She Rejected the Heir, I Married Him Chapter 09

She Rejected the Heir, I Married Him Chapter 09

Vivian’s fall was even uglier than Nathaniel’s.

Once the Pembrokes went bankrupt, the friends who had once flocked around her turned on her

overnight.

Every private club removed her name, and every charity dinner stopped inviting her.

Even the bank repossessed her home.

With nowhere left to turn, she showed up at Mercer Capital and made a scene.

I happened to be bringing Julian a document that needed his signature.

As I entered the lobby, I heard shrill shouting.

“Let me see Julian! I was supposed to be his wife!”

“If that bitch Clara hadn’t stolen my place, I’d be the one beside him!”

Vivian sat on the marble floor in a wrinkled dress, her hair disheveled, throwing a tantrum.

Several guards were trying to lift her and carry her out.

Employees passing through the lobby watched the spectacle.

I stopped and looked at her.

This was the woman who had always treated me as if her attention were a favor.

She saw me and stared as though she’d seen a ghost.

Then she tore free of the guards and lunged at me.

“Clara! You bitch!”

Her face twisted.

“Give it all back! I was supposed to be Mrs. Mercer!”

“You tricked Julian!”

Two guards caught her immediately and pinned her arms behind her back.

She kept struggling, glaring at me.

She was pathetic. Ridiculous, too.

“Vivian,” I said calmly.

“Have you lost your memory?”

“Who cried and screamed that marrying into the Mercer family would be hell? Who refused to do

it?”

“Who tried to take my grandmother’s sapphire bracelet and call it safekeeping?”

“And who spread rumors in every group chat, saying I was only a stand-in?”

Her face grew grayer with every question.

“Now you want my place? What makes you think you deserve it?”

She had no answer.

Panic flashed in her eyes, then she tried looking pitiful instead.

“Clara, we’re best friends.”

“I was stupid. Nathaniel lied to me. That bastard fooled me.”

“Please forgive me. Ask Mr. Mercer to show us mercy. Tell him to leave my family alone!”

She sobbed without dignity, tears and mucus running down her face.

I watched without sympathy.

“Your best friend died the moment you decided to climb over her.”

I turned to the guards.

“Throw her out.”

“Don’t let people like her dirty this lobby again.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They dragged Vivian toward the doors.

She finally gave in to despair and began screaming every ugly insult she could think of.

Her voice faded only after they threw her outside.

I straightened my clothes and walked to the executive elevator.

Upstairs, Julian sat behind his desk reviewing documents.

He set down his pen when I came in.

“Handled?”

“Yes.”

I put the file on his desk.

“Sign.”

He signed without even reading it, then leaned back and looked at me.

“In a good mood?”

“Not bad.”

“The trash is gone. That’s something to celebrate.”

He stood and came closer.

“Mrs. Mercer, now that we’ve dealt with everyone else…”

“Shouldn’t we talk about us?”

I blinked.

“What about us?”

He lowered his head, his gaze intent.

“When did you find out who I really was?”

“And why did you say you’d chosen the best?”

My breath caught.