The Rich Life She Deserved - Chapter 7: Chapter 7
You are reading The Rich Life She Deserved, Chapter 7: Chapter 7. Read more chapters of The Rich Life She Deserved.
My words struck Vivian like a thunderbolt. She stood rooted to the spot, her face draining of color.
"How could you possibly know that?!" she screamed, her voice shrill with panic.
I watched her composure shatter, my own expression remaining perfectly composed. "Because the System came to me first," I said calmly. "Offered me the same deal. I refused."
The truth was, I'd hesitated at first. When the System whispered its tempting proposition - a way out of my living nightmare - I'd nearly said yes. But in the end, I couldn't do it. The thought of condemning some innocent girl to endure Herbert's cruelty in my place... that was a line I couldn't cross.
Marrying Herbert had been my mistake, even if I'd been deceived. The consequences were mine to bear.
What I never saw coming was Vivian - sweet, privileged Vivian - actually taking the deal. When I woke up in her body, part of me wondered if it was all some bizarre dream. But then I saw her at the villa, heard her speaking with my voice... and all I could do was laugh at the cosmic joke. Who in their right mind would envy my hellish existence?
"That day I came to see you," I reminded her, "I asked if you were certain. That was your last chance to back out." I delivered the truth like a judge passing sentence, then brushed past her. "Fair's fair."
Vivian stood frozen for a heartbeat - then exploded into motion like a dam breaking. She launched herself at me, fists flying wildly. "Lies! I'm the real Vivian! Give it back! Give me back what's mine!" she shrieked, her desperation giving her unnatural strength despite my body's frailty.
Just as I braced to defend myself, strong hands intervened. Cedric wrenched Vivian away and unceremoniously dumped her into Herbert's arms.
"No! I'm not Jeanette! Let go of me!" Vivian's screams reached a fever pitch the moment Herbert touched her. But the System's rules held firm - no matter how she raged, the truth remained locked inside her.
Herbert, ever the picture of respectability in public, passed her off to his bodyguards before turning to us with an apologetic smile. "My apologies. Jeanette hasn't been herself lately - the stress has taken quite a toll on her mental health. She's even been self-harming, I'm afraid."
His words sent ice through my veins. Though I was no longer trapped in that nightmare, witnessing it from the outside still made me want to curl into myself.
Cedric pulled me close, his voice glacial as he addressed Herbert. "Then do us all a favor and keep her locked up. I never want to see her face again."
"How could you possibly know that?!" she screamed, her voice shrill with panic.
I watched her composure shatter, my own expression remaining perfectly composed. "Because the System came to me first," I said calmly. "Offered me the same deal. I refused."
The truth was, I'd hesitated at first. When the System whispered its tempting proposition - a way out of my living nightmare - I'd nearly said yes. But in the end, I couldn't do it. The thought of condemning some innocent girl to endure Herbert's cruelty in my place... that was a line I couldn't cross.
Marrying Herbert had been my mistake, even if I'd been deceived. The consequences were mine to bear.
What I never saw coming was Vivian - sweet, privileged Vivian - actually taking the deal. When I woke up in her body, part of me wondered if it was all some bizarre dream. But then I saw her at the villa, heard her speaking with my voice... and all I could do was laugh at the cosmic joke. Who in their right mind would envy my hellish existence?
"That day I came to see you," I reminded her, "I asked if you were certain. That was your last chance to back out." I delivered the truth like a judge passing sentence, then brushed past her. "Fair's fair."
Vivian stood frozen for a heartbeat - then exploded into motion like a dam breaking. She launched herself at me, fists flying wildly. "Lies! I'm the real Vivian! Give it back! Give me back what's mine!" she shrieked, her desperation giving her unnatural strength despite my body's frailty.
Just as I braced to defend myself, strong hands intervened. Cedric wrenched Vivian away and unceremoniously dumped her into Herbert's arms.
"No! I'm not Jeanette! Let go of me!" Vivian's screams reached a fever pitch the moment Herbert touched her. But the System's rules held firm - no matter how she raged, the truth remained locked inside her.
Herbert, ever the picture of respectability in public, passed her off to his bodyguards before turning to us with an apologetic smile. "My apologies. Jeanette hasn't been herself lately - the stress has taken quite a toll on her mental health. She's even been self-harming, I'm afraid."
His words sent ice through my veins. Though I was no longer trapped in that nightmare, witnessing it from the outside still made me want to curl into myself.
Cedric pulled me close, his voice glacial as he addressed Herbert. "Then do us all a favor and keep her locked up. I never want to see her face again."
End of The Rich Life She Deserved Chapter 7. Continue reading Chapter 8 or return to The Rich Life She Deserved book page.