Chapter 8 Scheme

• Alanna was finally satisfied with her declaration. She said, "I knew it, Mom! You're always the best! I knew you'd always be on my side, Mom! You have to make sure Demi pays for what she did! Make her suffer!"
• "Of course! How dare she lay a hand on you? She deserves to die a thousand times over, but even that wouldn't be enough!
• The thought of Demi being dealt with harshly by tomorrow made a smile spread across Alanna's face.
• Then something else occurred to her. The dark and venomous look in her eyes deepened.
• "Eric should have been mine, Mom! I should have been Mrs. Snow, not that foolish Demi! I can't accept this!"
• In all of Phora, there wasn't a man more powerful or influential than Eric.
• From the moment she first laid eyes on him, Alanna had fallen hard.
• She couldn't stop herself from being drawn to him. Thinking about Eric made that obsessive look return to her eyes.
• Karen was filled with resentment upon hearing this. Originally, their family had arranged for Demi to get married.
• But how could a fool like her be worthy of someone like Eric, the pride of the Snows? Only her daughter could ever be his match.
• It had taken a lot of effort, but she finally convinced Conrad to have the marriage redirected to Alanna.
• Not long after, Eric was in a terrible car accident and fell into a coma.
• There was no way she would let her daughter marry a man in such a state!
• Consequently, they brought Demi back from the countryside and forced her to marry Eric.
• But the infuriating part was that not long after Demi married into the Snows, Eric made a full recovery. He quickly regained control of the Snow Group, quelling the family's internal power struggles. Now, all the power of the Snows was back in his hands.
• It filled her and Alanna with an overwhelming sense of regret.
• "The position of Mrs. Snow was always meant to be yours, Alanna," Karen said with a cold smile. "Don't worry. I'll help you take back what rightfully belongs to you."
• Karen's smile twisted her still-beautiful face. Thanks to years of careful maintenance, she still looked stunning, but in that moment, her expression was ghastly.
• "Everyone thinks the Harts married one of their daughters to the Snows, but nobody knows exactly which one. Once that fool dies, it'll be easy for you to take her place, right?"
• Of course, after Demi married into the Snows, getting rid of her became more difficult, but there were still ways to entice her out.
• Once they got her alone, Karen planned to make sure the deed was done cleanly, leaving no trace of their involvement.
• And even if they did, it wouldn't matter without proof.
• Alanna saw right through her mother's thoughts, and a wicked smile played across her lips. Her eyes gleamed with malice. "I get it, Mom."
• Karen nodded in approval and said, "This is the right attitude, Alanna. Don't worry. I'll clear every obstacle in your way. Mrs. Snow's position will be yours. That fool Demi isn't fit to take anything from you!"
• Alanna's eyes lit up with joy, and she obediently nodded. "I understand, Mom!"
• ...
• The next morning.
• "Mrs. Snow, time to wake up!"
• Demi curled up tighter under the blanket. She mimicked the habits of the original Demi from her memories, staying in bed just a bit longer to keep up appearances.
• "I don't want to get up yet, Helen. I want to sleep a little more."
• Hearing the soft, sweet voice, Helen Coan's heart practically melted. But she still remembered her task and spoke again gently.
• "You can't, Mrs. Snow. It's time to get up and have breakfast."
• "Okay," Demi pouted.
• Reluctantly, she dragged herself out of bed, moving slowly as if she had no choice but to obey.
• Helen continued in a sweet tone, coaxing her. "Mrs. Snow, if you go downstairs and cheer up Mr. Eric, all these candies will be yours."
• Juliet had specifically instructed her to create more opportunities for the couple to bond, hoping they would develop feelings for each other.
• But at the mere thought of Eric's cold, intense demeanor, Helen shivered involuntarily.
• It seemed like Demi would have to take the initiative—a great deal of it.
• Just looking at that pile of candy made Demi's teeth ache.
• But the original Demi had the mind of an eight-year-old. A child at that age couldn't resist the temptation of sweets. So, to keep up the act, Demi flashed a sweet smile. "Wow, so many candies! I want all of them!"
• She reached out to grab the candy, but Helen quickly pulled them away.