After Rebirth, I Stopped Competing, and the Fake Heiress Lost It Chapter 07

After Rebirth, I Stopped Competing, and the Fake Heiress Lost It Chapter 07

Dad’s lips pressed into a hard line. “Mom, Sloane knows what she did was wrong. She promised it

won’t happen again…”

“She knows she was wrong?” Grandma set her cup down hard enough for the porcelain to crack against the marble. “And that makes it fine? She framed this family’s own daughter. She dragged the Winslow name through the mud. Do you have any idea what people are saying about us?”

The color left Sloane’s face. Her voice came out small. “Grandma, I already apologized to Tessa…”

“Not a word.” Grandma didn’t even glance at her. Her eyes stayed on Dad. “Every person in this

room knows what she did. I’m not here to debate. I want Sloane removed from the will.”

Dad said nothing.

Mom turned to Grandma, hesitant. She touched her arm. “Mom…”

Grandma shook her off. There was nothing left to discuss.

Sloane went white. She whipped toward me, and every trace of the sweet girl vanished. Pure

venom.

“This was YOU! You went crying to Grandma, didn’t you?! I knew it. You can’t stand watching me be happy! You walk around acting like you’re so above it all, but you’ve been waiting for this the whole

time!”

I didn’t say a word.

The comments had been pushing me for weeks to tell Grandma everything.

I ignored every one. Whenever Grandma asked how things were going, I told her everything was fine.

Sloane took my silence as a confession and lunged at me.

Grandma’s arm shot out in front of me. She turned on my parents. “This is what you raised. I’m sitting right here and she’s already swinging at someone.”

Grandma let out a short, cold laugh and turned to Sloane.

“You think Tessa told me? She didn’t have to. Those punks you hired have been running their mouths all over town. I’ve had friends bring it up at the club three times now. Three. You’ve made

this entire family a joke.”

All the blood drained from Sloane’s face.

“Tessa has never said a single bad word about you. Not to me, not to anyone.” Grandma’s cane hit

the floor. “You’re the one with the ugly heart. Don’t you dare point that finger at her.”

For the first time, Sloane couldn’t even cry.

The room went quiet.

Mom started to speak, then didn’t.

Dad was quiet for a long time. Then he nodded. “All right, Mom. We’ll do it your way.”

After that, Grandma didn’t go home. She stayed with us.

Sloane went quiet. Too quiet.

No more oatmeal deliveries. No more shoulder rubs for Mom. No more performing. She ate, then

disappeared back into her room. On the rare trip downstairs, she kept her head down and hugged

the wall like she was trying to vanish into it.

The comments started buzzing.

[Tessa, be careful. Something’s off.]

[She’s been talking to her biological father behind everyone’s back!]

[She’s planning to have them killed on the road, your dad and grandma, when he drives her home!]

[Tessa, tell someone NOW! Before she pulls it off! Grandma is the only person who truly loves you. You can’t lose her!]

I leaned back against the headboard, locked my phone, and rolled over.

Last time, I did exactly what the comments said. I told my parents everything.

Gordon Mercer flipped the entire script on me. Fabricated evidence, pointed the finger at me. His argument was simple: how could I have known the plan in that much detail unless I was the one behind it?

The comments had given me every detail. But I couldn’t exactly explain that to anyone.

I had no way to defend myself. Grandma collapsed from the shock. She never woke up.

I closed my eyes.

This time, I was going to protect Grandma. No matter what it cost.

As for Dad, he was on his own.