The Vanishing Heiress

Chapter 19

Rachel Montgomery's mind went blank at those words, but panic like never before surged through her.

"Emily! Mom!"

Rachel lunged toward the Montgomery family, desperate to grab someone's hand.

But she missed.

Emily Montgomery subtly guided their mother away, avoiding her touch.

"How could you do this to me? I can't go to prison! Why should I?"

Rachel shook her head frantically, her pleading eyes landing on her father. "Dad! Say something, please!"

Her father had always doted on her—a few tears and a little whining used to get her anything she wanted.

"Enough!" Mr. Montgomery snapped. "We overlooked your petty mistakes before, but now you've harmed your own sister? You manipulated our love for you, played us for fools, and now you dare act like the victim?"

His face was dark with fury, his eyes filled with disappointment.

"After Megan came back, we never treated you poorly just because she was our blood. We even distanced ourselves from her to spare your feelings. And yet, you still weren't satisfied—you committed this vile act!"

A seasoned businessman for decades, he never imagined being deceived by the daughter he'd raised for twenty-seven years.

His rage burned through him. "Since you've shown no loyalty, the Montgomerys no longer have a daughter. Consider the last twenty-seven years wasted on a traitor!"

With that, he turned away. "Let's go. Tell the butler to throw out all her things. From today, Rachel Montgomery no longer exists in this family."

Rachel froze.

She hadn't expected her father to cut her off so ruthlessly.

"So now it's all my fault?" She let out a bitter laugh. "You blame me because you couldn't even trust your own daughter and sister? You're the blind ones! The fools!"

"You deserve this! Megan deserves this too!" Rachel screamed.

SLAP!

A sharp crack echoed as a stinging blow landed on Rachel's cheek.

This time, it was from her mother—the woman who had always coddled her the most.

Her eyes were red. "We failed as parents all these years. Now we must atone for our mistakes—and so will you."

She wiped away tears, forcing herself to stay composed despite her grief.

"Mr. Sterling, we'll leave these matters in your hands for now. We'll also send people to search. We'll do what needs to be done."

Ethan Sterling gave a curt nod. "Understood."

Once the Montgomerys left, only Ethan and Rachel remained in the hospital room.

"I know you don't want to die," Ethan said coldly. "So stop pretending otherwise. No one cares anymore. Confess everything you did to Megan—every last detail."

His gaze was unyielding. "Do that, and I might make your prison life slightly more bearable."

Half an hour later, Ethan walked out of the room.

The recorder in his pocket held Rachel's full confession—every crime she had committed against Megan over the years.

His heart ached.

He couldn't fathom how Megan had endured it all alone.

Snow had been falling relentlessly in the city lately.

Ethan held out his hand, letting the flakes melt against his palm.

"Megan… where are you now?"

His whisper dissolved into the cold air.

Dominica.

Megan Sullivan sat on the open terrace, her gaze lost in the golden shimmer of the sea under the brilliant sun.

A sea breeze swept past.

She stood and walked inside, retrieving her paints and canvas.

At the orphanage, she had spent nearly a decade learning to paint under the matron's guidance.

Until the woman passed away.

Those years had been financially tight, but they were far happier than her time with the Montgomerys.

Her phone buzzed with a new message.

It was from Chen, her prison officer friend.

[How are things there? He and the others are still searching for you. I haven't said a word.]