Love In Disguise: Rebirth of the Heiress
Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Chapter 58

"Arrgh!!!"

Jessica angrily kicked the small table beside her window, watching with narrowed eyes as Kiara calmly got into her car down below, her figure shrinking as she drove away.

Jessica’s fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms as a bitter laugh escaped her lips.

"Still so naive," she muttered, her voice twisted with a sneer. "Delete the photos? As if."

She stalked over to her desk, muttering to herself as she paced. "I’ve worked too hard, done too much to let it all go now. I mean, Lola? If it weren’t for me drugging her, she’d still be clueless and smug. And those nudes? If I hadn’t sent those out, I wouldn’t have enough to pay the debts this month. I’m barely making it, but that doesn’t mean I’m done. Not even close."

She paused, glancing at her reflection in the mirror, her curly hair in a bun, her gaze darkening. "This is my survival. If things get bad, they’re the ones who’ll be exposed. Not me." Her laugh was bitter, echoing around her apartment as she sat down, pulling out her notebook, flipping to the page where her life’s goals were scrawled.

Marry Gabriel. Get her degree. Pay the debts. She traced each line with her finger, repeating them like a mantra. "I can do this. I will do this. No one is getting in my way."

Her eyes shifted to Kiara’s name scribbled faintly on the edge of the page, barely legible but darkly underlined. "Kiara... She’s an obstacle. A hurdle I need to clear. Just like the others." She muttered, her gaze growing harder as she gripped her pen, underlining Kiara’s name even deeper.

She took a deep breath, whispering the words aloud as if they held some dark power over her. "Soon. Soon, Kiara, you won’t even be a problem anymore. Gabriel is mine. That promotion is mine. And after that..." She flipped the page, her face twisting in a twisted smirk as she jotted down, "Erase all debts, get rid of Kiara."

"Oh, just a few more months," she whispered to herself, her voice carrying a steely determination. "Then I’ll finally be over this mess. No more debts, no more scraping by. I’ll be out of this pathetic life."

The laugh that followed was unhinged, her eyes wild as she gazed at her scribbled words, imagining a future without anyone standing in her way.

"Anyone who tries... they’ll regret it. Mark my words."

A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts, sharp and frantic, each thud reverberating through the room. Jessica’s face twisted in annoyance as she marched over, flinging open the door.

Her landlady, Mrs. Greene, stood on the other side, her scowl as fierce as ever. "Payment, girl," the older woman snapped, stepping into the apartment without an invitation. Her voice was sharp, and her gaze was unyielding as she scanned the room with a look of disgust. "Rent’s two weeks late, and I’m not running a charity. Don’t have the money? Out you go."

Jessica’s jaw tightened, fury simmering beneath her forced smile. "I’m so sorry, Mrs. Greene. I’ve just been in a rough spot with work and everything," she said, her tone honey-sweet.

"That don’t work for me girl. I am not your customers for you to flirt with."

She reached out to pushed Jessica forehead.

"Mrs. Greene you know I hate that."

"And do I look like I care? A girl with no manners like you. Shameless slut.’

Jessica gritted her teeth. "Mrs. Greene, please leave while I am still in my good mood."

"Hahaha, what are you? This is my building. I own it. I worked hard for it. Who do you think you are? I am pitying your slutty self and you decided to be rude to me huh girl?" She pushed Jessica head again, making her step back a bit.

"If...if I pay now, would you leave me alone?"

"Obviously."

"Then hold on, let me get it for you. I’ll pay in full." Jessica smiled.

Mrs. Greene crossed her arms, unmoved. "I’ve heard that one before. Don’t try to charm me with your little excuses. You’ve got ten minutes, or I’m calling the cops to get you out. You would be sleeping in the sewers by tonight."

Jessica nodded, stepping into the kitchen with a forced smile. "Just give me a moment."

Her hand shook as she reached into the drawer, fingers brushing past the envelopes, past the unpaid bills, until they found the cold, hard handle of the kitchen knife.

She clutched it, her breathing ragged, her mind racing with images of Kiara, of Lola, of every person who’d stood in her way, mocking her, pushing her deeper into a corner.

She walked back into the living room, that same sweet smile plastered on her face.

Mrs. Greene raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Here it is," Jessica said softly, the knife glinting as she lifted it in one swift motion, driving it into the older woman’s throat.

Mrs. Greene’s eyes went wide, her hands flying to her neck, but Jessica’s grip was unrelenting.

She stabbed again.

For Kiara.

She stabbed. For lola.

She stabbed. For her dead beat parents.

She stabbed. For her father.

Again and again, each plunge releasing a torrent of blood and rage, each stab a release for every slight, every humiliation she’d ever endured.

When it was over, Jessica stood there, breathing hard, her hands and face speckled with blood, Mrs. Greene lying motionless at her feet.

Reality crashed over her like a cold wave.

"No... no... what have I done?" she whispered, her hands shaking as she stumbled back, her eyes locked onto the lifeless body in horror. "Oh no... oh god..."

She staggered toward her phone, her fingers trembling as she fumbled to dial Gabriel’s number.

He picked up after a few rings, his voice annoyed. "Jess? I’m busy."

Her voice came out in choked sobs, each word catching in her throat. "Gabriel... it’s me... please, you have to help me... please, I—"

"Whoa, Jess, calm down," he said, his tone sharp. "What’s going on?"

"It’s... it’s Mrs. Greene," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "She came here... for rent, and I... I just... I don’t know, I... please, just come. Please."

Gabriel let out an irritated sigh but relented. "Fine. Don’t move. I’ll be there soon."

Jessica barely moved, her whole body numb as she stared at the blood pooling on the floor, her mind a fog of terror and disbelief. Moments later, Gabriel arrived, stepping into the apartment and stopping dead at the sight of Mrs. Greene’s body.

"Jesus Christ, Jessica!" he hissed, taking in the blood, the mess, the panic in her eyes. "What the hell happened?"

"It... it was self-defense," she stammered, her voice shaking as tears streamed down her face. "She... she was going to... I didn’t know what else to do..."

Gabriel shot her a hard look, clearly unconvinced. He took a deep breath, raking a hand through his hair. "Alright... alright, we’ll deal with this. We’ll hide it."