Chapter 4

Chelsea's POV

My parents were overjoyed to hear that I had finally come around.

That night, I was packing my bags when Simon came to my room, looking relieved.

He said, "Lately, I've been thinking about whether or not we should get engaged. You have a bad temper and are timid. You even take Mia's childish pranks personally. But after seeing that you have prepared a gift for her, I've decided to continue this relationship."

I froze at his words, unable to believe what I was hearing. "So, you have been helping Mia with her pranks just to test me?" I asked in disbelief.

However, he didn't deny it.

"I don't want to marry someone who can't even tolerate her own sister," he said. Then, he left happily.

…

On the day of the engagement, Mia kept ordering me around before leaving. "Chelsea, you must ride in that white car. White is an elegant color. It'll be a great start for your and Simon's marriage."

My parents also agreed. "Mia drove out early this morning just to get it washed. Don't let her efforts go to waste."

I smiled and nodded in agreement.

Actually, I had no intention of going to the engagement party. After my family and Simon left in another black car, I carried my suitcase out. Before leaving, I went to the parking lot to check out the white car Mia had mentioned.

Three out of the four tires had scratches. If I had taken this car to the party, the consequences would be dire. Just the thought of it made me shudder.

Then, I turned away and stepped into a cab, leaving home behind me.

…

Third-Person POV

Meanwhile, Gabriel Summers and Heather Stone, Chelsea and Mia's parents, were entertaining guests at the engagement party.

To satisfy Mia's mischievous whims, they had invited everyone who knew Chelsea. That included her kindergarten classmates and even a security guard she had only met once. They were about to witness the prank video Mia had carefully put together.

Simon glanced at his watch. There were still three minutes until the prank commenced. He whispered in Mia's ear, "Are you sure the car is fine? What if Chelsea doesn't make it here?"

Mia said very confidently, "Don't worry. Even if she gets into a car accident, she'll still crawl her way here like a pathetic bug."

She smiled mischievously. Then, she asked, "Do you know why I've always had the confidence to prank her for over 20 years?"

Simon turned to look at her. "Why?"

"I was raised by Mom and Dad from the beginning, while she wasn't brought into their care until she was five years old. She craves their love, so she's always been trying to please us. That's why, even if she's bullied, she'll still come crawling back to us as if nothing happened."

Mia was very confident. After all, Chelsea had always been this way.

However, even ten minutes after the engagement party began and everyone was seated, Chelsea still hadn't shown up.

Gabriel and Heather found out the truth after asking the property manager. The suspicious white car had never left the complex's parking lot.

Mia checked the home security camera, only to find that no one was home.

Simon tried to call Chelsea countless times, but no one ever answered. While he was frantically searching for her, he bumped into Chelsea's former superior, who was holding an invitation and looking bewildered.

"How strange. Wasn't Chelsea transferred to Myria for work? Why is she suddenly having an engagement party?" he muttered.

Before Simon could even process what he had heard, the screen at the engagement party lit up. The video that showed up made Gabriel, Heather, and Mia turn deathly pale, and they collapsed to the ground in shock.