Chapter 94
Lucy didn’t say anything more, probably because she remembered the painful ten years I spent.
Whatever one dedicated oneself to for a decade, one was bound to see some results.
I spent those ten years on Hayden, but all I gained was nothing but painful lessons.
Perhaps, just as Lucy said, Hayden noticed that I was different from the person I used to be, and that was why his attitude toward me changed.
But it no longer mattered.
Everything about him was irrelevant to me now.
After having dinner with Lacy, I didn’t return to Rosy House. Instead, I went to the apartment on Eastline Road that
mother had left
When I opened the door, everything was
g was eerily silent, dark, and cold. It no longer had the warmth it used to when my mother was here..
In the center of the living room was the Steinway piano she had always wanted, the one she had bought at an auction
I had brought it back, but she would never see it again,
I slowly walked over, running my fingers over the black–and–white keys, and the sheet music she had once taught me began to flost to the surface of
my mind
One piece
e after another, I played passionately, as though this was the only way I could remember the days when my mother was still There.
Tomorrow was a holiday, a day when families would gather together, but I no longer had any family left.
My father probably only cared about Sophia and the unborn son.
The Jackson family no longer had any connection to me.
I didn’t know how long I played for, but eventually, my fingertips started to hurt, and the phone in my bag began to vibrate.
to ignore it
I thought it was Hayden again, so
so I decided to
But the vibration didn’t stop. Annoyed, I picked up the phone, intending to hang up, only to see that it was my father calling.
1 froue for a moment, then reluctantly answered.
There was a one in a million chance that he was calling to ask me to come home for the holiday, and I was willing to take that slim chance.
Unfortunately, the first thing my father said was. “I’ve heard someone’s been buying up large amounts of shares in the Jackson Group. Do you know anything about that?”
His tone was stern, lacking any trace of kindness or warmly as if he were interrogating a criminal.
A chill ran through me. He had already found out
Although Hayden was a complete jerk when it came to relationships, he was reliable when it came to getting business done.
Hayden had said my father would find out soon, and he was right.
“I don’t know anything about it, I answered without changing my expression.
“You don’t know? Wasn’t it you?” My father asked angrily
He must have discovered some clue.
But at this moment, I had no choice but to deny it. “Dad, if there’s nothing else, I need to get back to work.
“What work? The Jackson Group isn’t some hot commodity, and it’s not like people would suddenly start buying up shares at such high prices. Who
“you ne really something. Wan’t what Grandpa gave you enough? Now you want to take what’s mine, too!” Yosef wvoice was full of fury, nearly koning control.
17
12:39 PM
Chapter 94
All the shares in the Jackson Group should have belonged to him, and he was already unhappy that I had gotten a portion of them
At first, he had thought that even if I held onto them, they were still technically his. But now that he had married Sophia, and she was pregnant with his son, Yosef wasn’t going to let the Jackson Group’s shares slip away.
Istened to my father’s words, my grip on the phone tightening.
“What Grandpa gave me, I will protect,” 1 finally said after a long silence.
Yosef completely lost it. His loud voice, one I had never heard before, roared at me. “If your grandpa knew I could have a son, do you really think he would have left the shares to you!
“You better give me back those shares, and give them to your brother!”
I stood there, frozen, unable to respond.
Everyone knew the truth, and as long as my father had never said it out loud, I could still pretend he didn’t feel this way.
But now, he had said everything, I could no longer pretend I didn’t know.
The Jackson family had finally closed its doors on me.
ly had me. I don’t have any brothers,” I said before I abruptly hung up the phone.
“My mom only
Yosef seemed to be infuriated. The calls kept coming one after another, and I just turned my phone off
When the screen finally went black, the entire living room fell into a deep silence.
I slumped over the piano, replaying scenes from when my mother was still alive, and hot, silent tears slid down the comers of my eyes
I was not sure how much time passed, but my eyelids grew heavier and heavier until 1 finally drifted off to sleep.
In my dream, I seemed to have gone back to my childhood
My mother had made breakfast and was calling me to get up. “Yvonne, if you don’t get up now, you’re going to be late for school”
Her gentle, coaxing voice sounded in my ears, and I rubbed my eyes. “Mom, I’m sleepy-
“Then the meal will get cold,” she replied.
Reluctantly, I got up, washed my face, and went straight to the dining room.
We had maids, but my mom preferred to cook herself. She always said it made her feel happy
I climbed onto the dining table and smiled happily at the breakfast in front of me.
My mom smiled as she saw me eating, gently patting my hair. “Yvonne, eat more. Grow up big and strong And promise me one thing. Don’t end up like me, falling head over heels for someone and losing yourself in love, alright?”
“What do you mean, Mommy?” I asked, tiling my head in confusion.
She explained. “It’s when you forget yourself because you’re so focused on loving someone else. It’s the dumbest thing you can do
“That’s what I did, and in the end, I lost everything, my husband, and my family. Yvonne, promise me… You can’t be like me.”
As she spoke, her expression began to twist, becoming frighteningly distorted.
I panicked and started to cry. “Mom, don’t talk like that. I’m scared…
Hut she grabbed my shoulders and kept shaking me. “Yvonne. You better remember this. Don’t let Joanna steal your husband, and don’t let her steal
your dad
“Doner keeverything from you like her mom took everything from me. Even if you have to divorce him, don’t let her win!”
“Ah I screamed in terror, waking up suddenly. Only then did I realize that in front of the was nothing but the cold, silent piano.
The delicious breakfast and my mother’s twisted face were gone.
all just a dream
Chapter 91
My mother jumped to her death. She must have carried so much hate and resentment in her hear, I wondered
1 shook my head, trying hard to forget the images from the dream.
Then, my phone buzzed twice.
I picked it up and saw that Lucy had sent me a message
[Happy Holiday!] She had sent me a text early this morning, around 7 a.m. asking me about my plans.
Now, it was already 11 am, and she had sent me a screenshot along with a whole bunch of messages.
Lucy: [OMG. This is infuriating, Joanna actually went to the Parker residence to celebrate the holiday!
Lury: [How is she so close to that old witch? When did they start teaming up?)
Lucy: [Did Hayden take her there! That jerk. Yesterday, he was all over you, and today, he’s showing his true colors!]
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