Chapter 4
Sharp-eyed netizens quickly tracked down Kathy’s address through her posts. They immediately connected her to the person who had drugged Chester that night. Before ‘the Mr. Miles’ even showed up at her door, people trying to gain favor were already flooding into her house. Talent scouts reached out to Kathy, offering collaboration deals, praising her pure looks and predicting she’d become a rising star in the industry. Others, eager to get close to the Miles Family, invited Kathy to dine at a luxury hotel, asking her to speak on their behalf in front of Chester. Rumors were spreading like wildfire online. Many were even betting that Chester would break off his engagement with the Chandler family. In just one day, Kathy gained millions of followers and became the new internet sensation. Yet, amidst all the attention, she pretended to caution people not to spread rumors, projecting an image of icy composure that quickly won over a legion of fans. Behind the scenes, her scandal only grew more widespread. I couldn’t stay idles much longer. I rushed to move my household registration out of my parent’s home. That evening, when I returned to pack my things, my parents were practically beaming. They were holding their smartphones, joyfully laughing non-stop at the comments online. It was as if they had already imagined themselves becoming in-laws to the Miles Family. I paid them no heed and proceed to head back to my room to pack my things. At my action, Mom snorted disdainfully. “You don’t even know how to enjoy life. Your whole life will just be spent working hard for nothing, a burden on the family.” Dad sighed deeply, looking disappointed. “When are you going to have even half the success your sister has? We could have been living right next to the Miles Family by now!” Kathy, her face covered in a thousand-dollar facial mask, strutted out of her room and stood in front of me with a smug expression. “You still don’t know, right? Mr. Miles has already messaged me, saying he wants to meet.” “He must have figured out that I was the one who helped him that night, but he’s not angry with me. He might’ve been interested in me all along!” “I just took a pregnancy test. Two lines.” “You should start flattering me now while you still can.” “After all, you’re my sister. Once I marry into the Miles Family, getting you a maid job won’t be a problem.” When I heard her mention the two lines, my heart sank. I casually touched my stomach, trying not to show my unease. “The rumors online, you were the one spreading them, weren’t you? Don’t you know how powerful the legal department at Miles Enterprises is? You’re not helping Mom and Dad, you’re dragging the whole family down with you.” Sure enough, as soon as I finished speaking… Mom had just seen the clarifying statement from Miles Enterprises online. It said that anyone continuing to spread rumors would face legal action from the Miles Family. The comments section, which had been full of excited chatter just moments ago, was suddenly shut down. All of Kathy’s posts were taken down and her account was banned. Only then did Kathy panic. But holding onto her pride, she hesitated for a long time before finally opening the chat window, yet she didn’t send a message to Chester. As my parents anxiously crowded around her, asking about the situation, Chester finally reached out to her. [I’ll send someone to pick you up. Be downstairs in five minutes.] The corner of Kathy’s mouth, which had just settled, couldn’t help but lift again. She waved her phone in front of me with a triumphant smile. “See that? The Miles Family is big. It’s understandable they want to keep things low-profile. But look, my husband can’t wait to explain things to me in person!” “Someone as timid and useless as you wouldn’t even be worthy of carrying my shoes! Get lost!” She pushed me aside and headed to her room to change. My parents immediately turned on me. “What use is it having you as a daughter if you can’t even support your sister? What’s the point of raising you?” “Just leave already! Don’t stay here and make us look at you!” Mom was so emotional, tears filling her eyes. “This risky move was definitely the right one! We might even be moving into a villa tonight!” Dad laughed heartily, holding up Kathy’s pregnancy test stick, with two lines showing and excitedly said, “I never even dared to dream about this! It’s the Miles Family! We’ll be part of high society now!” “Dear wife, take a look! How does this outfit look for our daughter’s wedding? Do you think it’ll embarrass her?” “When our grandson is born, what should we send as a gift? We can’t let our in-laws look down on us!” Watching them excitedly plan for the future, I silently returned to my room to pack my things. As I left the house, I followed them at a distance. By the time we got downstairs, we were surrounded by neighbors. Their voices were filled with weird mix, both of admiration and envy. “Wow, you’re so lucky to have a daughter like that! I saw the news online and if my daughter could marry into the Miles Family, I’d be grinning in my sleep!” “You two are really glowing with happiness, you even look younger! The gray hairs are almost gone!” “If I had known it would turn out this way, I would’ve let my daughter try for it too! I thought Mr. Miles was so hard to impress, but after all, he’s still a man—he can’t resist temptation!” I couldn’t help but feel a wave of disgust rise in my throat, the urge to gag taking over. My parents were grinning from ear to ear, eagerly declaring that the wedding would be a special celebration for our neighbors. In the midst of their chatter, several police cars pulled up with their sirens blaring. The leading officer showed his badge and spoke coldly, “Which one of you is Miss Kathy Holmes? She’s suspected of spreading rumors and using illegal substances. We need you to come with us for questioning.”