Return of the Crowned Heiress (Felicia)

But Kayla had no other choice.

For now, Shawn was the best tool at her disposal. Desperate and cornered, he could be wielded like a blade.

She tossed the bundle of cash-100 thousand onto the sand at Shawn's feet. With a cunning tone, she coaxed, "Look at yourself. How are you any different from a rat scurrying through the gutter? Don't forget who ruined your life-Felicia!"

"This money is yours," she continued, her voice dripping with manipulation. "But remember, this isn't just for me. It's for you. Your right hand is useless now. Your debts are piling up, and I'm the only one who could give you a helping hand in times like this." Shawn wasn't listening anymore. He was on the ground, clutching the bills like a lifeline, his eyes wild with greed.

"Do you hear me?" Kayla snapped impatiently.

"Yes, I heard you!" He finally looked up, his face twisted with rage. "Don't worry, I won't let Felicia get away this time. Even if it kills me, I'll drag that brat to hell with me!"

The venom in his voice pleased Kayla. She allowed herself a satisfied smirk.

Kayla had outplayed Felicia yet again. The pawn Felicia thought would drain Kayla dry was now her sharpened and ready weapon.

"Good. Don't disappoint me."

Feeling triumphant, Kayla didn't notice the shadowy figures lurking just beyond the beach, hidden in the pitch-black darkness.

Lance and his three lackeys were crouched in silence, their eyes fixed on Shawn.

Lance wasn't just any thug. Protected by the powerful Chavez family, he operated in the gray areas of society, excelling in loan sharking and ruthless debt collection. His methods were as varied as they were brutal.

Shawn might have thought he was hidden, but Lance had been tracking him all along. The only reason Shawn wasn't already a bloody mess was because Felicia had specifically instructed Lance to keep tabs on him and not to act. At least not yet. One of Lance's men whispered, "Mr. Thompson, isn't that Kayla? Shawn's sister? What's she doing here?"

Lance shot him a sharp look. "How would I know?"

Pulling out his phone, Lance suddenly switched gears. The hard-edged man transformed in an instant, donning a syrupy, servile tone that made his lackeys do a double-take. "Hello, Ms. Fuller! It's me, Lance. I've got something to report.

"Yes, we're still watching Shawn. You won't believe this-Kayla showed up and handed him a wad of cash. They're chatting, but we're too far away to hear the details." Lance paused, grinning as Felicia's calm voice came through. She promised him a lucrative deal in the future, one that would make this favor worth his while. "Don't worry, Ms. Fuller. I'll report again when there's any update."

He was just about to hang up when Felicia dangled a tempting offer in front of him. "Give it some time, and I'll hook you up with a big deal. You're sure to make a profit."

The art of managing people required

a balance of carrot and stick.

Ke solely

Leaning solely on the clout of Melvin might keep Lance in line for a while, but it wouldn't last forever. Some perks and sweeteners had to be offered along the way.

Lance couldn't say what kind of promises others were making, but when Felicia dangled a deal, it was always the kind that came with the good stuff-something he knew was worth biting into! Lance's grin stretched wide, his earlier arrogance replaced with an overly eager tone. "Don't worry, Ms. Fuller," he groveled. "I'll make sure everything gets handled perfectly!"

After the call ended, Lance kept his eyes on Shawn and Kayla, who appeared to be deep in discussion about something. He couldn't make out their words from where he stood-it was too far away.

Nearby, a sleek black Rolls-Royce was parked by the beach. Ruben sat quietly in the driver's seat, blending into the background.

Kayla, preoccupied with laying out plans with Shawn, didn't notice that the dashcam inside the car had been subtly adjusted. It now pointed directly at her.

...

Felicia sat at her desk in the Fuller residence, scribbling and sketching on a piece of paper as she pieced together her thoughts.

The timeline had shifted so drastically from her previous life.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Everything had changed-from the

moment her true identity as the biological daughter of the Fuller family was revealed to her return to the family as the real heiress instead of the adopted daughter she had been in her past life.

Her broken engagement to Arnold was another key difference. In her previous life, she had been

reluctantly tied to him. This timenet

despite their mutual disdain, they hadn't reached the point of being forced into marriage.