Chapter 1 Schemed!

“Vanessa Grant, I really feel sorry for you. The person your husband has always loved is me.” Isabella Green stated smugly making Vanessa frown.

“Believe it or not, even if I were to fall down the stairs by myself today, your husband would not hesitate to believe me if I said that you did it,” Isabella said, arrogance dancing in her tone.

Vanessa was about to go downstairs to the party when she came face to face with Isabella, her husband’s sister-in-law, who was about to go upstairs.

Vanessa trembled in anger as she glanced at the smug woman. A woman who apart from revealing her vicious character in front of her, had always pretended to be soft in front of her husband and even in front of everyone in the family.

Everyone in the Jones family loved her, including her husband!

Three years ago, she thought she was lucky to be married to her true love, but when she married not long after, she learned the fact that her husband was willing to marry her and didn’t hesitate to say ‘yes’ to her proposal just because he wanted to hide his love for his Sister-in-law.

What an irony!

“Sister-in-law, you already have big brother’s child in your belly, you are still cared by many in the family even if you don’t act this out.” Vanessa looked at her slightly bulged belly and frowned disapprovingly.

How could this woman joke about the baby in her belly, it was so vicious!

“You’re right.” Isabella approached her and continued in a voice that only she could hear, “but I now want your husband to divorce you and even throw you out of .”

“You!” Before Vanessa could finish a sentence, she saw Isabella suddenly fall down the stairs.

From the perspective of the servants in the hall, it looked as if Vanessa had pushed her down.

…

The night was extremely chilly with no stars in the dark sky as it was heavily clouded, and the downpour of rain wasn't about to stop yet.

The thunders were ear piercing, and the once peaceful autumn turned too dangerous overnight as if a heavy storm was about to come in New York City.

The streets appeared desolate, but the Jones family mansion remained floating with people in a hurry, except for Vanessa, who stood still in the garden of the Jones family, all drenched and trembling for her dear life.

Her lips turned blue with the freezing coldness, and her body was becoming gradually weak, but nobody paid any heed to her as if she was invisible.

Even the servants of the Jones family who were passing by didn't even give a single glance at her, let alone ask her how she was doing!

Soon, a row of doctors in white coats appeared, and the maids took them into the mansion respectfully, but nobody cared for Vanessa. She, who is the young madam of the Jones family, was left all alone and shivering without having a person to look after her.

What a pity!

But deep in her heart, Vanessa knew what kind of status she held in the Jones family for the past three years. Even a pet raised by Mia Jones, Austin Jones's sister, had more importance than her!

How ironic is Vanessa's fate?

To top it off, Austin's sister-in-law, Isabella Green, had everything in the Jones family. With a flick of her finger, everything she needed would come to her feet because Austin Jones loved her. He only loved her, and everyone else was just dust in his eyes, including his wife, Vanessa!

A few minutes ago, when Vanessa was casually sipping wine with a relaxed look on her face while her hands swirled the glass elegantly, she saw Isabella fall down the stairs, and immediately she tried to save her but accidentally tripped herself in the process.

But Austin jumped down the stairs almost instantly and held Isabella in his embrace as if she was his treasure.

He didn't even take a peek at Vanessa, who was struggling to get up since her foot was strained, but ran the stairs with his sister-in-law Isabella in his arms and turned the house upside down in worry.

He even took great lengths in such disastrous weather and arranged for the best doctors in the city to check on Isabella's condition.

Knowing what happened, the Jones family became alert and stood near Isabella.

With great difficulty, Vanessa climbed the stairs and remained rooted beside Isabella. But none of the family members spoke to her and cast disgusting glances at her as if her very presence was appalling.

With a sigh, Vanessa held the nearby wall for support since she didn't know when would her legs give up on her while tears brimmed her vision.

Shaking her head in disappointment, she slowly strode away since there was nothing she could do except aggravate them further. Moreover, she needed some peace to gather herself and came to the back garden.

With a thud, she dropped onto the floor since she had no energy left in her body to withstand her inner torment. She weakly leaned her head with her eyes closed on the nearby wall, and slowly she drifted into sleep as exhaustion took over.

...

When she was in a deep slumber, Austin came to her, and a flash of coldness appeared in his eyes. His deep gaze turned menacing as he reminisced what happened to Isabella because of his 'dear wife'.

"Get up." He said in his dangerously cold tone while impatience was visibly dancing on his face.

Seeing no movement from Vanessa, he gave a light kick on her legs, but it hit her already strained muscles, and she yelped in pain while jolting awake.

Her yells of discomfort didn't even have the slightest effect on him, instead, he wanted to make her even more miserable but controlled himself!

