With my help, the two of them had finally found their way to each other, their love blossoming despite the odds.
The call I had just received from my brother was one I never expected to get. He was planning to propose to Heidi.
To me, the 10,000 dollars on the card meant nothing; it was spare change.
But for Heidi, it was the culmination of four years of scrimping and saving; her entire college life condensed into that small sum.
I couldn’t fathom why someone who had been so kind, so devoted, would suddenly sever all ties with me without warning.
Even more perplexing was that someone who had so deeply loved my brother could just let go of him so easily.
The only explanation that made sense was that she must have been hiding something, perhaps a terminal illness she didn’t want to burden us with.
The thought twisted in my chest and the more I dwelled on it, the tighter the knot in my stomach became.
I called my brother in a panic. He couldn’t reach Heidi and without hesitation, he was already packing his things, determined to go to Springfield to find her.
For years, I had lived a quiet life, one that adhered to the family’s teachings. I had kept my true identity hidden, living like any other student and none of them, not even Heidi, knew the truth about me. No one knew I was the daughter of a prestigious family in Illinois, hidden behind the life I had built from scratch.
At that moment, nothing else mattered. I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t afraid to be a burden and that my brother truly loved her. Our family had the means and the connections; we could find the best doctors in the world and her illness could be cured.
When I entered the club's VIP room, the noise hit me first: the sounds of clinking glass, laughter and chaos. My heart skipped a beat, a sense of dread clawing at me from within.
I confirmed the room number my assistant had sent and as I reached for the door, my hand froze.
What I saw through the crack in the door made my blood run cold.
Heidi was there, wearing a striking red low-cut dress, her makeup heavy and exaggerated. She seemed completely out of place, the air around her vulgar and loud, as though she was intentionally projecting something she wasn’t.
It was nothing like the quiet, gentle sister I had always known.
At that moment, I saw her pinned to the floor by a female companion, her head pressed to the ground with ruthless force.
In front of her sat a man who seemed to be nothing more than a grotesque caricature of power. Over 200 pounds, short and stocky, his skin slick and oily, trembling with each step he took.
"Mr. Sterling, she won’t even lick your shoes," the man sneered, his anger flaring instantly. "It looks like she doesn’t respect you at all."
Heidi gasped as the man’s hand grabbed her by the hair, slamming her head into the glass coffee table with brutal force. The glass cracked and her pale forehead split open, blood trickling down her face like a dark river.
"I came here out of respect for you, so clean up my shoes," he growled.
Despite the blood dripping from her wound, Heidi crawled to her feet, desperation in her eyes as she pleaded, "Mr. Sterling, I can drink, I can sing... please, don’t make me lick your shoes."
Without a second thought, the man kicked her away, her necklace tearing violently from her neck. Heidi collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, tears spilling in heavy drops.
Heidi scrambled to retrieve her necklace, but Emma beat her to it with a smug grin.
"Ah, so this is where my necklace went. Looks like this bitch decided to steal it," she mocked.
Heidi rushed forward, her voice shaking with panic. "Give it back, that’s mine! It’s my necklace!"
I recognized it instantly; it was the birthday gift I had given Heidi just the night before. I knew it was too extravagant for her to accept, so I didn’t opt for a luxury brand piece. Instead, I had the jewelry design team from my company create something special, unique and understated just for her.
The necklace was one of a kind, impossible to find anywhere else, beautifully designed to be both delicate and striking.
Emma, who had spent countless hours in the club and had seen her fair share of luxury, immediately recognized the value of the piece.
She twisted her waist, leaning into the man’s arms. "Mr. Sterling, Heidi’s so cheap. She’s been here for only two days and already dares to steal my necklace. Can’t you teach her a lesson for me?"
The greasy man liked girls like Heidi, pure and untouched, but she had made it clear she only wanted to be a companion for drinks, refusing anything further.
The more she resisted, the more he wanted to force her to submit, to make her bow down and obey him.
