The West Mountain Villa Complex sat atop the hills on Stellerton’s western outskirts, in a place of stunning beauty where many wealthy businessn preferred to reside.
But the Vaughn Family’s grand residence located here should have been called the Sutton Estate instead.
The Radiant Group was originally the Sutton Family’s business; Gregory Vaughn was nothing more than an in-law who married in.
Unfortunately, Cecilia’s grandfather passed away early, and her mother, Wendy Sutton, was gentle, artistic, and sheltered—further weakened by poor health and unfit for the ruthless world of business—so power soon slipped out of her grasp.
Gregory Vaughn, however, was a scheming, social-climbing man, winning her mother over so thoroughly he even made Cecilia and Evan take his surna.
...
Thinking back on the past, Cecilia felt her heart sink.
Useless Gregory Vaughn was clearly allied with Florence Warner and her daughter.
This ti, Evan’s illness was caught in ti—what about next ti?
Would her little brother survive if soone tried again when they weren’t watching?
Cecilia was caught up in these thoughts until the security guard blocked her way.
"Miss, you’re not a resident here, are you?"
"If you’ve co to see family, please have your relative co and fetch you."
...
Cecilia hesitated, her brows knitting as she sized up the unfamiliar security guard. Three years had passed; too much had changed.
"I’m Cecilia Vaughn, the eldest daughter of the Vaughn Family."
Seeing the guard still looked confused, Cecilia considered how she might prove her identity. Then, suddenly, she spotted a middle-aged man carrying groceries and walking toward her!
Uncle Sinclair!
The Vaughn Family’s long-serving butler!
Cecilia’s eyes lit up, and she moved toward him. Uncle Sinclair was stunned in turn.
"Miss Cecilia, what are you doing here?"
Uncle Sinclair didn’t know Cecilia had been in prison; he just assud Florence Warner and her daughter wouldn’t tolerate the real daughter’s presence.
Seeing the genuine concern in his eyes, Cecilia felt a rare warmth.
—Compared to her blood father Gregory Vaughn, it was Uncle Sinclair, who’d watched her grow up, who truly cared.
"Uncle Sinclair, it’s a long story. The security gate won’t let in—will you go with ?"
"Of course."
...
After a brief reunion, Cecilia followed Uncle Sinclair into the Vaughn Residence.
Every flower and tree, every piece of decor—so achingly familiar...
One look at the old mansion, virtually unchanged, made the girl clutch her hands tightly, her eyes burning with heat.
—Just wait. Whether it’s the company shares or this house that should belong to my mother’s family, I’ll make Florence Warner and her daughter spit it all back out!
Those two won had no right to live in her mother’s ho!
...
Uncle Sinclair called upstairs.
"Madam, Miss Fiona, Miss Cecilia is ho!"
Fiona was ho too?!
A subtle shift flickered in Cecilia’s heart.
Florence Warner and her daughter, gossiping upstairs, nearly thought they’d misheard Uncle Sinclair’s shout.
Fiona was in the middle of a face mask—Florence hurried down first.
"What?! That little bitch dares to co back here?"
Florence Warner rushed down the stairs. First sight of the lone, enchanting silhouette in the living room made her brows arch in rage.
"Cecilia Vaughn, weren’t you always too proud to co back? Why are you suddenly gracing us at the Vaughn Residence today?"
"What’s wrong, Miss High-and-Mighty? Back out on your word again? Figures—you’re a shaless liar at heart!"
Florence couldn’t see Cecilia’s face without recalling her own humiliating scene at Stellerton Naturopathic Hospital last ti!
Her hateful resentnt bubbled over; whatever composure she started out with evaporated. Her words only got filthier and harsher.
...
Faced with Florence’s mockery, Cecilia remained calm—a still, deep lake.
"This is my ho. Why shouldn’t I be here?"
The retort made Florence’s face turn livid and ugly, like a pig’s liver.
She huffed and snorted, then put on an act of "family values," hoping to trap Cecilia from the moral high ground.
"Heh, so you rember the Vaughn Residence is your ho?!"
"Cecilia Vaughn, as a daughter, you’ve ignored your parents for years. Utterly unfilial!"
A sarcastic twist curled Cecilia’s lips.
—Just as expected, a real mother-and-daughter pair: masters at manipulation and guilt-tripping!
—A few sentences, and suddenly I’m a liar, dishonest and unfilial. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I’d committed so unpardonable sin!
Cecilia t Florence’s gaze head-on, every word hitting like a hamr.
"I’m dishonest and unfilial? Ms. Warner, let’s get this straight. You are not my mother."
"As for why I haven’t co back all these years—was it that I wouldn’t, or that I couldn’t? I think your dear daughter knows better than I do!"
The bottomless chill in Cecilia’s eyes made Florence shudder. Even in this sumr heat, she felt a wintry chill crawl up her spine.
She couldn’t help but rember that shoulder flip in the hospital.
Even her butt seed to ache again out of nowhere.
How had that little bitch suddenly beco so strong?!
...
Though she knew her daughter orchestrated Cecilia’s imprisonnt, Florence still wouldn’t admit it out loud.
"You have your own legs! How could Fiona know why you never co ho?"
"Besides, we should thank you for never being around! If it weren’t for that, Tyson Law would never have left you for my darling Fiona!"
ntioning her daughter’s "good match" only made Florence’s smile nastier and more arrogant.
"Anyway, a slut like you who sleeps around—no wonder you stay away. You must love rolling in bed with different n every day, right?!"
Slut?!
Sleeps around with n?!
"Filthy words! Absolutely revolting!"
The girl’s face darkened; Florence Warner’s vulgar insult finally made Cecilia snap.
"Ms. Warner, maybe you see dirt everywhere because your own heart is filthy. You really need to clean yourself out!"
Cecilia’s voice was icy as death. Without hesitation, she grabbed a cup of cold tea from the living room coffee table and flung it right at Florence’s face!
...
In an instant, tea leaves from the premium Bi Luo Chun and pale green tea water drenched Florence Warner’s expensive designer suit!
"Aaaah—"
Her new dress! Cost tens of thousands!
Florence scread in outrage, her face ashen and twisted, glaring daggers at Cecilia.
"You little bitch! I’m going to kill you today!"
...
There, in the living room, Florence started cursing with every vile word she knew.
She rembered complaining about the cold tea and how she’d just had a pot of boiling water on the stove, waiting. An idea struck instantly!
She dared throw tea at ? I’ll ruin that little bitch’s face!
...
"Cecilia Vaughn, take a look at this!"
Florence Warner gave a sinister smile, yanking a fine pearl necklace from around her neck and tossing it at Cecilia’s feet.
Cecilia froze.
This is...
Her mother’s keepsake...
Just as Cecilia stared in shock, Florence seized the freshly boiled teapot and hurled scalding water at Cecilia!
"Go to hell!"
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