She finally raised her eyes and met his indifferent silhouette, and her chest hurt glancing at the furiousness lurking in his cold eyes.

Tears swelled in her eyes, and her cheeks became wet as they flood like a burst out damn, but there was no sound. They were her silent cries displaying her helplessness and despair!

Inhaled a chunk of air, and she quickly got a grip on herself, and asked in her hoarse voice, "Austin, how is Isabella doing?"

Hearing her concern for Isabella, Austin felt it was fake, and his blood boiled, though Vanessa was really worried.

He gave a cold glance at her. If looks could kill, she would be frozen to death by now and muttered, his tone deadly and not giving her any chance to disobey, "come to the basement hall, now!"

Listening to his command, a shiver settled down her spine and her eyes widened. The last ounce of sleepiness totally vanished as she fully grasped the meaning behind his words.

She couldn't help but look at Austin in disbelief. With a gulp she decided to question him, although she understood what exactly he stated, her tone quivered, "what do you mean, Austin?"

He gave a mocking sneer that scared the shit out of her and announced, "apologize!"

Hearing him say that broke her heart, and she remained stunned, too lost in her pain that her husband, whom she loved dearly, was really doing this to her!

Peeping at her stilled figure, he gave an awful glance and grabbed her hands, and forcefully dragged her with him, not even bothering for a second while he was mercilessly hurting her legs and hands.

Austin was extremely disappointed with his wife and had no interest in even talking to her. Let alone have some concern for her!

He knew Isabella was quite weak and ill these days. Although he managed to get the doctors on time after her unexpected fall, it didn't help her in saving the little child in her womb. The fetus was already lifeless!

When he found that his elder brother's only bloodline was dead, he became an enraged beast. And knowing Vanessa was the reason behind it, didn't help him either. It was like pouring oil into the fire!

Everything was ruined. There was nothing left except punishing his wife for the unjust sin she committed, and he would make sure of it.

...

Vanessa eyed him in incredulity, she just couldn't acknowledge the fact that he wanted her to apologize when she was clearly innocent!

It felt as if she was deserted and stuck in a hellhole with no way out. Her face turned pale, and her body trembled since she knew she shouldn't keep her foot in the Jones family basement hall if she wanted to survive.

Because people who went in, never came out, and she knew it better because she had seen countless scenarios in the past years!

She felt desperate and decided to converse with Austin but she didn't know how? With an inward huff, she licked her lips and grasped her teeth in between her plump lips while squinting her eyes.

Finally, after gathering enough courage, she muttered, her voice was so soft, "Austin."

She knew he heard it but she got no response from him, and she continued, while her voice cracked in the end, "I'm innocent. Trust me."

But he paid no heed to her words, and she started struggling to become free from his grip and to prevent herself from going into that cesspool.

Her struggles irked him, and his grasp on her tightened further, making her wail in pain, but he didn't even bat an eyelid at her.

"Don't waste your words here." He gritted his teeth and added in his cold voice, "You have a lot to confess in the ancestral hall in front of all the Jones family members."

His words were like a bucket of cold water splashing on her face. Then she understood it was of no use to struggle!

She eyed Austin, who was so charming, sinfully tall, and freezingly cold, and she couldn't help but rethink what she had done.

She had gone to great lengths to marry him and even decided to cut her ties with her beloved family since they opposed their marriage.

But look at what she got from him over the years? Only indifference and coldness. He was never merciful to her and never supported her.

Deep in her heart, she had a tiny hope that one day, he would realize her love and would come for her. But would that really happen when there was already a person deeply rooted in his heart?

It was none other than Isabella. Austin's one and only love. Except for Isabella, his heart had no place for others, and what could Vanessa possibly do to warm his cold heart?

Alas, she tried every method possible on the earth that might make him come closer to her, but nope, none worked.

Because his heart would only soften for Isabella.

And what was she, Vanessa, in front of Isabella? Invisible! She was nothing but an imbecile, a worthless piece of trophy wife!

And now, she finally realized she was wrong!

But wasn't it too late already?

Grasping her situation, she muttered while a cold smile flashed across her face, her tone held no emotion, "let go of my hand."

Seeing Austin didn't leave her hand, she added in a firm tone, "I'll go on my own."

Hearing her words, he gazed at her with contempt in his onyx eyes. The suppressed anger in his heart was enraged, and he felt as if it would burst out at any moment and burn this stupid woman in front of him.

Without giving her a second glance, he walked towards the hall, leaving her behind all by herself.

She felt as if her life had turned into a joke after she had married him. Eyeing his sturdy back, she couldn't help but sneer at her foolishness for the deed she did three years ago. Well, it's none other than marrying Austin!