Chapter 7

Vincent's POV

My whole body trembled with pain, but I couldn't hold back my laughter when I heard Vanessa's words. "You're so full of yourself, Vanessa Sterling."

Vanessa's face immediately twisted in rage. She shot me a cold look, then turned around and left the room.

I could barely keep myself upright when the maids helped me to the bed. Blood leaked from the wounds on my back, drenching my shirt.

As I drifted off to sleep, I felt someone apply a cool ointment to my wounds. It stung a little.

In my daze, I thought that it was Charlotte and subconsciously mumbled, "It hurts, honey…"

The person who was applying the ointment paused for a moment. I peeled open my eyes to see Vanessa standing next to the bed. She was holding the ointment and looking at me with a dark gaze.

"It seems you're not that badly injured, since you can still put up an act," she said in a voice as cold as ice.

She threw the ointment at me before turning around and leaving.

I let out a weak laugh before falling into a deep sleep.

…

I had no choice but to remain in the Finch residence because of my wounds. Although I couldn't leave my room, I could still hear the Finches and the Sterlings discussing the upcoming engagement party. It sounded like they were picking a venue for their engagement party.

Dorian's words were laced with surprise as he said, "I know that Vince is always bullying me, but are you sure that we should do that?"

"Why not? You can just treat it as me seeking justice on your behalf," Vanessa answered gently.

Her words made me assume she was going to cause trouble for me again. I never would have imagined that she would desecrate Mom's grave.

Mom didn't leave a corpse since she had thrown herself into the ocean. When Vanessa and I were still together, she personally set up a grave for Mom on the hill behind the Sterling family's suburban villa because she felt sorry for me. She even erected a tombstone for her.

It was the only place that I could pay my respects to Mom. I immediately left the Finch residence and made my way to the hill after my wounds recovered. I had wanted to take the emerald pendant with me when I visited her, but at that moment, a bouquet of flowers was all I could bring.

However, when I arrived at the place, I saw a few workers using crowbars to dismantle Mom's tombstone.

Dorian stood on the side, holding a design plan as he gave orders. "Fill in the area after dismantling that and scatter some grass seeds."

My eyes widened. I threw the bouquet aside and rushed forward, shoving the workers away. "Stop! That's Mom's tombstone! Who gave you permission to dismantle it?"

"Of course, it was Vanessa's idea," Dorian said, looking at me calmly. "She said the scenery here is beautiful and would be a perfect place for our engagement party. She also told me I could change this place however I want. Your mother's grave is in the way, Vince."

He then gestured for the workers to pull me aside. I clung to Mom's tombstone and refused to let go.

Vanessa arrived when the situation was at a stalemate. As she took in the scene, she frowned and asked, "What's going on?"

Dorian immediately stepped forward and grabbed her hand. He sounded upset as he said, "Vince keeps getting in the way of the engagement preparations, Vanessa. I'm really worried that he's going to cause a scene during the engagement party in the next two days"

Vanessa's frown deepened as a hint of understanding flickered in her eyes. She shot a cold look at me before barking her orders to her bodyguards who were standing behind her.

"Lock him in the villa's storage room. The rest of you, continue what you were doing."

Two bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed my arms before dragging me down the hill.

I thrashed around, yelling at them to stop desecrating Mom's grave, but no one listened to me.

The storage room was pitch-black. A bitter sensation spread through my chest as I curled up in a corner. Mom's grave was probably completely ruined by now.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I thought to myself. "I couldn't protect your keepsake. And now, I failed to protect your grave too."

Tears spilled down my cheeks. I didn't know how much time had passed before I heard Vanessa talking to someone on the phone.