Chapter 4 4

Amara's face turned an ugly shade of green. The secret she had hidden for ten years had just become the hottest scandal in Belvia.

For someone like her - who valued reputation above life itself - being publicly exposed like this felt like death.

"You little brat! How dare you spout such nonsense? I'll tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!"

"Mom, calm down," Phoebe whispered beside her, though her own rage was simmering. "Everyone's watching."

Her hands trembled with fury, but she had to stay composed - not yet. She just needed to wait until Theo arrived.

Once she showed everyone the train tickets proving Harper had planned to elope with him, that pathetic girl's life would be over.

Amara was shaking with anger now, her voice hoarse as she screamed toward the corner of the room.

"Blake! Marlene! Are you just going to sit there while your daughter disgraces us all?!"

If she was going down in flames - she was dragging everyone with her.

The middle-aged couple who'd been cowering in the corner suddenly froze when Amara called their names. Startled, they hurried forward, heads bowed, looking every bit as guilty as they felt.

Harper's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected Amara to drag her parents into this mess.

Standing this close, she realized she had almost forgotten what they looked like.

Her father, Blake, opened his mouth timidly, but Harper cut him off before he could say a word.

"I came here to get engaged, not to argue," she said coldly. "This has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it."

The couple fell silent immediately. They had never had a voice in this family - not then, not now. At her words, they shrank back again, blending into the background.

Amara let out a soft sigh and smiled, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Ah, yes, you're right. You two left her before she was even a year old, ran off together and abandoned her. Now she's turned out like this - you really have no right to interfere. An engagement with the Gallagher family is a point of honor for the Reeves family. We need a proper, respectable young lady - someone pure and well-bred!"

"Enough!"

The booming voice silenced the entire room.

Everyone turned in shock - the Reeves family patriarch was sitting in his wheelchair near the front, no one knew when he had arrived.

"Grandpa?!"

"Yes... nine years ago, Grandpa was still alive."

Harper's eyes widened as emotion overtook her. She ran down from the stage and threw herself into the old man's arms.

"Grandpa, I missed you so much!"

The old man gently patted the back of her head, frowning when he felt her damp hair. "My girl, why is your hair wet? Your clothes are filthy, your face is scratched... tell me, who hurt you?"

Harper couldn't stop the tears streaming down her cheeks. He had been the only one who truly loved her - in this life, and the last.

She shook her head and tried to smile. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Even if someone tries to hurt me, I can protect myself."

The old man sighed, pain flashing through his cloudy eyes. "My dear girl, have you really thought this through? Do you truly want this engagement?"

That gentle, weary voice pulled at her heartstrings. The kindness in his eyes was the only warmth left in her world.

Amara, who had just been scolded into silence, stood off to the side with her lips pressed tight. Phoebe didn't dare to speak either - one wrong move and she'd drag herself into the fire.

But Harper's mind was made up. She hadn't come here to celebrate an engagement - she'd come for revenge.

Her grandfather's weathered hand rested on her wet hair. His heart ached, torn between protecting her and protecting the family's pride.

The Reeves family's reputation was already in ruins. The bride had run away, the groom hadn't even bothered to appear - everyone could see that the Gallagher family didn't take this marriage seriously.

The old man exhaled quietly. He was old now, too tired for this chaos, but he couldn't let his granddaughter be humiliated further.

"Harper..." he said heavily. "Let's cancel the engagement."

"No, Grandpa!" she protested instantly, eyes burning with fierce determination. "I have to prove myself - for the Reeves family's sake!"

He frowned. "Prove what?"

"That I'm innocent," she declared. "I'm willing to let Chase Gallagher examine me if that's what it takes."

The old man's face darkened immediately. "Absolutely not!" he snapped.

From the side, Phoebe's expression twisted. Jealousy burned in her eyes - her grandfather had never defended her that way.

"Grandpa, Harper doesn't understand what she's saying," Phoebe said quickly, pretending to sound concerned. "You can't let her do that."

Harper turned to her, her voice suddenly calm - too calm. "You don't have to worry about me. But you might want to worry about Theo..."

She rose slowly, a faint smirk tugging at her lips, though her eyes gleamed with something dark and dangerous. "He's in pretty bad shape, you know."

Phoebe froze. "What... what do you mean?"

Harper tilted her head, smiling with cruel satisfaction. She lifted a finger and drew a slow circle in the air right over Phoebe's abdomen.

"Oh, just that his injury... happens to be in a rather sensitive place."

"What?!"

Gasps filled the hall. Phoebe's face went white as marble, and for the first time that night - she had no words.

***