Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 441: Abandoned

Chapter 441: Abandoned

"You sound like a psychologist!" Ella chuckled softly. Pretending to be a patient for so long had been excruciating—she had even been denied the luxury of laughter.

The day Eric stormed into the hospital room and confronted her, she had hidden under the blanket, her entire body shaking with silent laughter, trying desperately not to make a sound.

"I’ve read plenty of books on psychology," Eric said calmly. "On the day Hannah had her car accident, Matthew used his connections to save her. Then he replaced her with a female corpse altered to resemble Tiffany, got Andrew to sign off immediately, and had the body cremated."

Ella was stunned. "Isn’t Country W’s healthcare system supposed to be incredibly strict? How is that even possible?"

"In this world, nothing is absolutely strict," Eric replied with a cool tone. "Matthew has an extensive network, and when money flows freely, people are willing to do his bidding."

Ella’s face clouded over. "But... what if he comes after you? How will you deal with being his target?"

Eric’s laugh was cold, almost predatory. "He thinks he can run? He won’t get away."

Ella blinked, deciding not to ask more about Matthew. "Father and my elder brother should be arriving soon, right?"

"Yes, I just got off the phone with them. They’re on their way. They’re eager to see you, especially since your father has been so worried that Hannah might hurt you."

Eric’s gentle tone made Ella yawn again, her energy waning.

Pregnancy had made her much sleepier than usual, and while her overall health had improved compared to before, she still felt fatigued.

After feeding her the last spoonful of porridge, Eric pulled her into his arms, his lips straying tenderly to her pale cheeks...

Meanwhile, Tiffany had returned to the villa. The moment she stepped into the hall, Michelle and her assistant, Allison, rushed toward her.

"Tiffany! How could you let yourself be live-streamed? You said all kinds of nonsense! What are we supposed to do now? The internet is exploding with hate comments about you!" Michelle’s face was as pale as a sheet as she grabbed Tiffany’s arm and demanded answers.

Tiffany frowned deeply, her frustration evident. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

"Yes, Tiffany, what should we do now?" Allison asked, her own brow furrowed. She had worked as an assistant to three top-tier celebrities but had never encountered a crisis this severe.

"Ignore it!" Tiffany snapped, sinking heavily onto the sofa. She massaged her temples, which were throbbing so intensely it felt as if her skull might crack open.

Seeing the hostility etched on Tiffany’s face, Allison instinctively took a step back.

Michelle hesitated. Ignore it?

This could only mean one thing—Tiffany really was Hannah. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she agree to Ella’s DNA test?

"But... you’re an award-winning actress! You’ve worked so hard for three years to build your reputation, and now it’s ruined!"

Michelle couldn’t accept it. Tiffany was her artist, and her downfall brought nothing but losses for Michelle.

For three years, Tiffany had clawed her way to the top. From a newcomer, she had ascended to become the youngest Best Actress in the history of both Country W and Country S, an unprecedented feat. She had even won the Golden River Award for Best Actress!

But now, the scandals had obliterated her reputation entirely.

Fans could never forgive being mocked as "brainless followers," and Tiffany had insulted them so dismissively, with blatant disdain.

"Enough! All of you, leave. I’ll handle this myself!" Tiffany shouted, her headache worsening. Fear swirled within her—an overwhelming terror that if she lost control again...

Michelle saw the twisted expression on Tiffany’s face and exchanged a glance with Allison. Without another word, they quietly stood and left the room.

They both understood that at this point, there was no way to salvage the situation.

If there were, Tiffany wouldn’t be trying so desperately to evade it.

And if she really was Hannah, there was a looming possibility that she might spiral into another bout of schizophrenia.

After Michelle and Allison left, a man slowly descended the staircase.

His icy blue eyes were filled with malice and dissatisfaction.

When Tiffany saw him, she looked as if she’d seen her salvation. She rushed to him, grabbing his hand.

"Darling, help me... Please help me fix this! I didn’t realize how cunning they were, and I even brought the watch with me!"

The man stared at Tiffany coldly, his expression unchanging. He reached out, gripping her chin with brutal force, making her wince in pain.

"I told you, didn’t I? Stay out of trouble. But you went and threw yourself into the fire. God, I can’t stand you!"

With that, Matthew kicked Tiffany hard, sending her tumbling down the stairs.

She rolled down, her world spinning as tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes. Gasping for breath, she clutched the floor, struggling to regain her bearings.

Matthew stood over her, towering and intimidating, looking down at the crumpled figure on the ground.

Tiffany weakly pulled herself up and gazed at him with pleading eyes. "Darling... I didn’t know it would turn out like this. For the sake of everything we’ve shared, please help me fix this."

But her hope crumbled when she saw nothing but cold disdain in Matthew’s eyes.

The man who had held her tenderly the night before was now distant and cruel, as if they’d never shared anything at all.

Despair engulfed Tiffany. It was clear her acting career had come to an end.

But what terrified her even more was the sight of Matthew pulling a gun from his pocket.

Tiffany began trembling all over. "D-darling... What are you doing?"

Matthew smirked coldly. "I told you, don’t push me into sacrificing you. Sure, you’re beautiful, but you’re not smart enough. Saving you was a mistake. If I could, I’d shoot you right now. But unfortunately, I can’t."

Tiffany recoiled in terror, backing into a corner. Matthew scoffed, then stood up abruptly.

"Eric probably thought I’d kill you and give the undercover cops a reason to catch me. Too bad... I’m not that stupid."

He put the gun away and strode out of the room, his steps heavy with disdain.

He hadn’t committed murder. He hadn’t broken the law. He had nothing to fear.

Tiffany remained seated on the floor, watching his figure disappear into the night. Tears streamed down her face as she began pounding her fists against her head.

"No, no, no... I don’t want to go mad! I can’t!"

But her mind felt like it was being invaded by something wild and uncontrollable, swallowing her sanity whole.

As Tiffany’s screams filled the villa, Matthew stepped out through the front door. Despite Tiffany’s exposure, he felt no frustration. If anything, it played into his plans, dragging Mrs. Miller’s schemes into the light. Her status within the family would plummet.

But just as he stepped onto the driveway, a group of seven or eight police officers emerged from the shadows.

"Freeze! Drop your weapon!"

Annoyed, Matthew threw his gun onto the ground. "What’s this about? What law did I break? I didn’t kill anyone!"

He hadn’t killed Tiffany, for crying out loud.

"Mr. Matthew Miller, you are under arrest for the murder of Miss Marie Benn. You are an internationally wanted fugitive. Raise your hands and surrender immediately!"

Matthew’s face finally changed.