They Wanted Her Gone, Now They Kneel by Evelyn Marlowe novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Mr Fletcher, She’s Clever

Connor’s gaze shook. Veins stood out on his forehead as he lunged forward, reaching for her arm.
But Scarlett tipped her head back and drained the wine in a single swallow.
She smiled faintly as she let go.
The glass slipped from her fingers and shattered against the marble floor.
The sharp crash echoed through the hall.
“What kind of insanity is this?!”
Her adoptive mother, Martha Moore, rushed to the front, pointing at Scarlett with trembling fury.
“There are so many guests here today! Are you deliberately trying to disgrace the Joyner family? I can’t believe I wasted all those years raising you!”
Scarlett looked at her.
And for the first time, there was no affection left in her eyes.
The kidney transplant plan surfaced in her mind—cold, calculated, merciless. Whatever warmth she’d once felt vanished completely.
“In six years,” Scarlett said evenly, “the total cost of raising me came to ten thousand dollars.”
A hush fell over the room.
“I’ll transfer the money to your account shortly. And if you don’t believe me—”
She pulled out a neatly prepared document and tossed it into the crowd.
“This is the payment record. Every transaction is listed. Feel free to verify it line by line.”
The paper was passed from hand to hand.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
“Six years… ten thousand dollars?”
“That’s not even enough to raise a pet.”
“Even a cat would cost more than that.”
Scarlett reached up and slowly removed the diamond earrings from her ears—the pair Martha had given her the year everyone believed she was the Joyners’ biological daughter.
“I came into the Joyner family with nothing,” she said calmly. “I’ll leave the same way. These belong to you.”
She placed the earrings down.
The Joyner parents’ faces darkened with rage.
But with the receipt exposed in front of everyone, snatching anything back would only make them look uglier.
Cornered, Martha shrieked, “You ungrateful girl!”—then promptly collapsed in a dramatic faint.
Franklin Joyner rushed forward, catching her and hurrying her out of the hall.
Scarlett didn’t react.
Her three brothers glared daggers at her, but she remained expressionless, watching her adoptive parents disappear through the doors.
The murmurs began again.
“Could this be a misunderstanding? Mrs. Joyner fainted from anger. Is that bill even real?”
“So the so-called mistaken heiress actually has some backbone? Why choose today of all days to cut ties and embarrass the Joyners like this?”
“And wasn’t there an old marriage agreement between the Joyner and Jude families? Now that Rebecca’s back, no one’s mentioned giving it to her. Don’t tell me…”
Sensing the shift in the room, Rebecca suddenly stepped forward.
Her delicate face crumpled, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her shoulders shook as if she were barely holding herself together—the perfect image of vulnerability.
“Scarlett,” she pleaded softly, “I never wanted to take Mom and Dad or our brothers away from you. Connor just wanted to celebrate my birthday, that’s all. Please don’t misunderstand.”
She wiped at her eyes.
“Today’s party doesn’t change anything. If you’re angry, I’ll accept whatever punishment you want after it’s over. Just… please don’t make a scene. If this continues, the Joyner family’s reputation will be ruined.”
Connor, who had been close to losing control, finally steadied himself.
Of course.
Scarlett was just jealous. This was all emotional manipulation.
He’d been far too lenient with her.
“Scarlett, that’s enough!” he snapped. “This party is only for Rebecca’s birthday. It doesn’t affect your position in the Joyner family—or our engagement!”
He pointed at her sharply.
“Apologize to Rebecca. Now. Otherwise, you’re digging your own grave!”
With just a few sentences, he painted her as petty, resentful, and calculating.
Scarlett laughed.
It was soft. Hollow. Almost incredulous.
Connor’s brows knitted together. To him, she was simply being stubborn and unreasonable.
How had this woman I loved turned into this?
He strode toward her, anger blazing—but lowered his voice, as if showing restraint.
