CHAPTER 6
Three days later, the morning sun broke gloriously over the gated entrance of the sprawling $15 million Beverly Hills estate.
I stepped out of my armored vehicle wearing a stunning, custom-tailored white suit, holding a silver coffee cup as two heavy bulldozers idled in the driveway.
A team of twenty private security contractors stood guard along the perimeter, ensuring no press or unauthorized persons crossed onto the private property.
Standing near the grand fountain was Serena, wearing a rumpled coat, her eyes red and swollen from crying as she clutched a single suitcase in her hands.
She had spent the last forty-eight hours realizing that the billionaire lifestyle she had plotted to steal was completely non-existent.
"Claire!" Serena cried out, running toward me before two tall security guards immediately stepped into her path, blocking her progress. "Claire, please! You have to listen to me! I was a victim too! Adrian lied to me about everything!"
I walked over slowly, my heels clicking sharply against the stone driveway as I stopped a few feet away from her, looking down at her with calm pity.
"Adrian didn't force you to wear my custom Oscar de la Renta gown, Serena," I said smoothly, taking a sip of my coffee. "He didn't force you to drink sparkling water while I was bleeding on the floor."
"I... I was scared!" Serena sobbed hysterically, dropping to her knees on the gravel. "I didn't know he was going to hurt you! I'm pregnant, Claire! Where am I supposed to go?!"
"That is entirely your problem, Serena," I replied flatly, motioning toward the heavy construction equipment behind me. "You have five minutes to take that suitcase and clear off my land before I have you arrested for criminal trespassing."
Serena gasped, looking up at the massive bulldozers as their heavy engines roared to life, kicking up dust against the morning sky.
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"You're... you're really going to destroy the mansion?!" she whispered in complete disbelief.
"This house is tainted by the filth of the Vale family," I answered, turning my back on her as the demolition crew began moving forward. "I'm tearing it down to the foundation, and I'm building a specialized pediatric medical center in memory of the child I lost."
