From Ashes to Queen: Now I Call the Shots novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Mr Fletcher, She’s Clever

Connor’s gaze trembled, the veins on his forehead bulging as he raised his hand to grab her.

But she tilted her head back and drained the wine in one gulp.

She smiled and let go. The glass slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.

“What kind of madness is this?!”

Her adoptive mother, Martha Moore, stood at the front, pointing a finger at her in rage.

“There are so many guests here today. Are you deliberately trying to humiliate the Joyner family? I can’t believe I wasted all those years raising you!”

Scarlett thought of the kidney transplant scheme. When she looked at Martha again, all former affection was gone.

“In six years, the total cost of raising me came to ten thousand dollars. I’ll transfer that to your account shortly. If you don’t believe me…”

She pulled out a prepared document and tossed it into the crowd. “This is my payment record. You’re welcome to verify it line by line.”

The guests immediately passed it around, whispers growing louder and louder.

Six years

– ten thousand dollars?

Even raising a cat or dog would’ve cost more than that.

Scarlett then slowly removed the diamond earrings their daughter.

—

a gift from Martha the year she was mistaken for

“I came to the Joyner family with nothing. I’ll leave with nothing. These are yours.”

The Joyner parents‘ faces turned dark with fury. But since she had thrown out a receipt in front of everyone, snatching it back would only make them look worse.

Left with no options, Martha cried out “You ungrateful girl!” before faking a faint. Her husband, Franklin Joyner, quickly helped her out of the hall.

Scarlett’s face remained calm even as her three brothers glared at her. She watched her adoptive parents leave without expression.

“Could this all be a misunderstanding? I mean, Mrs. Joyner fainted from anger. Is that bill even real?”

“So the mistaken heiress really has that kind of backbone? Of all days to sever ties, why embarrass the Joyner family like this?”

“Exactly! And wasn’t there some old marriage agreement between the Joyner and Jude families? Now that Rebecca’s back, no one’s mentioned giving it to her. Don’t tell me…”

—

the very

Sensing the guests‘ opinions beginning to shift, Rebecca immediately dropped to the floor. Her delicate face looked stricken and wronged, her eyes filled with unshed tears, shoulders trembling picture of helplessness and pity.

“Scarlett, I never wanted to steal Mom, Dad, or our brothers from you. Connor- really just wanted to celebrate my birthday, that’s all. Don’t misunderstand, okay? Today’s party doesn’t change anything. If you’re upset, I’ll accept any punishment after it ends.”

She began to plead. “Just please don’t make a scene. If this keeps going, the Joyner family’s reputation will be ruined.”

Connor, who had nearly panicked before, finally calmed down.

Right. Scarlett was just jealous of Rebecca and using all this drama to guilt–trip the Joyner family.

He’d been too soft on her. It was time she learned a lesson.

“Scarlett, enough already! This party is just to celebrate Rebecca’s birthday. It doesn’t affect your place in the Joyner family or our engagement!”

–

He added, “Now apologize to Rebecca! Otherwise, you’ll only dig your own grave!”

Those few sentences were enough to paint Scarlett as jealous and manipulative in everyone’s eyes.

Scarlett let out a laugh- silent, almost disbelieving.

Connor’s frown deepened. In his mind, she was being willfully stubborn.

How had the woman he loved turned into someone like this?

He walked up, furious, but lowered his voice as if to show restraint.

“There’s a limit to how irrational you can be. She’s the Joyner family’s real daughter. You’re just the adopted one.”

He continued, “I’ve only been good to her because of you! Do you really think the Joyner family would’ve let you stay if not for her? Rebecca only agreed to help because I asked her to!”

Then came the real sting. “If it weren’t for all the times you accused her, you’d have been kicked out a long time ago!”

His anger only grew.

“Don’t you remember what my mother said? My fiancée can’t be an orphan! If you don’t apologize today, you’re cutting yourself off from me for good!”

She had heard these words too many times.

Her fiancé had to treat Rebecca like a princess for her sake. He had to take her stargazing at night, even skip out on Scarlett’s life–or–death emergency just to throw Rebecca a birthday party.

And every time she asked why, the answer was always the same.

It was all to help her stay in the Joyner family, to be worthy of him.

At first, she wondered if she just wasn’t good enough. So she worked harder, attacked research problems, tried to shine on her own merit.

Hoping she could become the kind of woman who deserved Connor.

But now, she understood.

When someone loves you, everything about you is enough. When they don’t, you’ll never be good enough,

She raised her hand.

Took off the sea–blue bracelet on her wrist and handed it to Rebecca.

“Scarlett, what are you doing? That’s a Jude family heirloom!” Connor snapped.

It was their token of love. How could she just give it away?

“Mr. Connor, we’re no longer engaged. That bracelet suits Rebecca better.”

Before anyone could respond, she turned back to face the crowd.

Though she looked fragile and worn, her pitch–black eyes held a power that made everyone instinctively hold their breath.

The room fell completely silent.

She bowed. “Thank you all for witnessing the end of my ties with the Joyner family and my engagement. I’m sorry for disturbing your evening. If I can make it up to any of you in the future, I will. Thank you again.”

With that, she walked barefoot toward the exit.

A trail of blood marked her path vivid and shocking.

–

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify