Chapter 6 What Kind of Trash Requires My Personal Appearance?

The cancellation of the Ansel-Kade engagement ripped through elite society like wildfire.

The prevailing rumor? Julian Kade had called off the wedding after discovering the Ansels had lied to his face. Disgusted by the scandal, he refused the humiliation and walked. Some even whispered that both Julian and the long-lost eldest Ansel daughter were tragic victims of circumstance.

"Victims, my ass. That's complete bullshit."

Inside a VIP hospital suite, Audrey Ansel exploded. Her broken ribs were tightly wrapped, but her bruised ego hurt infinitely worse.

"This was Elena Ashford's setup! That psycho bitch should've died overseas!" Audrey snarled, gripping the bedsheets. "And Zoe Zhou—that little spy. The moment I get out of here, she's the first one I'm dealing with."

Grace Ansel sat on the sofa beside the bed, calmly peeling an apple. But her eyes were pitch black.

Even she hadn't realized that Zoe Zhou, the girl who had spent the last year glued to Audrey's side, had been Elena's operative all along.

Elena Ashford.

A slow, chilling smile curved Grace's lips. Years ago, she had personally instructed the overseas foster family: Put her in the worst schools. Give her no guidance. Let her grow feral.

For years, it worked. The girl ranked at the bottom of every class. Withdrawn. Unremarkable. Grace eventually lost interest and cut contact completely.

She never imagined that at thirteen years old, the feral girl would murder her foster parents and vanish without a trace.

If Elena hadn't blindsided her today, Grace might never have dug up that classified truth.

Grace inhaled slowly and walked to the hospital window, looking out over the city.

"What worries me isn't that she planted Zoe," Grace said quietly. "It's that what we've seen so far is only the surface."

Crestmont wasn't a large city. The Ansels had eyes everywhere. Yet days had passed, and their men still couldn't locate where Elena was staying.

That meant Elena had an invisible empire.

"You had someone watching Zoe," Grace turned back, her voice all business. "Any updates?"

"Nothing yet," Audrey sneered, biting into a slice of apple. "But if they know each other, they'll meet eventually. And when I find them, I'll make them regret ever crossing me."

Her phone buzzed mid-sentence. Audrey snatched it up. "Yes?" Her eyes instantly lit up with vicious glee. "Imperial Manor. Perfect. Bring them to me."

Grace snatched the phone right out of her hand.

"Do not alert them," Grace commanded coldly into the receiver. "Continue surveillance. I want to know exactly where Elena sleeps."

—

Near noon, the summer sun beat down on the exclusive courtyard of Imperial Manor Private Dining.

"What kind of trash requires my personal appearance?"

The cool, unimpressed voice cut through the heat as a red Ferrari LaFerrari idled to a stop at the entrance.

A long, impossibly pale leg emerged from the passenger side. Zoe Zhou practically sprinted around the hood, offering her hand.

"El, trust me! This time he's not trash. Lucas is actually decent!"

Elena made no comment on Zoe's disastrous taste in men. She placed her hand lightly in Zoe's and stepped out. Her slender fingers were tipped with translucent blush-gradient nails that caught the light like glass.

"You just got them done?" Zoe gasped, momentarily distracted. "These are insane."

"Mm."

Elena stepped fully into the sun. She wore a backless black satin gown with a dangerous slit that traced the line of her thigh. Razor-cut ink-dark bob. And blooming across the pale expanse of her exposed back was a massive, crimson spider lily tattoo.

Dark. Seductive. Lethal.

Zoe's fingertips brushed lightly over the crimson petals, feeling the faint, raised ridges beneath the ink. Whip scars. Remnants of the foster home. Her chest tightened with a fierce, protective ache.

Behind the Ferrari idled three matte-black Porsche Cayennes. Inside sat a dozen blonde, blue-eyed female security operatives.

Zoe smirked. "Jade sent the whole tactical team again?"

A faint curve touched Elena's lips. "Jade worries I'll commit homicide in Crestmont. She underestimates my patience."

They walked through the courtyard gates. Imperial Manor was heavily restricted—reservations took weeks. Zoe had booked it to officially introduce Elena to her new boyfriend.

They hadn't even reached the private dining room when a violent commotion erupted behind them.

Tires screeched. A massive Rolls-Royce blocked the entrance. A voluptuous woman dripping in diamonds stepped out, followed by eight massive bodyguards.

"Miranda Liang," Zoe whispered, recognizing the city's notorious socialite.

"Here," Miranda barked. "Bring him out."

Her men stormed the private rooms. Elena's security detail shifted instantly into defensive stances, hands dropping to concealed weapons. When they realized Elena wasn't the target, they melted back into the perimeter, watching in silence.

Moments later, the guards dragged out a tall, strikingly handsome young man and violently forced him to his knees on the cobblestone.

"Lucas?" Zoe froze.

Elena glanced at Miranda, then at the man kneeling in the dirt.

So this is the boyfriend.

Without drawing attention, Elena hooked a finger through Zoe's belt loop and smoothly pulled her two steps backward.

Miranda stepped up to the kneeling man and slapped him across the face so hard it sounded like a gunshot.

“I’m dealing with family business. Stay out of it," she snapped at the approaching restaurant manager. She grabbed Lucas's chin, forcing his head up. "Cheating on me again? You're getting bold, little toy."

Red handprints flared across his pale face. Lucas trembled violently. "Miranda... I won't do it again. Please, forgive me—"

Then, in a desperate panic, his eyes darted around the courtyard. He locked onto Zoe.

He twisted out of Miranda's grip and pointed a shaking finger right at her.

"It was her! She seduced me! Bringing me food, calling me sweet names—I never asked for any of it!"

The entire courtyard fell dead silent.

And just like that, Zoe's carefully planned lunch date turned into public execution.