Chapter 110

Lainey had no time to worry about Vickie's complaints, because her own world was starting to collapse.

No sooner had she glanced at Vickie's message than a new notification popped up on her screen-a video from an unlisted number.

The recording opened with her sliding into a cafébooth, Denny seated across from her like nothing was amiss.

Next came the image of her hand pulling strands of hair from a sealed plastic bag.

The final shot showed her slipping into the restroom,eyes sharp as she spied on Denny.

Every second of the footage was sharp, leaving no room for denial. Her phone slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a heavy thud.

Lainey's face went pale as she clutched her mouth in horror. No... how was this possible? Where did this come from?"

That night replayed in her mind-she had personally watched the manager erase the surveillance and even sweetened the deal with a thick envelope of cash.

But what if someone had copied it before the deletion?

What if there had been eyes on her the entire time?

The more her thoughts unraveled, the colder she felt,fear spreading through her veins.

Right now, her identity as a Benton was the only weapon she had left, the only card that could secure her place again.

Losing that meant losing everything. Lainey grabbed the phone off the floor, struggling to calm the tight rhythm of her breath. Her hands trembled as she punched in the words.

"Why are you doing this? What do you even want?"

The reply landed almost instantly. "My identity doesn't matter. What matters is I know exactly what you did. Hand over five percent of the Benton Group's shares."

Her chest tightened. Five percent. Again. She had already promised Horace five, and now another five?That was ten percent of the company's worth. Tens of billions slipping right through her fingers before she even had the chance to hold them.

Denny's words from earlier echoed in her mind-twenty percent. That was supposed to be hers.

But now, before she even got the chance to hold onto them, half had already slipped through her fingers.

It didn't sit right with her. No matter how she tried to reason with it, she just couldn't make peace with it.

But refusal wasn't an option.

Her teeth sank into her lower lip until she nearly drew blood, and she forced her trembling hand to type a single word."Fine."

In her heart, however, she made a vow. Once she secured her place as Benton blood, she would hunt this person down and make them regret crossing her.

She quickly sent another message, saying, "Give me your name and your bank account details. I'll arrange the transfer."

Her plan was clear-learn who they were, then erase them completely.

The response was just as cold as the last. "Who l am doesn't matter. When you see your family again that night, make sure the transfer papers are signed. And don't get any ideas. If you try to be smart, the Bentons will see this video before the night's over." As her eyes stayed fixed on the screen, the weight of the message shattered what little calm Lainey had left.

Her scream tore through the room as she hurled the phone against the wall.

"Why? Damn it! Why does Eleanor glide through life while every step I take feels like walking into a trap?"

Now she had no choice but to charm the Benton family into granting her back the ten percent she had just given away.

Denny had told her the family would return in a week.

That gave her seven days to become the ideal daughter they longed for-sweet, attentive,irreplaceable.

If she succeeded, the shares would fall into her hands willingly, and she wouldn't have to claw for them piece by piece in the years ahead.