The Day I was Released From Prison, I Got Married

As expected, Vivienne took the initiative to ask for a private chat. I followed her into the study, a room known for its excellent soundproofing—perfect for ensuring no eavesdropper would catch a word of our conversation. Without bothering to pretend in front of Vivienne, I strode confidently to the main chair and sat down. The weight of my gesture was clear.

Vivienne’s lips curled in disdain, her eyes glinting with cold amusement. “Sitting there will shorten your life. Aren’t you afraid?”

I leaned back, completely at ease, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten, my dear sister-in-law, but I am now part of the Ashford Family. Doesn’t that grant me the right to sit here, just like you did?”

Her face darkened, the smug arrogance slipping into something colder, but she held her composure. “You do realize I’m still in charge of the Ashford Family, don’t you?” Her tone was laced with warning, but I could sense the underlying tension.

I chuckled softly, mockingly and pulled out a recording device. Tossing it onto the table, I pressed play. The room filled with Lydia’s and my conversation from the other day. As the damning words replayed, I watched Vivienne’s face harden, the mask of control cracking ever so slightly.

When the recording finished, I spoke first, breaking the silence. “You probably think this is just a cheesy little trick—something insignificant, beneath you. But why waste time on trivialities?” I smirked. “Let’s move on to something more exciting.”

I reached into my bag and pulled out a thick document, tossing it onto the table with deliberate ease. It was evidence—carefully gathered by Beth—of Vivienne’s embezzlement of company funds. If the recording rattled her, this would do much worse.

Vivienne’s eyes darted to the papers, a flicker of unease flashing across her composed exterior. But she was a seasoned businesswoman, hardened by years of high-stakes negotiations. She didn’t allow too many cracks to show, leaving no obvious vulnerabilities for me to exploit. Her response was measured, calculated. She started negotiating. And that’s exactly what I wanted.

I pulled out another document, this time outlining what I wanted. I wanted to see the Ashford sisters turn on each other, to betray one another. I wanted the Ashford Corp to fall into my hands and the Ashford Family torn apart. I wanted the truth to come to light, for justice to prevail over evil.

Of course, I wouldn’t write this all out so plainly in the document. All I wrote was that I wanted Vivienne to kick Lydia out of the Ashford Family.

I wanted 8% of the company’s shares.

I wanted Maxwell to hit rock bottom, to do the hardest, dirtiest work.

I wanted Vivienne, as the head of the Ashford Family, to publicly acknowledge me as the future lady of the house, openly validating the rumors the paparazzi had spread when they snapped photos of me leaving prison.

Vivienne considered it for a moment and had no choice but to agree to my demands.

My plan was in motion.

***

When Vivienne and I returned to the living room, Lydia was lounging smugly on the couch, her arms crossed as if she had already won some invisible battle. I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of pity, contempt and disdain for her. Poor Lydia—she had no idea what was about to happen. She would never have imagined that her own sister, Vivienne, would order her to pack her bags and leave the house.

Vivienne, always the more strategic one, initially tried to coax Lydia with soft words, her voice soothing as she said, “It’s best for everyone if you go back to the city house for now. Let’s avoid unnecessary conflicts.” But, as expected, Lydia, with her usual foolishness, stubbornly refused. She puffed out her chest and raised her chin, making it clear she wasn’t going anywhere.

Vivienne’s expression shifted from patience to ice in an instant. Without warning, she slapped Lydia hard across the face, the sharp sound of the impact echoing through the room. Lydia’s hand flew to her cheek, her eyes wide with shock.

“This is your brother and sister-in-law’s house, not yours. Can’t you be a bit more sensible?” Vivienne snapped, her tone filled with irritation and authority.

Maxwell, who had just come downstairs from his bath, stood frozen at the bottom step, his hair still damp. He looked from Lydia to Vivienne, utterly dumbfounded, clearly afraid to say anything that might upset Vivienne. He was, after all, used to following her lead in family matters.

I stood off to the side, thoroughly enjoying the unfolding drama. If I had popcorn, I would’ve gladly munched on it. I’d give the scene a thumbs-up for sure—Vivienne scolding Lydia like a misbehaving child was highly entertaining.

Lydia, of course, couldn’t handle the humiliation. Throwing a tantrum like a petulant child, she shrieked, “Fine, I’ll leave!” before storming off in tears, her footsteps heavy with frustration.

Vivienne, satisfied with Lydia’s departure, didn’t stay much longer either. Before leaving, she turned to me with a pointed look and reminded me of the promises we had discussed during our private conversation. I smiled politely, knowing full well that I had no intention of keeping any of those promises.

After both Lydia and Vivienne had left, Maxwell kept pestering me, asking what Vivienne had said during our chat. His curiosity was palpable, but I was in no mood to entertain his questions. Casually brushing him off, I told him my period had started and that I needed to sleep early.

Once I returned to the bedroom, I locked the door behind me, threw on a face mask and sprawled out on the bed. I started playing mobile games, deliberately ignoring Maxwell’s persistent knocking on the other side of the door. His pleading voice was muffled and I grinned to myself, enjoying his frustration.

The next morning, when I finally opened the door, I feigned ignorance. “Oh, I didn’t hear you knocking. I must’ve fallen asleep early.” Maxwell looked at me with clear frustration, but he had no valid reason to lash out, so he could only sulk in silence.

With my objectives for returning to the Ashford estate achieved, I wasted no time. As soon as Maxwell left for work, I packed my bags.