A Fake Heiress’s Guide to Love and Power novel Chapter 147

As Ileana drifted deeper into her daydream, the door suddenly burst open. Both women jumped, startled, their eyes darting toward the doorway.

“Alessia? Stella?” Lucy stood up, her voice uncertain as she glanced between the

two.

“Alessia! What are you doing here?” Ileana’s posture was tense, suspicion etched across her face.

Alessia said nothing, but Stella strode right in. She raised her hand, and Ileana instinctively shrank back, bracing herself. Stella smirked, then slipped an arm casually around Lucy’s shoulders.

“What are you trying to do? This is a hospital, you know,” Lucy stammu, swallowing hard.

“Relax. Let’s have a word outside, shall we?” It sounded like a question, but Stella didn’t wait for Lucy’s answer. With her arm still draped around her, she steered Lucy out the door.

Lucy shot a helpless glance at Ileana. Ileana opened her mouth to protest, but Stella silenced her with a cold, warning look. Ileana pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Stella’s lips curled into a sneer, her eyes full of disdain. Lucy had no choice but to follow her out.

As the door closed behind them, the spacious hospital room grew unnaturally quiet. Now only Ileana and Alessia remained. Alessia didn’t speak right away; she simply took Lucy’s recently vacated chair, crossed her legs, and lounged back. Her casual air somehow made the tension in the room tighten.

Ileana watched her warily, jaw clenched, her fists twisting the blanket on her lap.

“What do you want?” she demanded.

“Your injury–did you really fall by yourself?” Alessia didn’t bother with small talk.

The question seemed to snap Ileana out of her panic. She straightened, her fear evaporating, replaced by a chilly calm.

“Oh, I see what this is, You’re worried I’ll expose you for telling York to push me down the stairs, aren’t you? Alessia, how could you be so cruel? Manipulating a seven–year–old into hurting someone–that’s attempted murder!” Ileana delivered

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Chapter 147

each accusation with clear intent, as if trying to force Alessia into taking the

blame.

Alessia instantly recognized Ileana’s angle, but her expression didn’t waver; she remained perfectly composed.

“So, tell me when exactly did I tell York to do that? How did I make him push you down the stairs? And how do you know I was the one to put the idea in his head?”

Three pointed questions left Ileana momentarily speechless.

Just as York couldn’t prove he hadn’t pushed her, Ileana couldn’t prove Alessia had put him up to it. Alessia’s way was always to turn things back on her opponent–why waste time defending herself when the other person couldn’t prove her guilt?

“Ileana, I’m curious–when did you learn you were the Tate family’s lost child? You timed your return perfectly, right as the Mortons declared bankruptcy and you could land back with the Tates.” Alessia’s eyebrow arched, her lips curled in a faint,

ironic smile.

“Take a guess. I suppose you’re just unlucky–when the Mortons were thriving, you missed your chance. Now, with the Tates, you’re also just a little too late.” Ileana’s tone was triumphant, but Alessia didn’t seem the least bit ruffled.

“Ileana, I’m not interested in playing the ‘switched at birth‘ game with you. But if you keep pushing my limits-” Alessia stood, suddenly closing the distance between

them.`

Before Ileana could react, Alessia pressed a firm hand to the back of her head, holding her in place. Their faces were so close, they could feel each other’s breath. “-I won’t mind playing along. As long as you’re ready to handle the consequences.”

Her voice dropped to a near–whisper, low and dangerous, like something crawling out of the dark. A chill ran down Ileana’s spine.

“W–what do you mean?”

“Starting today, everything you’ve done to Ivan will come back to haunt you.”

Ileana stiffened, her eyes wide and wary.

“What did Ivan tell you?”

Before Alessia could respond, Ileana quickly regained her composure, masking her

fear with a sneer.