Chapter 9 The Murder of Her Foster Parents

They had crossed a line. "He's not home. Come back later." Lainey Whitehead shut the door with finality. Vivian Donovan anticipated this. She pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Vivian! What do you think you're doing? Get out—now!" Lainey erupted in anger. "Mom, who is it?" Lilith Whitehead appeared on the stairs, her expression darkening at the sight of Vivian. "Vivian, this is my house. What are you doing here?" Despite their shared blood, they despised her. A sharp pain pierced Vivian's heart, but she remained composed. "Nothing urgent. I just came for the reward money for saving Bernard." Lainey sneered. "Lilith saved Bernard, not you. What's that got to do with you?" Seated across from her own daughter, Lainey, accustomed to luxury, couldn't hide her disdain for Vivian, who hailed from a rural village. To her, Vivian was wild and uncivilized—unfit for high society. If the world discovered Vivian's existence, it would ruin the perfect image she and Lilith had crafted. Vivian glanced at Lainey, then at Lilith, and smiled faintly. "You two are truly mother and daughter—lying without a hint of shame. I doubt even the Great Wall is as thick as your skin." "Vivian, shut up!" Lilith snapped, visibly repulsed. She turned to Lainey. "Mommy, she's only here for money. Give her fifty thousand and send her away." "Yes, Lilith's right," Lainey nodded. "I'll get it now." "Since the Whiteheads aren't short on cash, hand over the full one hundred million. Then we're even—no more debts." Vivian's demand was staggering. "Vivian, don't be greedy," Lilith shot back, glaring. "We'll give you at most one hundred thousand." "Take a hundred thousand and leave Westmoor immediately. The Jacobsons only acknowledge Lilith as Bernard's savior. And by the way—where's your proof?" Lainey challenged. "Do you think deleting the video and stealing the ring erases everything? Don't forget—I passed through that intersection. QuickBite has a record." Vivian waved her phone. "The delivery log can't 100% prove I saved Bernard, but Lilith doesn't even have an order from that day. Won't Bernard suspect something? Still, I'd rather avoid a scandal and the risk of losing the reward. So I'll let Lilith take the credit." In truth, Vivian's delivery had never reached the customer. The app record couldn't confirm she'd been there. That was why she'd stayed silent when Lilith lied to Bernard. But though the data wasn't solid evidence, it was enough to unsettle the guilt-ridden Whiteheads. "You—" Lilith hadn't expected Vivian to have a backup. Fearing exposure to Bernard, she asked, "How much do you want?" "Out of respect for the woman who gave birth to me, I'll offer a 90% discount. One million dollars." "One million? You're out of your mind!" Lainey scoffed. "Vivian, you've lost it!" Lilith cried. A girl from the countryside daring to demand such a sum? Of course, mother and daughter rejected her threat. Without another word, Vivian rose, as if to leave. "If you won't agree, I'll go to Madam Jacobson. As the Jacobson matriarch, she'll decide." Lilith still didn't understand how Madam Jacobson knew Vivian—or why she favored her so. Vivian was clearly a threat. "Wait," Lilith called. "I need to consult Daddy. Wait here." She pulled Lainey aside. "Mommy, let's go upstairs and call Daddy." The two women went up, leaving Vivian below. But the Whiteheads were despicable. Worried they might scheme something vile, Vivian followed. Rivermoor Villa was an old house with poor insulation. From the hallway, Vivian could faintly hear their voices. She listened—no mention of underhanded plans against her or her foster parents. She almost laughed at her own paranoia. Maybe she was being petty. She turned to leave. Then—"foster parents… car accident." She couldn't make it out. Curious, she pressed her ear to the door. "Vivian is insatiable and looks exactly like me. Keeping her is a threat. And Madam Jacobson adores her—how can I marry Bernard with her around?" "Lilith, I know, but we already crippled her foster father to force her bone marrow donation. Are you really thinking of harming her too?" "Mom, are you insane? As long as Vivian lives, she's an obstacle to my marriage into the Jacobson family. Unless… unless you can turn her into a vegetable too!" Lilith's voice rose sharply, frantic. Outside, Vivian heard every word. Her spine froze. Blood surged through her veins. Two months ago, Frederick and Lainey Whitehead had appeared, offering to take her back—if she donated bone marrow to her brother with leukemia. Lilith's marrow didn't match. They had no choice but to come to Vivian. She refused. A month later, her foster parents were in a car accident. After they were hospitalized, the Whiteheads returned—promising free treatment if she donated. At the time, Vivian had doubted the sudden accident and their reappearance. But she thought they were her parents. Surely they wouldn't be so cruel. Now… She had been naive. Rage consumed her. Her body trembled. Hand gripping the doorknob, she was ready to burst in and confront them!