Ghost Exorciser: The Oust Fake Heiress Strikes-Chapter 395: Taken Over

Her gaze lingered on Cassandra, who was now running helplessly, trying to avoid both the projectiles and the countless accusing eyes.

Yet, despite everything... Lana felt nothing. No joy. No satisfaction. Just... stillness.

’...I’ve been here before,’ she thought faintly.

Her eyelids lowered slowly.

Perched on her shoulder, Mr. Crow also grew still, its dark eyes closing as if sinking into the same memory.

In an instant, Lana found herself staring at a familiar scene.

A younger version of herself stood there, black hair falling softly over her shoulders, her eyes wide and glistening with desperation. She stood in the very same position Cassandra now occupied.

But unlike Cassandra, that version of Lana was trembling uncontrollably.

"I don’t know why..." the younger Lana cried out, her voice shaking. "I don’t know why my designs look like hers... it’s like she’s reading my mind!"

Laughter erupted from the crowd. Cruel. Mocking.

"Has she gone insane?"

"She’s copying Cassandra and still making excuses!"

Rotten tomatoes flew. Eggs followed. The same stench. The same humiliation.

"I’m not a plagiarist!" the younger Lana begged, tears streaming down her face. "Please, believe me...!"

But no one did.

A judge had leaned back then, shrugging coldly. "You’ve violated the rules," he said. "You’re disqualified. From now on, you won’t be allowed to participate in any web design competitions."

Those words had shattered everything. Her future. Her career. Her dreams.

"I... I didn’t do anything wrong..." she sobbed, her voice breaking as she turned toward Cassandra. "Why are you doing this to me...?"

Cassandra had only looked at her with faint pity. "I don’t understand what you’re talking about," she replied indifferently.

Desperation filled Lana’s voice. "Please... give it back... my ability... tell them the truth..."

But Cassandra had already turned away.

"If you chose to plagiarize," she said coldly, "then you should be strong enough to face the consequences."

And just like that... She walked away. Leaving Lana behind. Broken. Alone. Betrayed by the one person she trusted the most.

The vision shattered. Reality returned.

Lana opened her eyes slowly, her expression calm, but something deep within them had hardened.

Mr. Crow shifted slightly on her shoulder, its voice low and almost whisper-like. "Just as she used you... others will use her."

A faint, unseen ripple spread. The curse deepened. And it settled upon Cassandra.

Back in the present, Cassandra was still pleading, her voice hoarse. "It was a mistake! I didn’t mean to..."

But her fate had already been decided.

One of the judges stood up, his expression stern as he looked at Lana briefly before turning to Cassandra.

"You have violated the rules of participation," he declared. "You are disqualified. From this moment onward, you are banned from all design competitions."

The words hit like a hammer. Cassandra’s legs gave out.

She collapsed onto the floor, her hands trembling against the cold surface. "No..." she whispered faintly. "This... this wasn’t supposed to happen..."

Her mind refused to accept it. But reality did not change.

Unable to endure the suffocating atmosphere any longer, she suddenly got up and rushed toward the exit.

The crowd didn’t let her go easily. More objects were thrown her way as she fled, her figure stumbling and unsteady.

By the time she reached her mansion, she was disheveled, stained, and shaking. She slammed the door shut behind her, the loud bang echoing through the empty halls.

"Entity!" she shouted, her voice cracking as she gripped the handle tightly. "Where are you?! Answer me!"

Her breathing was uneven, almost frantic.

"You promised me I would reach the pinnacle!" she yelled. "Then how did this happen?! How did I get caught?!"

For a moment... Silence. Then, a voice echoed within her mind.

Cold. Detached.

"It was your own foolishness."

Cassandra froze.

Her expression twisted with frustration. "How was I supposed to know?!" she snapped. "How would I know Lana had already posted that design? I didn’t even know she would participate!"

Her voice trembled with desperation. "This isn’t entirely my fault!"

But the entity fell silent again. No response.

Cassandra clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin. "Then do something!" she demanded. "Erase their memories! Make them forget!"

Her eyes burned with desperation.

"Or... connect me to someone stronger," she continued hurriedly. "Link my mind to a top designer, someone famous. There has to be a way!"

Her voice echoed in the empty room. But this time... there was no answer.

"Once I release one of the best weapon designs," Cassandra muttered under her breath, her fingers trembling slightly as she clenched them, "I’ll regain everyone’s trust..."

The room felt suffocatingly quiet.

Inside her mind, the entity remained silent for a moment before its cold voice finally echoed, "Every target you choose consumes a significant amount of energy."

Cassandra’s brows furrowed.

"You cannot simply choose a top-tier designer," the entity continued indifferently. "They are far more complex, and the energy required is far beyond what you currently possess."

A chill ran down her spine. "You don’t have enough energy," it concluded flatly.

Cassandra’s lips parted, desperation creeping into her voice. "Then I’ll take a loan," she said quickly. "I don’t care about the cost."

Silence. Then...

"It would be better if you forget about it."

Those words hit harder than she expected.

Her head lowered slowly, strands of her disheveled hair falling over her face. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Forget...?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "How can I forget something like this...? There has to be a way... there has to be..."

Her breathing grew uneven.

"There must be a way..." she repeated, almost like a broken chant.

This time, the entity’s tone shifted slightly, colder.

"If you are this incompetent," it said, "then it would be better if I took your place."

Before she could react... Something snapped. A violent pull surged through her consciousness, like her very soul was being ripped apart.

The next second... Everything flipped. Her vision distorted.

And then... she was no longer in control. Her body... moved on its own. The entity had taken over.