Chapter 2 - The Stolen Gift
Ten minutes before the police stormed the grand ballroom, the atmosphere had been one of raucous, entitled celebration.
Eleanor, thriving as the center of attention, stood near the towering, multi-tiered engagement cake. Beside her stood her youngest daughter, Chloe, radiant and smug in an intricate, expensive lace wedding dress, and Chloe’s fiancé, Blake, holding a crystal glass of vintage champagne and laughing loudly at a joke only he found funny.
Ava had been standing quietly near the banquet table, desperately trying to stay out of the spotlight. She was exhausted, her lower back aching from the strain of her third trimester, and she was simply waiting for a polite moment to excuse herself and drive home to her husband. She reached into her small designer clutch to retrieve her keys, ready to make a quiet exit.
As Ava pulled out the sleek, heavy black BMW car key fob, Eleanor’s sharp eyes caught the movement. Moving with surprising, aggressive speed, Eleanor marched over to her pregnant daughter. Without a single word of warning, Eleanor violently snatched the key fob directly out of Ava’s hand, using enough physical force to yank Ava forward.
The sudden, aggressive pull threw Ava completely off balance.
Ava gasped, stumbling backward awkwardly in her heels. She collided hard against the edge of the heavy wooden banquet table, the sharp impact sending a sudden, terrifying jolt of pain radiating across her lower abdomen. She instinctively wrapped both hands around her eight-month pregnant belly, her breath hitching as a sharp tightness gripped her stomach.
Eleanor didn't even look back to see if her heavily pregnant daughter was injured. She spun around, marching back to the center of the dance floor, holding the black BMW car key fob high in the air like a magnificent, conquered trophy for all the wealthy guests to see.
"To my beautiful Chloe!" Eleanor announced in a loud, triumphant tone, her voice carrying over the music. She gestured grandly toward her younger daughter. "And to her wonderful fiancé, Blake! Our family’s ultimate gift to the real bride!"
The crowd, assuming this was a planned, incredibly generous gesture, erupted into polite applause. Chloe smiled arrogantly, blowing a kiss to her mother, while Blake took a sip of his champagne.
Ava, struggling to catch her breath while leaning heavily against the banquet table, looked up in sheer disbelief. That car belonged to her.
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Blake noticed Ava’s distressed expression. He sauntered over, his white tuxedo gleaming, and offered a cruel, smirking laugh. "Don't look so tragic, Ava," Blake mocked, his voice dripping with condescension. "You can Uber to your checkups. A luxury car is wasted on a stay-at-home mom anyway."
👉 Read Part 3 to learn why Eleanor despised Ava and worshiped Chloe.
