Chapter 46

Asher's glacial stare pierced through Dominick,who immediately dropped his gaze in deference."Understood, Mr. Gordon. I'll handle it immediately."

Reading the charged atmosphere with practiced ease, Dominick retreated swiftly from the room.

Arabella remained unaffected by the exchange.She refused to indulge in the fantasy that Asher's actions stemmed from concern for her.Whatever motivated him belonged to his own agenda entirely.

Five minutes stretched past before Asher rose from his chair, and together they made their way back to the villa.

Following dinner, Arabella slipped quietly into Daisy's room.

Her fingertips traced the delicate curve of Daisy's cheek with reverent tenderness. The wounds that had once marred her body showed promising signs of healing, and her skin had regained its natural warmth-a ghost of the vibrant, spirited girl she had once been.

Arabella's voice emerged as barely more than a whisper as she shared fragments of their past,desperate to reach whatever remained of Daisy's consciousness. "This melody was always your favorite. Let me sing it for you now."

She activated the musical accompaniment on her phone and allowed her voice to flow into the silence.

Her ethereal, crystalline tones embraced the room, weaving an atmosphere of profound tranquility and haunting beauty.

In bygone days, Arabella would provide the melody while Daisy transformed it into graceful movement.

Those precious moments felt like lifetimes ago now.

Arabella had cultivated her singing abilities primarily for Daisy's joy, knowing how deeply her sister cherished music despite her own struggles with vocal performance.

Now Daisy remained motionless against the pillows, only the faint tremor of her eyelashes betraying any sign of life.

After several more songs and gentle whispered conversations, Arabella suddenly realized how

long she had neglected her Bluecloud presence.

Bluecloud had revolutionized short-form video content, capturing global attention with unprecedented speed. Arabella had begun sharing vocal techniques through the platform almost accidentally, never anticipating the substantial following that would emerge. The unexpected success had led her to experiment with live streaming sessions, where she guided aspiring singers through various exercises and techniques.

The realization struck her that weeks had passed since her last live broadcast, prompting her to log into her account immediately.

Across the city at the Tucker family's residence,Khloe stormed through the front door in a tempest of fury, her rage finding outlet as she sent an expensive vase crashing against the living room floor.

"Mother, how could Arabella possibly possess those documents?" Khloe's voice cracked with the intensity of her anger, her chest constricting painfully. She had approached this confrontation with absolute certainty that they would reclaim the house, yet not only had they failed

spectacularly, but they now faced an enormous financial penalty.

For their family's strained resources, this sum represented the very threshold of their financial capabilities.

Meagan's expression reflected equal measures of frustration and disbelief. "How could I have anticipated such cunning? Arabella has proven herself far more calculating than I ever imagined."

At that moment, Elissa crossed the threshold into their home.

"Elissa!" Khloe's eyes blazed with sudden hope.She was aware of her sister's superior intellect and strategic thinking. "Were you successful in reclaiming your position within the dance troupe?"

Elissa lifted her gaze, revealing eyes rimmed red from recent tears.

Her obvious distress caught them both off guard completely.

Meagan stepped forward with maternal concern etched across her features. "What has happened to you?"

Elissa's composure crumbled as she recounted

the humiliating events that had transpired at school. Both Meagan's and Khloe's expressions darkened with each devastating detail.

Khloe's fury erupted like a volcano. "Mom, I warned you repeatedly-we should have eliminated them permanently years ago. If we had destroyed those two wretched bitches when they were still vulnerable, they never would have grown strong enough to stand in our way."

Meagan's voice rose to a shriek. "What have I done to deserve this?"

"That infernal Arabella!" Khloe spat her name like poison.

Elissa drew a shuddering breath, fighting for composure. "Mom, how did your confrontation proceed?"

Meagan and Khloe exchanged meaningful glances before Khloe launched into a detailed account of their defeat, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "What options remain to us now, Elissa? We cannot surrender that money to Arabella. If we comply with her demands, what resources will we have left for our own survival?"

Elissa felt the room spinning as waves of fury crashed over her consciousness.

She struggled to comprehend how their circumstances had deteriorated so catastrophically. Just one month prior, they had commanded respect and wielded significant influence over others. Now they found themselves relegated to the depths of desperation.

Elissa forced herself to breathe deeply before fixing her gaze upon Meagan. "Mom, accompany me to my room. I have something for you."

Khloe's curiosity flared immediately. "What secrets are you keeping? Why can't I participate in this conversation?"

"Your understanding will come in due time," Elissa replied firmly, guiding Meagan toward the bedroom.

Meagan followed with mounting confusion. "What matter requires such secrecy, Elissa?"

Elissa's voice dropped to barely above a whisper,"Arabella's father shared no genuine blood relation with you, did he?"

Meagan's shock manifested as a sharp intake of breath."How did you discover this truth?"

Meanwhile, Khloe remained oblivious to their private discussion, finding the empty living room

insufferably dull as she retreated to her own quarters.

Her first instinct led her directly to the mirror.

She studied the pale scars that marked her face,wondering if paranoia was clouding her judgment,but the marks appeared to have deepened in color and prominence.

Khloe's brow furrowed with subtle displeasure.Her phone's shrill ring shattered the moment.It was a friend from her live streaming network calling. "Khloe, have you checked Bluecloud today?" The voice bubbled with barely contained excitement.

"What's happening? I haven't logged on yet,"Khloe responded, her tone flat with disinterest.

"The legendary music virtuoso A.S. has gone live!" her friend practically shrieked with enthusiasm.

Khloe's skepticism rang through her voice."That's impossible. She hasn't appeared online for nearly a year."

"I'm telling you the truth!" Her friend's excitement reached fever pitch. "She's absolutely extraordinary. The moment she started her stream, the viewer count exploded past one

hundred thousand. She's handpicking people to join her broadcast and providing personalized vocal coaching. We need to get in that queue immediately! If fate smiles on us and we're chosen,the follower surge will be astronomical!"

This represented every content creator's ultimate fantasy-organic traffic delivered without effort or expense.

Khloe's fingers flew across her phone as she logged into Bluecloud and navigated to the live stream room.

The injustice of it all gnawed at her relentlessly.She had sacrificed countless hours and endless energy to cultivate her million-follower base, yet A.S. had achieved tens of millions with nothing more than sporadic singing tutorials and infrequent live appearances.

The disparity filled Khloe with corrosive envy that burned through her chest.

Being selected to perform alongside A.S. during a live broadcast guaranteed instant viral fame and recognition.

She recalled the legendary case of one content creator who had gained over one hundred thousand new followers in a single night after

being chosen for such an opportunity.

"Your vocal technique exhibits excessive tension.Allow your voice to flow more naturally." A composed, melodious female voice drifted from the computer speakers. A.S.'s live stream maintained a minimalist black background,yet her voice possessed an almost hypnotic quality that seemed eerily familiar.

Khloe's frown deepened as she struggled to identify the voice that stirred something unsettling in her memory, though the connection remained frustratingly elusive.