They All 'Died' for Her? With Terminal Cancer, I'm Done Playing their Games - Chapter 9: Chapter 9
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Vivienne didn't struggle. She let the river claim her completely.
As fragments of her life flickered past, one thought crystallized: If I could do it all over again, I'd never want any of them.
She smiled as darkness took her.
Meanwhile, at her birthday party.
Dominic and Cameron stared at their dead phones, dread settling in their stomachs.
They exchanged glances. Dominic broke the silence first. "You think Viv's actually in trouble?"
Cameron gripped his phone, his voice uncertain whether he was reassuring Dominic or himself. "What could happen to her? Probably just wants us to chase after her."
Leona drifted over, doe-eyed and wounded. "Isn't Vivienne coming? She must really hate me."
The Carringtons looked pissed. "We were going to forgive her, and she pulls this shit. Same old Vivienne—still acting like a spoiled brat."
Mrs. Carrington wrapped Leona in her arms. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Daddy and I will always choose you. If she can't accept you, then she doesn't deserve our love."
Hidden from their view, Leona's lips curved into a triumphant smile.
Vivienne, you'll never win.
"Since Vivienne won't join us, let's make this Leona's official adoption celebration. From now on, she's not Leona anymore—she's our daughter, our heir, and our favorite."
"But maybe we should—"
Dominic started to object, but Leona cut him off.
"She's probably just trying to get attention. You can fill her in tomorrow. She won't stay mad at you guys."
She took Cameron's hand with practiced sweetness. "Come cut the cake with me! Mom picked my favorite flavor."
Reluctantly, Dominic and Cameron pocketed their phones and rejoined the celebration.
The party stretched past midnight. Dominic had knocked back a few drinks and was pleasantly buzzed when his phone shrilled, cutting through the alcohol fog like a blade.
"Is this a relative of Miss Vivienne Carrington?"
Her name sobered him instantly. "Yeah, that's me. What's going on?"
His heart started hammering against his ribs before the voice even answered.
Cameron caught the shift in his voice and moved closer.
"I'm very sorry to inform you that Miss Carrington jumped from the River Bridge at 8 PM tonight. Paramedics were on scene within minutes, but...I'm sorry. She didn't make it. She left some items behind. We'll need family to come in for identification."
The words hit like physical blows. Dominic's vision tunneled.
Suicide?
No fucking way. Not Vivienne.
This had to be wrong. Another one of her games.
She was pissed off and staging this whole thing to mess with them.
That's what he told himself, even as his hands shook uncontrollably.
"Sir? Are you still there?"
"This is bullshit, right? Vivienne put you up to this!" His voice cracked with desperation.
"I understand this is devastating news, Mr. Ashford. But I can assure you this isn't a prank. We really need someone to come down to the morgue."
The blood in Dominic's veins turned to ice. A high-pitched ringing exploded in his ears, drowning out everything else.
Cameron stood frozen, refusing to process what he'd heard.
"She's faking this, isn't she? This is all some elaborate lie!"
"Sir, I know this is a shock, but we do need you here as soon as possible."
Leona drifted over, reading the panic in their faces. "Dominic? Cameron? What's wrong?"
Dominic shoved past her without a word and bolted for the door.
Cameron followed without explanation, leaving Leona rubbing her bruised wrist.
She stared after them, irritation flashing across her features before settling into smug satisfaction.
What could possibly be wrong?
Though Vivienne was her only real obstacle, everyone—the Carringtons, Dominic—they all loved her more than they'd ever loved Vivienne.
So what was there to worry about?
As fragments of her life flickered past, one thought crystallized: If I could do it all over again, I'd never want any of them.
She smiled as darkness took her.
Meanwhile, at her birthday party.
Dominic and Cameron stared at their dead phones, dread settling in their stomachs.
They exchanged glances. Dominic broke the silence first. "You think Viv's actually in trouble?"
Cameron gripped his phone, his voice uncertain whether he was reassuring Dominic or himself. "What could happen to her? Probably just wants us to chase after her."
Leona drifted over, doe-eyed and wounded. "Isn't Vivienne coming? She must really hate me."
The Carringtons looked pissed. "We were going to forgive her, and she pulls this shit. Same old Vivienne—still acting like a spoiled brat."
Mrs. Carrington wrapped Leona in her arms. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Daddy and I will always choose you. If she can't accept you, then she doesn't deserve our love."
Hidden from their view, Leona's lips curved into a triumphant smile.
Vivienne, you'll never win.
"Since Vivienne won't join us, let's make this Leona's official adoption celebration. From now on, she's not Leona anymore—she's our daughter, our heir, and our favorite."
"But maybe we should—"
Dominic started to object, but Leona cut him off.
"She's probably just trying to get attention. You can fill her in tomorrow. She won't stay mad at you guys."
She took Cameron's hand with practiced sweetness. "Come cut the cake with me! Mom picked my favorite flavor."
Reluctantly, Dominic and Cameron pocketed their phones and rejoined the celebration.
The party stretched past midnight. Dominic had knocked back a few drinks and was pleasantly buzzed when his phone shrilled, cutting through the alcohol fog like a blade.
"Is this a relative of Miss Vivienne Carrington?"
Her name sobered him instantly. "Yeah, that's me. What's going on?"
His heart started hammering against his ribs before the voice even answered.
Cameron caught the shift in his voice and moved closer.
"I'm very sorry to inform you that Miss Carrington jumped from the River Bridge at 8 PM tonight. Paramedics were on scene within minutes, but...I'm sorry. She didn't make it. She left some items behind. We'll need family to come in for identification."
The words hit like physical blows. Dominic's vision tunneled.
Suicide?
No fucking way. Not Vivienne.
This had to be wrong. Another one of her games.
She was pissed off and staging this whole thing to mess with them.
That's what he told himself, even as his hands shook uncontrollably.
"Sir? Are you still there?"
"This is bullshit, right? Vivienne put you up to this!" His voice cracked with desperation.
"I understand this is devastating news, Mr. Ashford. But I can assure you this isn't a prank. We really need someone to come down to the morgue."
The blood in Dominic's veins turned to ice. A high-pitched ringing exploded in his ears, drowning out everything else.
Cameron stood frozen, refusing to process what he'd heard.
"She's faking this, isn't she? This is all some elaborate lie!"
"Sir, I know this is a shock, but we do need you here as soon as possible."
Leona drifted over, reading the panic in their faces. "Dominic? Cameron? What's wrong?"
Dominic shoved past her without a word and bolted for the door.
Cameron followed without explanation, leaving Leona rubbing her bruised wrist.
She stared after them, irritation flashing across her features before settling into smug satisfaction.
What could possibly be wrong?
Though Vivienne was her only real obstacle, everyone—the Carringtons, Dominic—they all loved her more than they'd ever loved Vivienne.
So what was there to worry about?
End of They All 'Died' for Her? With Terminal Cancer, I'm Done Playing their Games Chapter 9. Continue reading Chapter 10 or return to They All 'Died' for Her? With Terminal Cancer, I'm Done Playing their Games book page.