Chapter 4

The panic on the other side of the door escalated. I could hear Sophia's shrill voice, laced with desperation.

"Do something, Ethan! I have to get to that gala! I told everyone I would be there! I'll be a laughingstock!"

"I'm trying!" Ethan's voice was tight with stress. "All the cards are blocked! She must have called the bank!"

Their financial predicament was clear. Without my money, they were nothing. They couldn't even afford a taxi to the most important event of their social-climbing lives.

Suddenly, the handle on my bedroom door rattled violently. Then, a heavy thud as Ethan threw his shoulder against the solid oak.

"Olivia, open this door right now!" he roared, his voice no longer pleading but filled with rage. "Don't make me break it down!"

Another thud, stronger this time. The door shuddered in its frame.

I remained silent, my heart beating steadily. Let him show his true colors.

A moment later, my bedroom door burst open, the lock splintering. Ethan stood there, his face red, his chest heaving. Sophia was right behind him, a venomous look of triumph on her face.

He strode towards me, his eyes wild. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my skin.

"You think this is funny?" he snarled, pulling me up from the chair I was sitting in. "You think you can control me?"

The physical contact sent a jolt of revulsion through me. This was the man who had let me die.

"Let go of me, Ethan," I said, my voice dangerously low.

"Not until you give us a working credit card," he growled, tightening his grip. "We are going to that gala, and you are going to make it happen."

He was resorting to physical intimidation. He had truly hit rock bottom.

I looked at his furious face, then at Sophia's smug one. I needed them at that gala. My plan depended on it.

I let out a shaky breath, feigning fear and submission.

"Okay," I whispered, letting a tear roll down my cheek. "Okay, you win. Just... don't hurt me. Or the baby."

His expression softened slightly, replaced by a look of condescending victory. "That's better."

I walked over to my purse, my hand trembling for show. I pulled out a wallet and fumbled through it. I selected a specific card-a platinum one, sleek and black. It was a corporate expense card for a subsidiary company, an account I had prepared specifically for this night.

"Here," I said, handing it to him. "This one should work. It has no limit."

He snatched it from my hand. "See? Was that so hard?"

Sophia smirked. "You should have just done that from the beginning." She walked over to me, her eyes glitttering with malice. "You'll be staying here tonight. Wouldn't want you causing any more trouble." She then turned to Ethan. "Lock her in. It's for her own safety."

Ethan didn't even hesitate. He herded me back into the room and I heard the sound of a key turning in the broken lock, followed by the sound of a heavy piece of furniture being dragged in front of the door. They were imprisoning me in my own home.

I listened to their triumphant footsteps fade away. I walked to the window and watched as a luxury car service, finally paid for, pulled up to the front of the house. Sophia, draped in my jewels and my gown, got in with Ethan. They were off to their public execution.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

"Alex? It's Olivia. They're on their way. Are you ready?"

"Everything is in place, Miss Olivia," a calm, professional voice replied. "The stage is set."

The Grand Imperial Hotel ballroom was glittering. Hundreds of the city's wealthiest and most powerful people mingled, their diamonds competing with the crystal chandeliers. Sophia made her entrance on Ethan's arm, a vision in my stolen couture. The Star of the Sea glittered at her throat, drawing envious eyes from every corner of the room. She was living her dream.

The highlight of the evening was the live charity auction. The bids climbed higher and higher for priceless art and luxury vacations.

Then, the auctioneer announced the final item: a private island getaway, donated by an anonymous benefactor. The bidding was fierce, but Sophia was determined to make a statement.

"Five hundred thousand dollars!" she yelled, her voice ringing through the suddenly silent ballroom.

A gasp went through the crowd. It was an outrageous, attention-grabbing bid. The auctioneer banged his gavel. "Sold! To the lovely lady in blue!"

All eyes were on Sophia as a staff member approached with a payment terminal. This was her moment of ultimate triumph. She grandly presented the black credit card Ethan had given her.

The staff member swiped it. A moment of silence. Then, a loud, jarring BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.

"Declined."

Sophia's smile froze. "What? Try it again. The connection must be bad."

The staff member swiped it again. Again, the same loud, humiliating BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.

"I'm sorry, madam. The card has been declined."

The whispers started immediately. The room was buzzing with muffled laughter and shocked murmurs. Sophia's face turned from pale to scarlet.

"That's impossible!" she shrieked, her voice cracking. "That's a no-limit corporate card! It belongs to Olivia Chen!" She pointed a shaking finger at Ethan. "It's his wife's account! She must have canceled it to humiliate me!"

Ethan looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. He tried to shrink away, muttering, "There must be some mistake..."

Just as the chaos reached its peak, a path cleared through the crowd. A man in a perfectly tailored dark suit walked towards the stage, flanked by two imposing security guards. He moved with an aura of absolute authority that silenced the room. He was the hotel's general manager, a man known simply as Alex.

His face was cold and hard, his eyes scanning the scene with clinical precision.