“There’s a limit to how irrational you can be,” he said coldly. “She’s the Joyner family’s real daughter.” You’re just the adopted one.”
He continued mercilessly, “I’ve only treated her well because of you. And Rebecca only agreed to help you because I asked her to! Otherwise, there’s no way the Joyners would let you stay!”
Then came the final blow.
“If it weren’t for Rebecca, with all the times you’ve badmouthed her, you would’ve been kicked out a long time ago!”
His voice hardened.
“Don’t forget what my mother said. My fiancée can’t be an orphan. If you don’t apologize today, then you and I are done.”
Scarlett had heard these words countless times.
He carried Rebecca in a princess hug for her sake.
He took Rebecca stargazing at night for her sake, too.
He skipped Scarlett’s life-or-death emergency just to throw Rebecca a birthday party.
And every time Scarlett asked why, the answer never changed.
It was all for her.
To help her stay in the Joyner family.
To make her worthy of him.
At first, she thought maybe she truly wasn’t good enough.
So she worked harder. Solved tougher research problems. Tried to shine on her own merit.
She hoped one day she’d become someone Connor wouldn’t have to “protect” by sacrificing himself for another woman.
But now, she finally understood.
When someone loves you, they think you’re perfect.
But when someone doesn’t, they’ll always feel like you’re not good enough!
She lifted her hand calmly.
Removed the sea-blue bracelet from her wrist and placed it into Rebecca’s hands.
“Scarlett, what are you doing?!” Connor barked. “That’s my family’s heirloom!”
It was their token of love.
How could she give it away so casually?
Scarlett met his gaze calmly.
“Mr. Jude, we’re no longer engaged,” she said evenly. “That bracelet suits Rebecca better.”
Before anyone could respond, she turned to face the crowd.
She looked fragile—bloodied, exhausted—but her pitch-black eyes held a quiet authority that made everyone instinctively fall silent.
She bowed deeply.
“Thank you all for witnessing the end of my ties with the Joyner family and my engagement,” she said. “I apologize for disturbing your evening. If I can make it up to any of you in the future, I will.”
“Thank you.”
Then she turned and walked barefoot toward the exit.
Blood stained the floor behind her.
A vivid, shocking trail.
Only then did the guests snap out of their daze.
“She really broke off the engagement? She doesn’t want the Joyner family first and now the Jude family? Is she really that determined?”
“Hah. Just a scheming country girl. This whole act was to disgust everyone.”
“Her injuries don’t look fake. Maybe the Joyner and Jude families really did something.” There’s a saying—corner a rabbit, and it will bite.”
Not far away, a man sat with his long legs casually crossed.
Under the dim lighting, his presence was cold and oppressive.
The moment his eyes landed on the bloodstains, his gaze sharpened. When he stood, the shadow he cast made the man beside him stiffen.
“Jasper,” his friend murmured, “do you think this mistaken heiress really has backbone—or is she just playing a long con?”
Jasper Fletcher didn’t look away.
His sharp, penetrating eyes followed Scarlett’s retreating figure.
“She’s decisive,” he said flatly. “And intelligent.”
Sean Howard blinked in surprise.
For once, Jasper elaborated.
“Cutting ties with the Joyner family like this was the fastest, smartest move she could make. As for that fiancé—clean break. No hesitation. Bold.”
A rare, low chuckle escaped him.
Tonight’s guests were all upper-class figures invited by the Joyners, hoping this birthday banquet would earn them favor.
Scarlett’s move seemed reckless—but she apologized to the guests, offending no one.
That receipt exposed the ugliness behind the Joyners’ so-called generosity.
And those VIPs the Joyners had worked so hard to impress?
They would walk away with a far worse impression than before.
She severed ties cleanly—and dragged the Joyners down with her.
One move. Two victories.
Brilliant.
Then Jasper spoke again, voice low and sharp.
“You really believe the Joyner family mistook their daughter by accident back then?”