Chapter 4 Tearing This Entire House Apart

Rita's cheek was still swollen from Lainey's slap. There was no way she'd just let her leave after that.

Lainey tipped her head slightly, her gaze settling on Rita with a calm, almost amused look. "Rita, are you sure you want to go down this road?"

Rita mistook that composure for weakness. Lifting her chin, she drew herself up arrogantly. "Of course! Who knows what you've hidden away? Open your suitcase. I'm going through it myself."

Larry stayed completely uninvolved. He remained beside Charlee, holding her close as if nothing else in the room mattered, whispering reassurance to her.

At that sight, whatever lingering ache remained in Lainey's chest vanished, replaced by nothing but cold hatred.

Her expression turned indifferent. Without a word, she crouched and pulled open the zipper of her suitcase. "Go ahead. Look carefully. See if there's anything in there that belongs to your family."

Rita wasted no time. She immediately began rummaging through the contents, turning everything upside down without the slightest regard. Clothes were tossed aside carelessly, the suitcase quickly becoming a chaotic mess. As if that wasn't enough, she deliberately flung a few of Lainey's undergarments onto the floor, her actions dripping with insult.

Lainey stood there, watching silently. Then she lowered her eyes and sent a quick message to her assistant, Rose Ford.

"Come to the Millers' with a few bodyguards. Bring some empty suitcases."

The reply came almost instantly.

"Are you finally done tolerating them? Leave it to me. I'll be there in ten minutes."

A faint, almost ironic smile curved Lainey's lips.

Rose had told her more than once that the Miller family wasn't worth her patience, especially Larry. Back then, she hadn't listened. She had given everything she had, thinking effort would be enough.

Now she looked up again. Rita was still searching with a smug expression, while Charlee stood nearby watching like it was entertainment.

Lainey spoke again, her voice steady. "So? Finished yet? Did you find anything that belongs to you?"

Rita gave the suitcase a disdainful kick, her lips curling. "There's nothing useful in here. Just trash."

Her eyes were full of scorn as she added, "Now pick it all up and clean this mess before you leave."

But instead of complying, Lainey walked over to a nearby shelf and picked up a porcelain vase, turning it slowly in her hand.

She said quietly, "Not everything here belongs to you." She held it up slightly. "I bought this vase two months ago. Three million. Since I paid for it, I'm taking it away."

Her hand then pointed toward the wall. "That painting and the clock over there... I purchased both three months ago. Ten million altogether. They're coming with me too."

Rita's expression twisted in disbelief. "Are you serious? You gave those to us! You can't just take them back now!"

Larry's brows pulled together as well. "My mother is attached to that painting. You're not taking it."

Charlee, still playing the role of the fragile victim, added softly with a wounded tone, "I always thought you were someone generous. Why are you suddenly acting so petty?"

With the three of them speaking one after another, the situation was quickly twisted-making it seem like Lainey was the unreasonable one causing all the chaos.

Just then, Rose showed up, accompanied by a group of bodyguards. Lainey immediately gestured around the living room while issuing instructions one after another. "The Hermès fruit bowl-mine. Pack it. The Tiffany tea set-mine. Take it. The Chanel curtains-also mine. Take them down."

Her gaze shifted to the living room sofa. "And this sofa cost me two million. That goes as well."

Rose looked almost energized, as if she had been waiting for this moment. With efficient coordination, she and the bodyguards began clearing out everything Lainey had originally financed, one item after another.

Larry's expression turned increasingly dark. "So this is your revenge? You're really tearing this entire house apart just to get back at me?"

Lainey didn't respond immediately. Instead, she calmly bent down and started collecting the rest of her belongings from the floor. Only after finishing did she speak. "I wasn't planning to argue over a few things I once bought." She paused briefly. "But your mother insisted on making a scene out of it. So now she gets to see what it looks like when I stop holding back."

She zipped up her suitcase and stood upright again, her gaze landing on Rita with a faint, almost unsettling smile. "Well, Rita, satisfied now?"

The words hit like a final blow. Rita's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed on the spot.

The moment Lainey turned to leave, panic erupted behind her.

"Mom!" Larry shouted.

"Mrs. Miller!" Charlee cried out as well.

Seeing Rita faint, Charlee immediately seized the opportunity, her voice dripping with concern and accusation. "Larry, this is too much. Lainey actually took everything and stressed Mrs. Miller into collapsing. How can she be so disrespectful to you and your family?"

Larry laid Rita down on a chair, his face tight with anger as he straightened up again. He turned toward Lainey with a cold, cutting stare. "Go ahead then," he yelled. "Walk out now if you want. But when Nova Tech's launch succeeds in a few days, don't expect to come back. Even if you crawl on your knees, I won't let you near this family again."

At the mention of Nova Tech, something shifted in Lainey's expression. That company's AI division was the backbone of the Miller Group's upcoming success. In her past life, she had attended that very launch-not as a guest, but as Larry's hidden helper behind the scenes.

When Bryan had attempted to expose Nova Tech's fake technology, she had interfered and sabotaged Wilson Group instead, forcing him to step back. She had even handed over her own company's research just to secure Larry's success.

That single event had made Nova Tech explode in value, earning Larry unimaginable profits.

This time, things would be different. She would not help him.

And she would make sure Bryan didn't lose either.

A confident curve appeared on her lips. "Alright. Then we'll see how that turns out," she said softly.