Chapter 2 Marriage Alliance

Vera woke up to the sharp smell of disinfectant.

She blinked a few times before she could figure out where she was.

Noticing the needle in her hand, Vera instinctively reached to pull it out.

The nurse nearby saw her and quickly intervened, "Oh my God! What are you doing?"

Vera replied coldly, "I can't afford these medical bills."

The nurse quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, someone already covered all your expenses. You can come back here if you have any health issues in the future. There's money in your account."

Her voice was full of sympathy. When Vera was brought in, she was wearing jeans so faded they were almost white, her body covered in scars, and her arms riddled with needle marks.

At first, the nurse thought Vera was a drug addict, but after a thorough check, she realized Vera had no history of drug use.

'Someone paid for my medical bills?' Vera thought, confused. She didn't have any close relatives, and her only friend wasn't even in this state. So who would be so kind to pay for her?

"No... I don't need any treatment." Vera's heart tightened. Her greatest fear was people showing her kindness for no apparent reason.

After all, wasn't that exactly what her biological parents had done?

They started by being nice to her, gradually luring her into becoming a blood source for Shirley.

The nurse said, "Wait! Don't refuse it. Your health is in a very poor state right now. You have severe anemia and malnutrition. If you draw more blood, it could seriously affect your ability to produce blood. Even if it doesn't, a minor illness could be fatal."

She added, "You have to think about the people you care about, right?"

Vera's hand stopped. The person she cared about...was none other than the child she gave birth to six years ago.

But that child was now missing.

Everyone said the child was dead, but Vera was convinced her child was still alive. Maybe it was a mother's intuition.

This time, after getting out of prison, she was determined to find her child.

Sure enough, Vera stopped struggling and let the nurse administer the nutrient solution.

In the afternoon, Vera was discharged from the hospital. She had only a hundred dollars left from before she went to prison and took the bus to Bay Villa.

Looking at this unfamiliar place, Vera suddenly felt a sense of disgust.

She rang the doorbell, and the moment the door opened, the laughter inside came to an abrupt halt.

Shirley immediately put on a pitiful look and said timidly, "Vera... you're back."

As if Vera was the one who had ruined this family.

Even after all these years, Vera still felt a suffocating sensation in her chest whenever she was in this house.

"Why are you back?" The first to speak was Laura Garcia, Vera's biological mother.

"You promised me something back then, and I'm here to take it." Vera walked straight in, her amber eyes full of indifference.

Laura said, "You come home and start asking for things right away! You're so ungrateful! If I had known..."

Vera interrupted her, "If you had known, you wouldn't have taken me back?"

She had heard this so many times that she could repeat it from memory.

Laura was momentarily at a loss for words. She despised Vera to the extreme.Back then, Vera was found in a stinky cattle barn. Laura thought she was disgustingly dirty.

"Enough! Do you wish for our family to be in turmoil?" Victor Garcia roared, glaring at his daughter.To him, Vera was nothing but trouble.

Vera looked at him. "You said that if I took the fall for Shirley, you'd give me the things my grandmother left me."

"Oh my gosh! Victor, listen to her! So this is the wonderful daughter you brought back! The first thing she does is demand things from us!" Laura exclaimed, as if Vera had done something utterly terrible.

"Vera, it's better not to be like this. Actually, today, Mom and Dad prepared a welcome ceremony for you. We even got a cake!" Shirley pretended to be a good person.

There was indeed a cake on the table, but the cheap cream made it look unappetizing.

Vera remembered, back in high school, when they celebrated Shirley's only chemistry experiment award, Victor and Laura bought a two-tiered, exquisite fondant cake, and even gave Shirley a limited edition pink Maserati as a gift.

"I won't disturb your family harmony. Give me my things, and I'll leave immediately," Vera said mockingly.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Laura screamed.

Victor, on the other hand, was calm. "The room is ready for you. Stay, and I'll give you your things later. Your shares and dividends are currently with Shirley."

Vera's pupils contracted, and she instantly shouted, "Those were left to me by my GRANDMOTHER! How DARE you do this!"

"What if I don't give them to you?" Victor was also enraged.

"Then we'll see each other in court!" Vera was agitated.

No matter what, she had to get the properties and shares her grandmother left her.

Her grandmother was the only one in this family who was good to her. She won't give those up to anyone!

Victor said with a mocking smile, "Court? You don't even have a single penny. How are you going to afford a lawyer? Besides, you've been to prison. It's reasonable for us to keep them for you."

Vera trembled with anger. ButVictor was right.

"You promised me!" Vera said, "Aren't you afraid I'll tell everyone the truth about what happened back then?"

"Who would believe you?" Victor retorted.

Vera fell silent because she knew it was true.

It had been a long time. Unless she could find a powerful lawyer to reopen the case of accidental manslaughter...

Victor's tone relaxed as he took advantage of the situation, "Stay, and I'll give you what you want."

Vera wanted to leave, but the bodyguard at the door blocked her way.

She had no choice but to stay. The room was filled with clutter, covered in a thick layer of dust, and cobwebs in the corners.

This was the room she stayed in when she first came to this place.

Back then, she really thought this was her home.

The door suddenly opened, interrupting Vera's thoughts.

She looked at Shirley, who stood at the door with an arrogant expression.

Shirley glanced around the room and said provocatively, "You probably don't know, right? This time, Dad wants to marry you off to a man in his fifties!"

She added, "The Garcia family plans to use you for a marriage alliance, while I will marry your fiancé. Do you believe that with just one word, I can kick you out of this place!"