All Chapters of Runaway Heiress Gets Her New Life: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

Thea's POV"Jonathan," I pleaded, my voice trembling. "But you promised me."I caught him by the sleeve of his tuxedo before the ball began. Jonathan stopped in his tracks and flashed me a careless smile. "I'm sorry. Raine came to me yesterday too," he said. "So, I had to say yes to her."My throat felt tight. "Had to?" I couldn't help but snap at him. "You promised me long before she ever asked. What am I supposed to do now? "Don't you know that if I show up to my debutante ball without a partner, I'll—""You'll be forced into an arranged marriage?"Raine Sanders' bright voice cut me off. She arrived fashionably late and, right in front of me, slipped her arm through Jonathan's. It felt so deliberate, almost like a declaration of victory."Thea, why do you always use that as a threat?"It's not like we're living in the old days. No one's going to force you into a marriage you don't want. You're the eldest daughter of the Sanders family, after all. "Even if…"She pa

Chapter 2

I stood several feet from Dad's desk, my voice barely above a whisper. "Dad.""You know the rules of the debutante ball," he said. I lowered my eyes. "I do, but—""No buts." He cut me off and pushed the documents on his desk toward me. "The Fairmont family has already agreed to the marriage," he continued. "They'll send someone to collect you after the ball. Go register the marriage first. The Fairmonts will arrange the wedding and everything else."Unable to process how quickly things were moving, I jerked my head up and stared at Dad in disbelief. "Dad, I don't want—""Whether you want it or not doesn't matter," he snapped, as though I'd just said something childish. He let out a snort. "Thea, this is a deal."Never mind the fact that we've raised you for more than 20 years. If I wanted to, I could easily make it look like your biological mother deliberately switched you at birth."As for evidence? If we need it, we'll find it."Tell me, if we charge your mom with

Chapter 3

If Dad could use my biological mother to manipulate me once, he could use her to control me for the rest of my life. I wasn't stupid enough to trust some damn release agreement. Besides, I was certain that Dad would never let the matter become public for the sake of the Sanders family's reputation. I quietly packed my things. By the time I checked the clock again, the ball was already over. My phone on the table had been vibrating nonstop. It was Jonathan. Message after message appeared on the screen as he tried to explain the situation. "Thea, pick up the phone!"We need to talk. Things aren't what you think."Thea, I said I'd marry you tomorrow, and I meant it. Where are you? I'll come find you."I reached for the phone to silence it, but one of the bodyguards snatched it away first. "I'm sorry, Ms. Sanders. Mr. Sanders wants you to focus on preparing for the wedding. "As for your phone, the Fairmont family will provide you with a new one. Their people have already

Chapter 4

Dad came rushing over at the commotion. He saw me sprawled on the floor in such a sorry state, yet all he did was give Raine a half-hearted scolding. "Raine, that was completely out of line," he chided. "Look at what you've done to her face. How are we supposed to explain this to the Fairmonts? Go back to your room and reflect on what you've done."Hearing this, Raine glanced at my swollen cheek with a smug smile. She snorted and strode right past me. Only then did Dad glance at me with a frown. "Go put some medicine on that," he ordered. "You can't show up at the Fairmonts looking like this."I staggered to my feet. "Dad, the Fairmonts have already arrived," I said evenly, feeling strangely calm. "We shouldn't keep them waiting too long."Dad nodded, immediately disregarding the injuries on my face. He ordered the bodyguards to take my luggage instead. Since Lucian Fairmont wasn't there in person, I followed his assistant, Alex Larson, to the car. From the rearview mi

Chapter 5

Alex spun around and shoved open the door to the lounge. The bathroom was completely empty. The blinds had been pulled up, and the window stood wide open, cold wind howling through the room. He took one look inside, and his face turned ashen. "Everyone, listen up! We've lost the target. Lock down all exits and search the surrounding area."Jonathan was right behind him and saw the open window for himself. He swerved around and grabbed one of the bodyguards by the collar. "Find her now!" he ordered, his voice trembling. "Search the entire airport if you have to. I want Thea found!"But I'd already escaped the moment Jonathan arrived. I'd stripped off the long dress and jacket that made it difficult to move and thrown them in two completely different directions. Thankfully, I'd planned ahead and worn something underneath that I could actually run in. Clutching the access card the female staff member had given me, I headed for the service corridors. I'd lied to her. I'd

