankruptcy. 

Soren was summoned by the police repeatedly. 

Although he managed to escape charges by pushing the drunk driver who took five million as a scapegoat, the Cross family’s reputation collapsed. 

The board of directors even moved to strip him of his 

inheritance rights. 

One night, drained and hounded by accusations from all sides, 

Soren dragged his exhausted body back to the villa. 

When he opened the door, he saw me sitting quietly by the floor–to–ceiling window, reading a book. 

Moonlight fell across my face, serene like a painting. 

For a moment, Soren froze. 

Something twisted inside him. 

He suddenly realized that over these fifteen years, the only person who had ever truly calmed him wasn’t the fake and pretentious Vivian. 

It was me. Brielle. The one who stayed silently by his side, smiling even after being hurt. 

Clinging to that thought, he still deceived himself into believing everything could return to the beginning as long as I spoke up. 

The next second, his eyes reddened as he walked toward me. 

For the first time, he abandoned the pride of a rich heir and begged for my forgiveness. 

From his coat pocket, he took out a velvet box. Inside was a 

dazzling diamond ring. 

“Brielle…” His voice came out broken. “Please. Help me. Help 

Vivian. Please.” 

“All you have to do is release a statement. Say the audio was 

faked with AI. Say the accident was… just an accident.” 

“I’ll send you abroad–get you the best treatment for your leg.” 

He held the ring out to me. Tears fell onto the back of my hand. 

“I’ll marry you, Brielle. We can just… forget everything that 

happened.” 

“Start over. Like it used to be. At Silver Pines. What do you say?” 

I looked down at the glittering ring. I felt nothing but a deep, bone–weary disgust. 

Late affection is cheaper than dirt. 

I reached out and gently patted his hair, just like he used to do 

to me. 

“Soren… didn’t you say those fifteen years were all a lie?” 

“Didn’t you say I was only fit to grovel at your feet?” 

Watching his face freeze, I let out a soft, quiet laugh. 

“You want me to issue a statement? Fine.” 

“Right now. Look into my phone and tell the camera you love me. Then say that Vivian is a vile, spiteful bitch.” 

“Record it, and I’ll help you.” 

Soren widened his eyes in disbelief. 

After a long pause, as if confirming I was serious, he clenched his jaw. 

Then, staring into the camera, he forced the words out, one by 

one. 

“I love Brielle. Vivian is a vile, spiteful bitch.”