Chapter 2
Chapter 2:
Yet behind her feigned innocence, Sonya seethed. How dare Yelena strike her? Retribution would come. Soon.
“If marrying into wealth is such a blessing, why not seize it yourself?” Yelena’s voice dripped with ice as her narrowed eyes pierced straight through Sonya and Tatiana.
“You ungrateful girl!” Tatiana’s voice was a whip crack of fury, her eyes blazing. “How dare you even think to measure yourself against Sonya? She is leagues above you! Sonya is already engaged to Roger Ellis, heir to the prestigious Ellis family. A union that befits her status p>
Sonya stepped forward, her smile syrupy sweet, but her eyes gleaming with triumph. “That’s right, Yelena. Roger told me I’m his one true love, the only one he could ever imagine by his side p>
The reality of it all hung in the air like a suffocating fog.
Yelena had been Roger’s fiancée first, a plan set in motion long before Sonya’s existence was uncovered. But the moment Yelena’s parentage unraveled, so did her engagement. Sonya stepped into her place as effortlessly as one might slip on a perfectly tailored gown. Even Roger seemed eager to make the swap, his affections pivoting to Sonya with startling ease.
Sonya’s gaze lingered on Yelena, scanning her like a predator assessing prey. The softness of her features, her luminous skin, the poised elegance that seemed intrinsic to her—Sonya hated it. Envy coiled in her chest, venomous and bitter, but she masked it behind her well-practiced smile.
“Relax, Sonya. I wouldn’t touch Roger with a ten-foot pole. You two are perfect for each other—a match so unfortunate it’s almost poetic. Just be sure to keep your theatrics to yourselves. The rest of us don’t need the headache.” Yelena’s lips curved into a slow, disdainful smirk.
Jonathan, sensing the tension reaching a breaking point, finally stepped in. “Yelena, this is for your benefit. We found you a suitable match, someone who can secure your future. But if you insist on refusing, then so be it. Perhaps it’s time you sought out your biological parents.” Despite knowing the depths of Tatiana and Sonya’s scheming, Jonathan didn’t even try to stop them.
ⓣ𝓱𝓮 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.con
He understood their actions were wrong, yet the undeniable truth of Yelena’s origins left no room for her to remain with the Roberts family.
With a resigned sigh, Jonathan pulled out an envelope containing ten thousand dollars and held it out to her.
“Take this. It’s the least we can do. We mistakenly brought you here from Phurg, and we believe your real parents are still there p>
Phurg—a desolate and impoverished region, surviving only on the charity of corporations—was a stark reminder of how far removed Yelena was from the life she had known.
Tatiana scoffed, crossing her arms. “Jonathan, are you serious? We raised her for more than a decade. We owe her nothing. And now you’re handing her money after she had the audacity to strike Sonya? She’s nothing but an ungrateful little parasite p>
Ungrateful?
Yelena let out a bitter, mirthless laugh, her cold chuckle slicing through the air.
Their eagerness to discard her so easily, as if she were an old trinket they no longer wanted, struck her deeper than she cared to admit. When she first found out that she wasn’t their biological child, she had considered leaving them with a significant parting gift, a sum of money to ensure their security. But now? That notion felt laughable. Jonathan lacked the skills to manage a business, and Tatiana was little more than a glorified spender, bleeding their resources dry. If it weren’t for Yelena’s behind-the-scenes efforts, the Roberts Group would have collapsed long ago.