Chapter 5 Your Good Days Are Over

As if on cue, the sky above turned ominous, and a sudden gust of wind whipped around Emily, her white attire and dark hair billowing around her. Her voice, carrying a spectral quality, made her seem almost like a ghost.

Ruby, overwhelmed by a sense of guilt, clapped her hands over her ears and let out a shriek. Panicking, she pushed the others aside and scrambled towards the house.

Mathew Graham, Ruby's boyfriend, was completely bewildered and could only gaze at Emily, his face blank with shock. "I-I didn't harm you. Please, don't come after me..."

In a mix of desperation and fear, he clumsily picked up a pebble and hurled it at Emily, who effortlessly caught it. Narrowing her eyes, Emily hurled it back, striking him squarely on the head.

The air was pierced by another set of screams, this time from the two at the doorway, who recoiled in horror as they witnessed blood streaming down Mathew's forehead.

Mathew, clutching his head, felt as though it might split open. When he looked at his hand, it was smeared with blood. Then, he saw a pair of black high heels approach him.

Lifting his head, he locked eyes with Emily's icy stare. Realization dawned, and he stammered, "Y-You're not dead. You're alive."

Emily looked down at him. This was the man who had once chased after her with fervor, only for his affection to sour into malice, leading him to plot her downfall for his own advantage.

"Mathew, I regret to inform you that your days of ease have come to an end," Emily said coldly.

Three years ago, Mathew and Ruby had orchestrated a deceitful plan. They had convinced Emily to join them on a mountain climb, only to push her off a cliff, staging it as an accident. Emily had survived, but their crime remained undeniable.

The sins they had committed were bound to catch up with them. And Emily was determined to take revenge.

Chaos engulfed Rose Mansion.

Upon her return, Emily acted swiftly. She ordered a construction crew to overhaul the mansion, starting with her and her parents' rooms. Anything that belonged to Kyson and Ruby was thrown out.

"No! What are you doing? That's my jewelry! Don't touch my clothes and bags!" Ruby exclaimed.

She watched in dismay as her cherished possessions were indiscriminately tossed aside by the construction crew, her heart sinking with each discarded item. Frustrated, she turned her ire towards Emily, accusingly shouting, "You've lost your mind! I've been living here for three years!"

Emily, unfazed, lounged on the sofa, her attention on the Morris Mansion's current staff roster, ignoring the protests of her cousin whom she had once held dear.

"My room has been desecrated by someone as vile as you for three years. It's no surprise it's filled with trash," she said.

She then directed her instructions to the construction crew. "Make sure you clean it all out and leave no rubbish behind. Don't worry about damage. I want a clean room."

"Understood." Upon receiving Emily's directive, the construction crew proceeded ruthlessly. Luxury bags were indistinguishable from common bags in their eyes, all indiscriminately bundled into sacks and discarded outside.

Ruby was on the verge of a meltdown. "Keep your filthy hands off my things!"

She lunged forward in a futile attempt to salvage her belongings. Emily, fed up with the commotion, swiftly pulled down a bed curtain, ensnaring Ruby with it before securing her to a chair. After stuffing a sock into Ruby's mouth, Emily finally found the quiet she desired.

The effort spanned the entire afternoon, and the rooms belonging to Emily and her parents were finally cleansed and returned to their former glory. Grateful for their hard work, Emily generously rewarded the construction crew before bidding them farewell.

Kyson's return home was met with a shocking sight: his prized collection of antique jade lay strewn across the corridor. "Oh my God, what's happened here? Who's responsible for this?" he exclaimed.

Ruby, having just been freed, threw herself into her father's arms, tears streaming down her face as she pointed an accusing finger at Emily. "Dad, she did this! She tossed all our things out!"

Kyson's gaze, now fixed on Emily, was anything but kind. "Emily, what exactly are you up to?"

"Helping you pack," Emily coolly replied, her stance at the top of the staircase exuding a detached air as she looked down. "Uncle Kyson, this mansion is my father's personal property. You're not planning to claim it as your own, are you? Think about what such news could do to your reputation."

Kyson clenched his jaw in frustration. He had originally eyed the Rose Mansion for himself, but his wealthier brother, Joshua, had bought it before he could. The estate had been an object of his desire for years, and he had eagerly taken it over upon hearing of Emily's supposed demise.

He forced a smile and said, "Emily, we're family. There's no need for disputes between us. I'm currently the chairman of Morris Group, and I've gotten used to living here at Rose Mansion—"

"Habits can be changed, and you'll manage," Emily cut him off, her voice calm. "And chairmen can be replaced. Uncle Kyson, should you wish for an early retirement, I'm more than happy to arrange that for you."