Chapter 4%
The time was set two days later.
After a long while. I finally got up, gathered all my belongings from the bedroom, and called the housekeeper to have them taken away
The housekeeper hesitated. “Does Sir Vincent know about this?”
I forced a bitter smile, and said, “I’m just decluttering. No need to tell him.”
When the room was finally empty, I stood in the doorway, gazing at the hollow shell of what had once been my home. There wasn’t a single ounce of attachment left in my heart
Just then, my phone rang.
It was my mother,
I pressed accept, only to be met with her cold, commanding voice.
“Get back home tonight. I don’t care what you’re doing–just be here.”
And then, as if to hammer the point home, she added, “If you’re not back by five, deal with the consequences yourself.”
Soon after, the line went dead with a busy signal.
I set my phone down, already knowing the reason for the call. It had to be about Louise.
By five o’clock sharp, I stood outside the Ainsworth family estate X
As soon as I pushed open the door, an ashtray came flying straight at me.X
I didn’t move, and the hard ceramic struck my forehead with a sickening crack. Blood trickled down my face.
Silently, I bent down, picked up the ashtray, and walked over to my father. I placed it on the table and greeted them evenly. “Dad. Mom.” Louise clutched Vincent’s sleeve, feigning distress.”
“Vince… I’m scared. Look, my sister is bleeding,” she whimpered, but the satisfaction in her eyes was unmistakable.8
My mother glared at me, her face twisted with disdain.
“Oh, you’ve really learned a lot since getting married, huh? You’ve gotten bold enough to bully your own sister!”
She scoffed, voice laced with venom. 1 should’ve never given birth to you. You’re nothing but a wretched curse!”
I couldn’t help but ask, “Did you really give birth to me?”
Immediately, a searing pain exploded across my night cheek as her hand landed on my skin.
I was too weak to withstand the force, and I crumpled to the ground.
For a brief moment, hesitation flickered in Vincent’s eyes &
Noticing this, Louise let out a laugh.
“Sister, really? Mom didn’t even hit you that hard. Why did you fall over so dramatically?”
On hearing her words, Vincent’s gaze darkened. The momentary flicker of doubt vanished, replaced by cold indifference.
My mother sneered, “Exactly! I barely touched you, and here you are pretending to be weak–trying to frame me now, are you?*8
She crossed her arms and added, “What is it? Is the title of ‘Mrs. Millon‘ not comfortable enough for you, so now you want to extort your own mother instead?
I didn’t respond.)
I merely picked myself up from the ground, my face expressionless.3
My father’s glare bore into me, and he intoned coldly, “Kneel, and apologize to Louise.“8
I looked up at him, bewildered. “At least tell me why?”
Without warning, my mother struck me again, harder than the first. My cheek swelled instantly, my lips splitting from the impact, the metallic taste of blood coating my tongue
My mother’s voice dripped with hatred.
“You little wretch! You’re bullying your sister, and you still have the nerve to argue? You know she’s pregnant, and yet you’re jealous enough to want to harm her child?2
“I should’ve drowned you the moment you were born!”
Her words cut deep, but I felt nothing.X
Not anymore.
I turned to my father, searching his face for even the smallest trace of faimess. Instead, he rose from his seat and swung down the cane in his hand I
A sharp pain shot through my left leg. I grunted in pain but didn’t cry out.
My father coldly spoke, “Kneel down and apologize to Louise.”
A deep sense of desolation washed over me.
I turned my gaze to Vincent and asked, “Do you think I did it?“%
Vincent responded coldly and distantly, “Apologize properly to Louise, and I won’t pursue this matter further.”
$1.02 pu c
I looked at them, my eyes filled with bitterness.
I suddenly felt like the past years had been a jokel
My parents never loved me, my husband never cared.
No one had ever stood by my side
tinhaled sharply, and calmly said, “Fine, I apologize.
Just as I was about to kneel, I paused
