Compartir

Chapter 2

Autor: Goodtale

I waited forever for Julian West to show up at my birthday party.

When he finally walked in, I jogged over and reached for his hand out of habit.

Julian swerved to dodge me, flashing a cold, mocking smile.

I froze.

Usually at events like this, he would be the first to pull me by the waist and whisper how gorgeous I looked.

Instead, he walked right past me, straight toward my best friend, Janet Fraser, and snatched the glass out of her hand.

“Are you crazy? You know you’re on your period.”

Janet glanced past him at me, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

“It’s Nora’s birthday, Julian. I had to have a drink.”

Julian sat down beside her, his tone completely indifferent.

“It’s her birthday. Why are you drinking? Let her drink it herself.”

A few guys nearby burst out laughing, their mocking eyes scanning me up and down.

I stood there holding my glass, skin crawling under their gazes.

Julian was acting weird tonight. So was Janet.

Everyone kept sneaking glances at me, whispering and laughing behind their hands whenever I tried to look back.

I forced a tight smile.

“I’m going to touch up my makeup.”

When I came back from the restroom, a huge crowd had gathered around the main sofa.

I pushed through and stopped dead.

Julian was pinned over Janet, their lips pressed tightly together.

Liquor dripped down Janet's chin as she leaned back with her eyes closed, face flushed red.

The crowd cheered and hooted around them.

My brain exploded.

Instinct took over, I rushed in and shoved them apart.

I cracked a slap across Julian’s face, then turned and slapped Janet right after.

Chloe gasped, covering her cheek.

She didn't get mad. She just looked at me with a soft, gentle expression.

“Nora, you misunderstood. We were just playing Truth or Dare. It’s just a game.”

Julian tilted his head, pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek.

Then he smirked.

A split second later, his foot slammed straight into my stomach.

I flew backward, crashing through the champagne tower.

Glass shattered, echoing across the entire hall.

Champagne and broken glass drenched me, slicing open every inch of exposed skin.

Julian walked over, crouched down, and dragged me up by my hair.

He dangled a lit cigarette, a dark grin playing on his lips.

“Still think you’re a high-society princess?

“A fake thinks she can hit me?”

He hauled me across the floor by my hair right in front of Janet.

“It’s your birthday, right?”

Before I could breathe, he slammed my forehead into the floor.

BANG.

My head buzzed, blood trickling down the bridge of my nose.

Julian began humming smoothly in my ear.

“Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you…”

Guests pulled out their phones, filming every second.

“Julian was calling her baby last night, and today he’s destroying her.”

“Classic playboy move. The guy flips a switch like nobody else.”

After a few more hits, he let go, sat back on the couch, and wrapped an arm around Janet's waist.

He pulled her into a deep, heavy kiss right in front of my face.

Then he raised an eyebrow at me.

“Go on. Try hitting me again.”

Janet leaned into his chest, breathless, her eyes glittering.

“Nora, Julian’s just had too much to drink. Don't be mad at him.”

Blood ran into my eyes. I wiped at it blindly, my chest bursting with sheer rage and pain.

Suddenly, the crowd fell dead silent.

The room parted down the middle.

I wiped the blood away and saw my older brother, Ethan Jackson, walking through the crowd holding a glass of red wine.

Tears spilled over immediately.

“Ethan… Julian hit me…”

He frowned slightly, stepping back to avoid my bloody hands.

His eyes were completely lifeless.

“Be realistic, Nora. In your position, you can’t afford to offend a single person in this room.”

He turned to a waiter nearby. “Clean this mess up. Don’t block the way.”

My hand froze in the air.

I couldn't believe these words were coming from the brother who had lived under the same roof with me for twenty years.

“Why?” I whispered, trembling all over.

“Just because we don’t share blood? Just because I’m a fake?”

Ethan gave me a cold look, turned around, and nodded toward Julian.

“Julian, our family didn't know she was an imposter either. Bear with us.

“My biological sister is back now. I’ll introduce you two soon. I hope our families’ engagement agreement still stands.”

Julian raised his glass with a lazy grin.

“No problem. I was getting tired of this one anyway. Time for an upgrade.

“I hear your real sister is completely untouched, too.”

Continúa leyendo este libro gratis
Escanea el código para descargar la App

Último capítulo

  • My Rival Heiress Went Feral to Save Me   Chapter 11

    Six months later, I attended the tech launch event led by Chloe as a newly established brand founder.The press area was packed, flashbulbs going off from every angle.Standing at the side of the stage, I watched her in a sharply tailored dark suit, speaking with total authority under the spotlight. Her delivery was calm and controlled, not a single person in the audience dared to whisper.The hesitant country girl who used to wring her hands in our living room was now a director that even Chairman West had to show respect to.For a second, I felt completely dazed.When the presentation ended and Chloe stepped off the stage, the first thing she did was toss an exclusive custom bouquet straight into my arms.“A little support for your grand launch,” she said, pulling off her earpiece in that same annoying tone.“If that small brand of yours flops, don’t go around telling people you know me.”Furious, I chased after her.“Chloe! With all these reporters here, can’t you save me

