Chapter 157
Maelis said, “Zinnia, I never should have taken you back! Look how you’ve ruined our family!” She stormed toward Zinnia, raising her hand to stret “Moml” the three Shaw brothers gasped in unison.
However, Zinnia intercepted Maelis’s hand and shoved her back hard. Last time, Zinnia had been caught off guard by Maelis’s cruelty and nearly got hit
But now, seeing that ferocious look on Maelis’s face, Zinnia was determined not to let Maelis lay a hand on her.
Zinnia thought, ‘My Master never laid a hand on me growing up. What right does this outsider have to hit me?‘
Maelis stumbled back two steps, nearly falling before Howard caught her. Her bloodshot eyes glared at Zinnia with resentment. She never expected Zinnia would dare fight back.
Yosef frowned at Zinnia and said, “Zinnia, even if Mom was out of line, you shouldn’t have pushed her like that. She’s getting on in years. What if Howard hadn’t caught her? What if she’d fallen?”
Zinnia shot Yosef a cold glance, her clear e
when you’re not the one getting slapped.”
flashing with defiance. She snapped, “Should I just stand there and take the hit? It’s easy for you to talk
Yosef was left speechless. He never expected Zinnia to speak to him with such blunt disrespect.
Zinnia took two deliberate steps back, putting clear distance between herself and the rest of them.
Maelis steadied herself, her bloodshot eyes burning with anger. Her voice was razor–sharp with fury as she asked, “Zinnia, do you still want me as your mother or not?”
“No, I don’t,” Zinnia shot back without hesitation.
Maelis choked with rage, her face flushing crimson as she pointed a trembling finger at Zinnia. It was clear that Zinnia had pushed Maelis to the brink.
Maelis felt torn between guilt and resentment toward Zinnia. She thought, ‘Why didn’t she speak up for herself?
‘If only she had told us the truth, that those things weren’t her fault, we wouldn’t have misunderstood her for so long, and things wouldn’t have come to this.‘
Betty’s actions had left the entire Shaw family in turmoil, but the deepest blow fell on Maelis. She never imagined Betty, the girl she’d always believed to be pure–hearted, could harbor such venom or be capable of such cruelty.
But Maelis had already made her choice. Especially when she thought of how Zinnia showed no understanding toward her as a mother, Maelis still simmered with anger. This visit, while she did feel some guilt toward Zinnia, was fueled even more by disgust.
Maelis thought, ‘Why did Zinnia have to air our family drama at school? She humiliated the Shaw family and dragged the Carsons into this mess. Even though the Carsons aren’t pursuing it anymore, the bad blood between our families is already set.
‘And now Betty is holed up at home, refusing to go to school. Donald berates me for being useless, and even my three sons have started siding with Zinnia instead of me.
‘They’re no longer as attentive to me as they used to be. My whole family life has been turned upside down. Why did Lever bring Zinnia back? If only ! hadn’t, our family would still be whole.
Zinnia’s guarded expression stabbed like a knife into the hearts of the three Shaw brothers. Seeing Zinnia turn to leave, Howard released Maelis and moved to chase after Zinnia.
“Security! Stop them!” Zinnia shouted as she backed toward the residential area.
At her shout, the security guards who had been monitoring the situation from the booth sprang into action. Howard found himself abruptly cut off
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Chapter 157