Chapter 6

I stopped by an old street downtown to change into clean clothes and a fresh pair of shoes, not wanting the shopkeeper to suspect that the watch had been stolen and refuse to buy it. When he asked where I'd gotten it, I plastered a wry smile on my face and said, "My family was doing pretty well when I bought it. "It's nothing expensive, though. I barely wore it, so it's practically brand-new."But we're broke now. I can't even afford to eat, so I figured I'd sell it for some cash."The shopkeeper's gaze fell on my face, then on the cheap tracksuit I was wearing. He believed me. After a nod, he handed me the cash. I used it to buy a new phone and insert my SIM card. I didn't bother connecting it to the Internet. After checking that the basic functions worked, I turned it off and headed straight to the subway, where I bought a ticket for the earliest train available. …Meanwhile, Jonathan's men had no luck finding me at the airport. With no other choice, Jonathan returne

Chapter 7

The veins on the back of Jonathan's hand stood out as he tightened his grip around Raine's throat. "Marry you?" he echoed, his voice eerily calm. "What makes you think I'd marry you?"What are you, anyway? You think putting on makeup, learning proper etiquette, and dressing in designer clothes can hide how vulgar and vicious you are underneath?"What makes you think anyone could ever love someone like you?"His grip tightened with every question. Raine's face turned purple. Her eyes were bloodshot as she kicked helplessly, desperately beating at his arm, but she couldn't loosen his grip even an inch. "You tricked me into dancing with you," Jonathan choked, his voice trembling with emotion. "You lied and told me the marriage arrangement didn't matter. You tricked me into choosing you in front of everyone just so they'd laugh at her…"And then the next second, you had Keagan send her off to the Fairmonts like some unwanted trash!"Raine, you really thought this through, didn't

Chapter 8

The Sanders family's downfall came swiftly. Jonathan hadn't even had the chance to make a move before Lucian struck. Everyone assumed it was Lucian taking his anger out on the Sanders family because I'd run away from the marriage.Overnight, Keagan found himself in another desperate crisis. He pressured my biological mother for answers, but he had no idea where I'd gone. With no other way out, he could only force Raine to marry the disabled heir of the Jarrow family, Ian Jarrow, in exchange for their investment. When Raine heard the news, she was devastated. She cried, screamed, refused to eat, and even threatened to kill herself. But this time, Keagan didn't indulge her. There was only pure indifference in his eyes. "Raine, just accept your fate," he said. "We can't afford to offend the Fairmonts, and you've seen how much Jonathan hates us now."The Jarrows may not be what they once were, but they're still powerful enough to help us. If you marry into the Jarrow family,

Chapter 9

Three years later, I settled in Norrington, a coastal city, far enough from the strongholds of the country's most powerful families. It was a fair distance from both Jolmont, where the Sanders family was based, and Haverford, home to the Fairmonts. Norrington was prosperous and convenient without being overwhelming. More importantly, it felt like the kind of place where I could start over. I rented a small apartment in an older residential complex tucked away in the middle of downtown, with a little balcony overlooking the sea. It was only a one-bedroom apartment, but I'd made it warm and cozy. My own paintings hung on the walls, while tubes of paint and easels were piled in the corners. A few low-maintenance plants sat on the balcony, soaking up the sunlight. I was no longer Thea Sanders. Most people knew me by my alias, Bunnykins. I was now a moderately well-known illustrator in the industry.I spent most of my time at home painting, binge-watching movies, and catching u

Chapter 10

Jonathan was silent for a long time, as if he'd already expected this to happen. All he did was smile at me. It was a gentle smile, almost exactly like the one he'd given me the first time I'd seen him at school. "So… Can I still pursue you?" he asked. "No," I blurted out. My cruel rejection made Jonathan flinch almost imperceptibly."There's already someone I like," I added. Jonathan's head snapped up, his eyes widening in shock as though he hadn't quite understood what I'd said. "And I'm meeting him tomorrow.""Jonathan," I said quietly. He jolted at the sound of his name and looked up at me, bewildered. "Thank you for coming to see me today," I said. "And thank you for apologizing."Three years ago, I really did love you. But now, I'm no longer the same person I used to be."Jonathan left. Before he went, he hurriedly wiped away a few tears, still forcing a smile as he said goodbye. He told me he wasn't in the right state of mind today and asked if we could m

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