Chapter 84

“I’m amused by your bravery. You keep doing more evil despite your history. I hope Hailey doesn’t take it easy on you this time. She needs to put you in your place.” “You have one hour to pack your things and leave my house.”

“What? She’s going nowhere. She is your heir, and this is her home, too,” Connie interjected, stepping between father and daughter.

Eric ignored his wife and addressed his daughter, who was still sobbing. “Your time starts now. Leave, or security will throw you out!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Connie exclaimed furiously.

“She’s good at manipulating people and plotting evil. I’m sure she’ll be fine on her own.”

“You’re free to go with her if you want.” Glaring at both mother and daughter, Eric left.

“Don’t walk out on me! We’re not done here!” Connie shouted, following him.

“Can you just stop and let’s discuss this? There’s no way our daughter is leaving this house, and don’t you dare order security to throw her out! This house belongs to me, too. You can’t make any decisions without consulting me!”

Eric remained silent and did not stop to listen.

“We are not done with this conversation!” Connie declared, stopping a few steps from the kitchen. She watched him ascend the stairs.

Connie mumbled incoherently. Remembering her daughter needed her, she rushed into the kitchen. Vanessa was still crying.

“You’re going to hurt yourself, baby. Please stop crying,” Connie said, approaching her. She wiped away Vanessa’s tears with her thumb.

“But Dad is going to disown me. Just like he did to Hailey.”

“No. Hailey had no one to fight for her; that’s why she was easily discarded. But you have me, and I’m going to fight for you.”

“You know sometimes your father says things he doesn’t mean. He’ll definitely come around.”

“You sure, Mama?”

“I know it. Eric is my husband. No one knows him better than me.”

“I hope so. Because I’m pregnant, and I can’t stay alone. I have no one to take care of me. I don’t have a personal maid.”

“Of course, there’s no way I would let you stay alone. Get those thoughts out of your mind. You’re going nowhere.”

“Your cheeks look swollen. Let me get some ice packs. Or do you want to change your clothes first?”

“I don’t have time for this, Debbie. Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or should I get my phone?”

Debbie glanced at her phone, then back at Hailey. She sighed. “Fine, I’ll show you. But promise you won’t freak out.”

Chapter 84

Hailey arched an eyebrow. “How can I promise when I don’t know what it’s about?”

“Fine,” Debbie mumbled, handing Hailey the phone.

Hailey examined the phone and saw an old picture of herself on Vanessa’s Instagram page. A lengthy caption accompanied the picture. Hailey read it carefully.

Vanessa accused Hailey’s late mother of stealing Eric from Connie. She claimed Hailey’s mother emotionally abused her as a child. Vanessa described Hailey as a bully and accused her of mistreating her while they were growing up. She stated that Hailey stole Cole from her and was the reason Cole didn’t want to accept her baby or marry her. She also called Hailey a slut, claiming she slept with many rich men to fund her fake company.

Debbie watched Hailey intently as she read the caption. She wished she could have kept this from Hailey. She knew how crucial the early weeks of pregnancy could be and didn’t want anything to upset Hailey.

Hailey saw the post had 46,587 comments. She clicked on them and was disheartened by what she saw. Toxic comments from strangers attacked her personality and her company.

Unable to bear reading more, Hailey tossed the phone back to Debbie.

“You okay, babe?” Debbie asked, concerned, seeing Hailey leave the kitchen.

Debbie glanced at Ollie and Enzo. Glad the boys were engrossed in their food, she followed Hailey into the living room.

She found Hailey seated on the couch, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Please don’t cry,” Debbie said sympathetically, sitting beside her.

“You already woke up sick. I don’t want you to burden yourself.”

Hailey opened her mouth to speak but burst into tears instead.

Debbie embraced her friend, intertwining their hands.

“Vanessa is free to mock me, but she went too far including my mom. What does she gain by lying about a dead woman? My mom accepted Connie as a second wife, but Connie was the one who made her life miserable. She constantly bullied my mom and made us feel terrible. I literally cried myself to sleep almost every night in that house.”

“My mom would go shopping and buy things for two kids, as if she birthed Vanessa, but Connie would always trash the gifts and accuse my mom of trying to poison her daughter.”

“People didn’t just curse me in the comments; they cursed my mother, too,” Hailey sobbed.

“I’m so sorry, babe. Please don’t cry. That’s why I didn’t want to show you at first. I was worried you’d break down.”

“Vanessa is more evil than we thought. She just wants to destroy you. That’s why she’s making up lies. Sadly, her followers are just like her—gullible and stupid!”

“Sometimes I hate social media. But people are terrible. Why would you judge based on one side of the story and curse people you don’t know?”

“She attacked my company’s reputation, too. She and her mother keep calling me a slut just because I run a successful company.”

“They’re jealous. All their lives they’ve tried to bring you down, but they’re surprised at how well you keep thriving and exceeding their expectations.”

“She’s a bitch! I wish I could see her right now and strangle her.”

Hailey sniffled. “Pass me your phone. It’s time. I’m going to erase Vanessa’s existence.”