Part 3The Heart She Stole

It was Liam Cross. He bribed the director to frame me.

It was such a clumsy lie, yet Serena swallowed it whole.

Harper, who used to be so proud, fell to her knees.

"Ms. Thorne, Ethan died of post-op infection three years ago. We didn't have the money for the treatments. We watched him die. Please."

"No money? I gave your family a settlement of ten million dollars. How could you be broke?"

"Ethan really will say anything to make me the villain."

"I don't know what settlement you're talking about! He's dead!" Harper screamed.

Serena’s eyes went cold.

"Beat them. Don't stop until Ethan comes out."

The bodyguards moved in. Harper curled into a ball, taking the kicks meant for Mom.

The sound of boots hitting flesh filled the tiny trailer.

Mom waved her hands helplessly, blood tears streaming down her face.

"Please stop! He's my only son! He's gone!"

Serena kicked Mom aside.

I screamed, throwing myself at Serena, trying to rip out her black heart.

But I was a ghost. I couldn't touch her.

I could only listen to my own desperate wails.

"Stop it! Stop it! I'm already dead! Why won't you let my family go?!"

Harper coughed up blood.

"Serena! If you want to hurt someone, hurt me! Leave Mom alone!"

Serena looked at them with disgust.

"If Ethan has the guts to run away with a mistress, he should have the guts to face the consequences. This is on him."

"Did you forget how you lost your arm? Did you forget how your mother went blind? If you don't want a repeat performance, tell Ethan to get out here and kneel."

Three years ago, to force me into the surgery, Serena used her connections to get Harper fired from the police force.