Chapter 3 : The Viper's Venom
The rain poured relentlessly down the smog-filled streets of the city. Vanessa Vance sat in the back of a dingy taxi, her emerald dress ruined, her makeup streaked down her face like war paint.
She wasn't just humiliated; she was ruined. The elite circles of high society were vicious, and the news of Elias Harrington tossing her out for a servant girl was already trending on social media. She had lost her access to the Harrington billions. But Vanessa was a venomous snake, and she refused to be stepped on.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number she had sworn never to call.
"Victor," she purred into the receiver, her voice dripping with malice. "I have a proposition for you."
Victor Sterling was Elias Harrington’s fiercest rival. For years, the Sterling family had tried to crush the Harringtons, but Elias had always outmaneuvered them.
An hour later, Vanessa sat in a dimly lit, luxurious private club opposite Victor—a sharp-featured man with a cruel smile.
"So, the mighty Elias found his lost sister," Victor mused, swirling an amber liquid in his crystal glass. "If she is recognized legally, she inherits forty percent of the Harrington enterprise. Elias will be unstoppable."
"Which is why she cannot be recognized," Vanessa hissed, leaning forward. "The girl is naive. A pathetic little rat named Clara. Elias is blinded by emotion because of a pearl necklace. But what if we prove the necklace was stolen? What if we prove she isn't his sister, but a masterful con artist?"
"And how do you propose we do that?" Victor raised an eyebrow.
"A DNA test," Vanessa smiled wickedly. "Elias will announce her return to the board of directors this Friday. We will crash it. We will demand a public DNA test. And you, Victor, with your deep pockets, will ensure the laboratory results show she is a fraud."
Victor’s smile widened, showing his teeth. "You are a wicked woman, Vanessa. I love it. Consider the laboratory bought."
Meanwhile, back at the Harrington estate, Clara was undergoing a transformation. The faded red dress was gone. In its place, Elias had summoned the city's top stylists. When she looked in the mirror, Clara barely recognized herself. She wore an elegant, sweeping white gown that complimented her soft, natural beauty.
Elias walked into the room, holding a velvet box. Inside was the pearl necklace, restrung on indestructible platinum wire. He fastened it around her neck.
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"Tomorrow, I present you to the board," Elias said, his hands resting on her shoulders. "They will try to intimidate you. But you have Harrington blood in your veins, Clara. You bow to no one."
Clara touched the pearls, feeling a surge of courage. "I won't let you down, Elias."
