Chapter 35

Shock held Bennie and his family frozen as suitcases, clothes, and even treasured heirlooms were hurled after them, piling up in a chaotic heap.

Bennie's heart sank as he watched his cherished antique vase hit the ground and shatter to pieces. He shouted in protest, "You can't do this-this is destruction of private property!"

The burly man only smirked. "Call the cops if you want! The deed says it's mine!"

Anger and humiliation washed over Bennie until his knees nearly gave out.

"Are you alright, Dad?" Elissa hurried to steady him, all the while shooting a venomous glare at Arabella's poised silhouette. "Arabella, how

could you? This house was your father's legacy -how could you sell it to someone like that?"

Never in her wildest dreams had Elissa imagined Arabella would actually sell the house, let alone to such a merciless new owner.

Arabella replied coldly, "So you admit it was my father's? Yet you parasites thought you could just squat here forever!"

Elissa's face burned with shame,leaving her utterly lost for words.

Their noisy eviction quickly became a neighborhood spectacle.

Curious voices drifted from nearby homes."What's all this ruckus?"

"Did the Tucker family really get kicked out?"

Meagan,always ready to play the victim, burst into dramatic sobs for any/one within earshot."Oh, what a tragedy! What will become of us?"

Back inside, Arabella shut out their noise,

paying not the slightest attention to their commotion.

Arabella searched every room upstairs, hoping to find traces of her parents. The house turned up empty-until she peered inside the doghouse.

Not a single one of Daisy's dresses or shoes remained inside, just a few forgotten scraps tucked into the straw of that little shelter.Arabella couldn't fathom how Daisy had managed to live under such conditions.

Tears threatened to fall, though a quiet gratitude filled her heart-Daisy, at least,had hidden away the last pieces of their parents'legacy.

Hands sifting through the bedding, Arabella's fingers brushed against something firm. She drew out a well-worn book.

Across its cover, the title read The Ancient Healer's Handbook.

A jolt of surprise ran through her. It was a well-worn medical text. How had Daisy ended up with this? Had she needed it to heal herself every time she got hurt?

Whatever the reason, Arabella gathered up every scrap that belonged to Daisy, slipping her card safely into her pocket as well.

With the small pile in hand, she stepped into the living room.

Destruction met her eyes-furniture splintered and broken by the burly man's crew.

The sight didn't bother her. Nearly every piece had been brought in by Meagan anyway.

Crossing the room, the new owner approached and offered the deed to Arabella.

Accepting it with a steady hand, she nodded."Thank you."

The man returned the gesture with respect. "Of course, Miss Stanley. I'll keep a few men on the

property. If the Tuckers try anything, we'll make sure they don't come near."

These muscle-bound enforcers weren't random -they were actors Arabella had hired to stage the spectacle, since her final decision was to keep the house after all.

With a measured voice, Arabella instructed,"Hold onto the deed for the time being. There could still be trouble ahead. I'm heading out now."

On her way past the threshold, Meagan's wails filled the air. At the sight of Arabella, Meagan's features twisted in a mask of hatred.

"Heartless, that's what you are!" Meagan spat her words like venom. "If it hadn't been for my father raising yours, you'd be nothing today!"

Arabella's gaze hardened, a chill in her tone. "Is that so? My father was his own son-wasn't it his job as a parent to care for him?"

Face flushed with rage, Meagan sputtered.

"That's ridiculous..." She wanted to unleash more, but the words faltered. "You know, I'm all the family you've got left. Your dad would never forgive you for treating me like this."

A cold smile played on Arabella's lips. "If he could see what you did to Daisy, he'd ask why l didn't throw you out sooner."

She didn't wait for a reply, striding away without looking back.

Wailing erupted from Khloe as her precious clothes landed in the dirt. "Mom, what do l do?My brand-new Versace-my handbags-everything's ruined!"

Rage made Meagan's head spin. "What's left to do? We'll have to find somewhere else to live.That's what!"

Rolling her eyes, Elissa scoffed, "It's not like we don't own other houses."

Steeling herself, Elissa found her composure again. "Right-let's keep our heads up. In the

end, Arabella will pay for this. Just wait."

Ever since Bennie joined forces with Vanguard Group, his wealth had soared, allowing him to purchase several properties.

None of those acquisitions, however, could hold a candle to the villa they had just lost.

A car arrived, and the whole family piled in,settling into a roomy penthouse that, despite its space, felt like a step down.

Scanning the bedroom, Khloe wrinkled her nose. "Mom, is this really supposed to be my room? It's tiny!"

A look of disappointment settled on Elissa's face as well. "Didn't you both buy another villa,Dad?"

Bennie explained, "That place is out in the suburbs. Villas in the heart of the city are almost impossible to find. At least this place is close to your school and sits in a great neighborhood."

Nearly twenty million had gone into securing this address.

Still,Khloe ccouldn't hide her dissatisfaction.

The frustration followed her into the evening.When her scheduled stream rolled around, she skipped going live. Questions poured in from fans, and she didn't hesitate to air her grievances, telling everyone about their eviction.

She and her online followers spent the night hurling insults at Arabella.

Meanwhile, Elissa lingered by the window,struggling to process the upheaval. Only hours before, she had called a grand downtown villa home.Now she stood in a modest penthouse.

There was a time in her childhood when this would have felt like a dream come true.

But after she lived surrounded by luxury, how could this place ever feel like enough?