  • My Rival Heiress Went Feral to Save Me   Chapter 10

    Three weeks later, West Empire’s stock crashed by forty percent, forcing an emergency board meeting.The day Janet was taken into police custody, I sat on the living room sofa, watching the news live.On the screen, she kept her head low, hair hiding half her face. With a jacket draped over her hands, two female officers flanked her, shoving her into the back of a police car.The comment section was flooded with people saying she deserved it.I turned off the TV, feeling strangely detached.Julian was officially ousted from the board during the meeting. His grandfather collapsed from anger and ended up in the ICU, leaving the West family in complete chaos.Chloe mentioned all of this over dinner as if it were nothing.Her tone was effortless, like reading a basic weather forecast.Meanwhile, Ethan had secretly reached out to old allies, trying to undermine Chloe while she was busy integrating the companies.Instead, Chloe’s team caught him red-handed.The day the evidence

  • My Rival Heiress Went Feral to Save Me   Chapter 9

    A week later, I was discharged from the hospital and returned home.The atmosphere in the house was suffocatingly tense.Chloe spent the entire day locked in the study with my dad for a meeting. When she walked out, her face was completely neutral, while my dad looked both thrilled and exhausted.At dinner, my dad officially made an announcement in front of the whole family.“Chloe will serve as acting vice president of the company, taking full charge of the post-merger integration of Jackson Empire. In three months, she will step up as president.”Ethan slammed his fork onto the table.“What about me? What am I supposed to be?”My dad didn’t even look up.“Finish your three-month house arrest first.”Ethan stood up abruptly, knocking his chair back against the marble floor with a harsh scrape.“This company cannot be handed over to a woman!“She’s an outsider who just moved back, what does she know about running a business? I’m the heir you spent years building up!”Chlo

  • My Rival Heiress Went Feral to Save Me   Chapter 8

    The next day, a huge entourage from the West family arrived.Chairman West, Julian's grandfather, led the way himself, followed closely by Julian’s parents. Two bodyguards supported Julian, whose face was ghastly pale.The second Chairman West stepped into the room, he bowed deeply, lowering his posture to the ground.“Ms. Jackson, my grandson acted like a total disgrace. I sincerely apologize on behalf of the entire family.”Beside my bed, Chloe suddenly handed me a contract.I glanced over it and signed my name immediately.It was a stock transfer agreement, a full twelve percent stake in the West Empire.Julian suddenly let out a cold, bitter laugh.He broke free from the bodyguards, straightened his suit collar, and walked over to my bedside, looking down at me.“Nora, know when to stop. You know I have feelings for you. That’s the only reason I’ve tolerated you over and over.“Things have escalated far enough. I’m lowering my head now, take the exit while you still have

  • My Rival Heiress Went Feral to Save Me   Chapter 7

    Hospital.I had two broken ribs, seven stitches in my forehead, and temporary hearing loss in my left ear.Chloe forced me down onto the hospital bed, spinning my medical chart in her fingers with an icy tone.“Pretty tough to kill, aren't you?”I stubbornly bit back, “Takes more than that.”The sudden words pulled at my injuries, sending a flash of blinding pain through my chest.She rolled her eyes, tossed a box of painkillers onto my lap, and walked out.Just before dawn, the door slammed open.My mother rushed in, her knees buckling at the sight of me wrapped in bandages. She almost collapsed onto the floor.She scrambled to the bedside, tears streaming down her face before she could utter a word.“Nora… My poor baby…”She sobbed so hard she gasped for air, her shaking hands hovering over me, afraid to touch my wounds.My father stood at the foot of the bed with red-rimmed eyes, his hand trembling as he gently touched my forehead.His lips quivered for a long time befo

  • My Rival Heiress Went Feral to Save Me   Chapter 6

    “Chloe, this is Chairman West,” the old man’s voice echoed clearly through the phone. “I heard what happened tonight.“I’ll personally handle that bastard Julian and give you a proper apology.”Julian’s face was drained of color.His lips trembled, but no sound came out.Still, he refused to give up, grinding his teeth until his jaw clicked.“So what if the buyout passed? My family still holds board seats! We still have veto power!”He stood up, eyes blazing with fury.“You think buying a few public shares gives you total control? What a joke!”Chloe casually flipped the document open to the signature page.She held it right in front of his eyes.Three signatures stood clearly on the paper.One belonged to Julian’s grandfather, Chairman West.Right beside it was the official corporate seal.Julian’s eyes snapped wide. His lips quivered, and the fight drained out of him completely.He stumbled back, his knee slamming into the edge of the coffee table, sending him crashing

Más capítulos
Explora y lee buenas novelas gratis
Acceso gratuito a una gran cantidad de buenas novelas en la app GoodNovel. Descarga los libros que te gusten y léelos donde y cuando quieras.
Lee libros gratis en la app
ESCANEA EL CÓDIGO PARA LEER EN LA APP
DMCA.com Protection Status