“Mrs. Thompson, I’ve fulfilled our agreement
by raising Grace.”
“I don’t need this family’s charity. Please
settle the payment, and I’ll leave.
“You!”
99
Mrs. Thompson, used to being in a position of
power, rarely faced such disrespect. She
turned livid.
“You’re ungrateful. I shouldn’t have chosen
L
you to look after Grace!”
“But it’s fine, I’ve found someone to replace
you.”
She sneered, pulling a check from her purse
and throwing it in my face.
Then she turned to the woman beside her.
The woman smiled graciously, extending her
hand to Grace.
“Mommy!”
Grace immediately threw herself into her
arms, crying.
Her appearance was so pitiful and sweet that
I wondered if the Grace I knew was a
completely different person.
Mrs. Thompson, watching the tender reunion,
beamed with satisfaction.
She looked at me with contempt. “Did your
think you were irreplaceable?”
“Look at her, you know her, right? You’re
both from the same orphanage.”
“Tch tch, only rats like you would stay in such
a dirty, smelly place.”
My brows furrowed, I clenched my teeth.
“In that case, I’m leaving.”
“Wait, who said you could go?”
A familiar voice interrupted.
Mr. Thompson walked in, his steps steady
and silent.
He looked at me intently, his eyes calm.
But his voice held a hint of displeasure.
I lowered my gaze, avoiding his intense stare.
“Mr. Thompson, this was our agreement.
وو
“So what? Without my permission, nobody
leaves!”
At this moment, Grace excitedly shouted.
“Dad, it’s Mom! Mom is back!”
She ran over, bumping me aside, grabbing the
woman’s hand and pulling her to Mr.
Thompson.
Mr Thompson looked stunned for a moment
then his eyes lit up.
“Katherine?!”
He called out in a trembling voice, and upon
seeing her shy response, he immediately
scooped her up in his arms.
But halfway through, he turned back, throwing
me a sentence.
“Since you’re so disrespectful, just get out.”
“I have a better replacement, I don’t need a
lowly, disobedient defective!”
Grace, having just turned eighteen, was
immature, and having never met Lin Ke,
mistook this woman for her.
But Mr. Thompson was different. He saw the
woman’s even closer resemblance to Lin Ke,
and her younger body.
In a way, he was “loyal.”
I scoffed inwardly and turned to leave.
But Grace blocked my path.
She smiled wickedly, her eyes filled with
intense hostility.
“Hahaha, now that my mother is back, I’ll see
how arrogant you still are!”
“Just wait for my father to dump you!”
I glanced at her, emotionless, and bent to
pick up the check.
But when she saw my indifference, Grace’s
face changed.
“You bitch, why aren’t you paying attention to
me?!”
She ran up to me, grabbing my sleeve.
“I don’t need your care anymore, so I don’t
وو
have to listen to you.”
I bypassed her and tried to leave.
Seeing my resolve, a flicker of panic flashed
in Grace’s eyes.
She desperately grabbed my clothes, snarling,
but her voice lacked conviction.
“You can’t leave! I won’t let you!”
I didn’t look back, pulling my sleeve free and
walking forward.
“I don’t need your permission.”
“From now on, I won’t cater to your whims.”
“Grace, we’ll never see each other again.”
Grace’s face turned pale.
She panted like a trapped animal, then,
grabbing a stone, threw it at me.
The heavy stone hit my head, causing a
dizzying sensation.
Clutching my bleeding head, I collapsed.
“Grace…”
I croaked, blood spraying from my mouth.
She flinched, biting her lip and sneering.
“Serves you right, who told you to leave
without my permission?”
Looking at this ruthless girl, a complex mix of
emotions filled me.
Why had she become like this?
As a child, she was bullied at her elite school,
and ran home crying for me to help her.
Back then, she was small and gentle, tears
streaming down her rosy cheeks.
“Waaah, they’re bullying me, saying I’m a kid
without a mother.”
“I told them I had you, but they said you were
just a servant, and only fools would consider
a maid their mother.”
She threw herself into my arms, crying her
heart out.
I hugged her, heartbroken. “Grace, don’t be
afraid, I’ll help you teach them a lesson,
okay?”
She wiped away her tears and shook her
head.
“No, I’ll do it myself! Eleanor, can you teach
me how to fight back?”
I was surprised but happy. I taught her how to
intimidate people by throwing things.
But now, she used it against me.
The wound burned, but my heart was icy.
Let the sweet girl I knew die.
Then I’d have no attachment to the
Thompsons.
I staggered to my feet, pressing on my
wound, and continued walking.
Grace was furious.
“You lowly bitch! How dare you ignore me!”
She lunged again, but I dodged her.
“Get away from me.
وو
I narrowed my eyes, projecting my aura.
I was used to being subservient in the
Thompson house, but I hadn’t forgotten my
past struggles.
That period had hardened me, physically and
mentally, I even learned martial arts.
I tore off a piece of my sleeve, made a
makeshift bandage, smashed the car window
at the front of the house, and sped off.
Behind me, Grace’s enraged screams faded
into the distance.
The car quickly left the Thompson villa and
entered Mr. Thompson’s vast estate.
But as I was about to leave the estate, the
gates suddenly closed.
