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Chapter 85

Chapter 85:
“You saw it clearly?” Belinda couldn’t help but chuckle with a hint of sarcasm. “Kylee offered the bowl of soup to me yesterday with both of her hands, one hand cleverly shielding her action from prying eyes. Only she and I knew the truth of the situation.”
Looking directly into Holley’s eyes, disappointment evident, Belinda continued, “I’m your daughter. Don’t you know what kind of person I am? Yet, it seems you’ve chosen to believe Kylee over me…”
She paused, adding gravely, “Mom, this isn’t the first time this has happened.”
“N-No, Belinda, it’s not like that,” Holley stammered, clearly upset.
Holley’s hesitation clearly communicated her inner thoughts. Belinda let out a cold laugh in her heart, though her expression stayed calm. She asked, “This isn’t the only reason you came here to see me, is it?”
“Belinda…” Holley’s voice was gentle as she reached out to clasp Belinda’s hand, her eyes earnest. “I believe you.”
Belinda’s reaction was subtle, her eyes narrowing just perceptibly. She met Holley’s gaze silently. It was apparent to her that Holley wanted to say something more.
Just as Belinda had expected, seconds later, Holley continued, “However, Belinda, you cannot deny that you deliberately poured that soup on Kylee’s hand the second time. That was clearly wrong. Shouldn’t you apologize to Kylee for that?”
Belinda was not surprised by Holley’s words. She knew this was the true motive behind Holley’s visit this time. What value was there in Holley’s earlier declaration of belief anyway? Disappointment welled up within Belinda.
She gave Holley a slight smile and said, “If that’s all you came here for, you might as well leave now. I will never apologize to Kylee.”
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Holley’s expression turned worried. “Belinda, please listen to me this once, okay? Compromise can be a virtue. Kylee holds a significant place in the Wright family. Have you thought about how your father or Carola would react to this? Think about Carola! Kylee is her cherished daughter. What do you think will happen when she learns of this? Do you believe we will both emerge unaffected then?”
Carola had been away in Soling since yesterday and was still unaware of the incident. At the mention of Carola, Belinda’s gaze wavered slightly. But after a few seconds, her face settled back into an expression of indifference.
“So? If they wish to confront me, I’m ready.”
Belinda was prepared for any backlash since she had made the choice to pour the soup on Kylee at that time.
Holley, now both anxious and frustrated, said, “Belinda, you—”
Belinda interjected sharply, “That’s enough, Mom! I need to get back to work now. You should leave.”
With that, Belinda turned to walk away.
“Belinda!” Holley raised her voice with urgency. “Consider this—even if you’re not worried about the consequences, what about me? How will I face them? How can I look your father in the eye from now on? Do you believe he’ll be gentle with me after everything that has happened?”
Emotion cracked Holley’s voice, a hint of a sob breaking through as she spoke.
Belinda stopped in her tracks at that sound. Her posture tensed, her face momentarily losing color. She felt overwhelmed and trapped, as though being sucked down into an abyss, her feet dragged against her will. She tried to resist, yet she found herself devoid of strength. It was always like this. Whenever her actions slightly affected Holley, Holley would resort to emotional blackmail to coerce her into compliance. She had yielded so many times before. But not this time.
Without turning to face her mother, Belinda said clearly, “Mom, don’t worry. Even if Dad leaves you, I won’t. I am able to take care of you on my own.”
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