From abandoned girlfriend to tycoon’s lover (Copy)

🎇 Chapter 4 — Fireworks and Fake Tears

The next morning, I received the transfer: two hundred thousand dollars.

As angry as I was, there was no way I’d reject the money. Besides, I was eager to deliver the jewelry set personally… and see how close to death Isabel really was.

I packed the diamonds in a velvet box and headed to the hospital.

Halfway there, my phone rang.

My father. Mariano.

Great.

“Isabel is sick, and you—her sister—haven’t even visited her once,” he snapped the moment I picked up. “You’re just as heartless as your mother!”

I wasn’t even surprised. I switched the phone to my other hand.

“Oh? Should I bring fireworks?” I said calmly.

“María! What nonsense are you talking about?!”

“To scare away the evil spirits,” I replied with a smile. “Or did you think I’d show up empty-handed?”

Silence.

I could imagine his face contorted in rage and it made me smile wider.

Later, just outside Isabel’s hospital room, I paused.

I could hear them inside—my father and Carmen—sobbing and wailing like some twisted soap opera.

“María must be thrilled,” Carmen sniffled. “She always hated Isabel… and now that she’s dying, she’s probably smiling in her sleep!”

“Why is fate so cruel?” she wept dramatically. “Why didn’t that wretched María die instead of my poor baby?!”

I flung the door open.

Mariano was comforting Carmen like they were Romeo and Juliet. Pathetic.

The sound of the door banging against the wall made everyone jump. All eyes turned to me.

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.

Then Antonio stepped forward with that calm, fake warmth of his. “María, you came.”

I ignored him completely.

From my purse, I pulled out a lighter… and a handful of mini firecrackers.

“María, what are you doing?!” Antonio’s eyes widened in panic.

“Celebrating,” I said simply.

My father finally realized.

“María, if you dare—!”

POP! POP! POP!

I lit the firecrackers and tossed them near Antonio’s feet. He ducked and ran, everyone in the room panicked and scattered like pigeons.

It was delicious chaos.

If it hadn’t been for the other patients on the floor, I’d have brought full-on fireworks. But even the mini ones were enough.

The smell of gunpowder quickly filled the air.

As expected, the sprinkler system kicked in, turning the luxury hospital room into a waterfall. The ceiling roared and water poured from above.

Carmen and Isabel screamed in horror, drenched from head to toe. I stepped back just in time to avoid getting soaked.

Nurses, doctors, and security rushed in seconds later. It was beautiful.

The doctor stormed in, furious. “What is going on?! Who the hell thought fireworks were appropriate in a hospital?!”

Carmen, pointing at me with trembling fingers, screamed, “It was her! Arrest her! She’s disturbing public order!”

But the doctor had no time for her nonsense. “First, relocate the patient! The fire alarm system won’t shut off until we reset it manually!”

Isabel, now soaking in her hospital gown, clung to Antonio who held her protectively.

The nurses moved fast and assigned her a new room. Antonio picked her up in his arms and carried her out, completely ignoring me.

Carmen gave me one last death glare before trailing after them.

Mariano, face red and dripping wet, turned to me and growled, “María, you’ll regret this. I swear it!”

I didn’t even blink.

I had come for a reason—and I wasn’t finished yet.

I followed them to Isabel’s new room.

She had changed into a fresh hospital gown, but her expression was no longer fragile. There was defiance behind her teary eyes—though she was still pretending to be weak.

“What now?” Carmen snapped when she saw me enter.

Ignoring her, I walked up to the bed, pulled out the velvet box, and placed it gently on the side table.

“Congratulations, Isabel. You’re getting your dream wedding. And soon… you’ll die in peace.”

Carmen let out a shriek. “María, you—!”

“It’s the truth,” I shrugged.

Isabel’s wish at eighteen had been to marry Antonio or die trying.

Well, apparently, she got both.

But to my surprise, Isabel didn’t lash out.

Instead, her eyes filled with tears.

“Thank you, María,” she said softly. “Thank you for stepping aside. I know I was awful to you growing up… but I don’t hold a grudge.”

Oh, spare me the performance.

“If you were evil as a kid, now you’re worse,” I replied coldly. “You act innocent, but you’re as manipulative as your mother.”

She flinched, but kept playing the victim. “I was just jealous. You were so perfect, María. I just… I wanted attention. You wouldn’t understand what it’s like living off other people’s scraps.”

I laughed out loud.

“You were treated like a princess. Meanwhile, I—the real heir—was turned into the housemaid.”

“But now you’re the one getting everything,” she whispered. “The company, the money… and soon, even Antonio. I’m dying, María. I’m not a threat to you anymore.”

I leaned closer, my voice sharp as a knife.

“You may be dying, but you’re still a pest.”

“María!” Antonio snapped.

“Your sister’s dying, and you’re mocking her? What if the next one to fall ill is you?”

I turned to my father and smiled coldly.

“If that happens, I guarantee Isabel won’t rest in peace. And without your protection, she wouldn’t survive one day against me.”

“Enough!” he roared.

But I’d already said what I came to say.

I tapped the box of jewelry and smirked. “They’re yours. He already paid. Enjoy.”