A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

Chapter 218

Dawson, the butler, stood silently outside the bedroom door and closed it gently, shutting out every sound from inside.

“What’s wrong, Dawson?” York asked.

Dawson raised a finger to his lips in a hush gesture, glancing at the tightly locked door. York took one last look, then led Rex away.

Inside, the air was thick with tension.

Scott’s voice was cold and sharp. “I can’t believe I, of all people, could make such a mistake–bringing you back, when you turned out to be so utterly useless!”

If he hadn’t worried that a messy public reunion would tank the company’s stock, and if Ileana hadn’t always seemed more pliable and easy to manage than Alessia, with a temperament better suited for a marriage alliance–he never would have thrown away a real diamond in exchange for a cheap imitation.

“Tomorrow–no, tonight! Tonight you’ll pack your things and get on the first plane out of the country. I don’t want to see you again until you’re old enough for the marriage we arranged. That’s all you’re good for–your greatest contribution to the Tate family. If you care about keeping any of this luxury, you’ll do exactly as you’re told. Alessia isn’t even a Tate anymore and she’s still thriving. If you think you can do better, go ahead and try.”

sent abroad. She barely spoke a word of any other language, and with her swollen, aching

one thing painfully clear: if she ever lost the Tate name, her life would

so bad. At least there, she could still hold her head high

orders. That very night, she left for a foreign country. Unlike the grand estate where

Still, Sp

entirely heartless; he’d arranged for

with a mask and hat, covering her face as best she could, terrified someone might see what she’d been through. The front door was locked tight.

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her calls to the house’s butler went unanswered. Frustrated and

tired to even curse under her breath. Dawn was breaking, and all she wanted

half an hour, the door finally opened. A white–haired, blue–eyed butler in a crisp

or even reach for her luggage. Annoyed, Ileana shoved her suitcase

back, hands clasped behind his back, his point equally

her jaw forced her