Chapter 518

Chapter 518

She resolved then to teach Josh a lesson-to make him understand his place; to remind him that in this house, he was an outsider. Unlike her. Selena believed she held far more right here, especially now that Eli was being acknowledged as a grandchild of the Miller family.

Selena didn’t return to the garden. Instead, she chose to wait for Eli in the girl’s bedroom.

She headed straight there. After confirming the door wasn’t locked, she pushed it open. The room was dark. Selena stepped inside and switched on the table lamp in the corner.

She sat down on the chair by the window and waited.

A few minutes later, footsteps sounded outside. The doorknob turned slowly. Eli stepped in-then froze when she saw Selena already inside.

“Mom?” Eli stopped in her tracks. “Why are you here? Since when p>

Selena turned to her, her expression unreadable. “Since when am I forbidden from entering your room?” She rose slowly to her feet, her gaze sharp. “I should be the one asking. Why were you in the garden instead of your room, like you were told p>

Eli swallowed. She blinked several times. How did her mother know she’d been in the garden?

Had she seen something… no-how much had she seen?

Stay calm, Eli, she told herself. She forced her expression to remain neutral, as if nothing had happened. “I… I just wanted to calm myself down p>

“Calm yourself down?” Selena echoed, her tone edged with mockery. “Or were you looking for sympathy p>

Eli shook her head quickly. “I never did that, Mom p>

Selena curled her lips into a thin smile as she stepped closer. “Since when are you and Josh so close p>

Eli fell silent, trying to avert her gaze. “Don’t you already know that we’ve met before p>

“Don’t lie to me,” Selena pressed. “I saw you two in the garden. That alone proves your relationship isn’t just a casual meeting p>

Eli lifted her face, forcing herself to stay calm. “We’re not as close as you think, Mom p>

Selena narrowed her eyes. “What were you talking about p>

Eli looked straight at her mother. This time, she wouldn’t hide Josh’s resentment. “He’s angry at you, Mom. And he’s disappointed in me. That’s all p>

Selena let out a short laugh, as if the words meant nothing. “And you just let him say that p>

“I can’t force him to think differently,” Eli replied softly. “Besides, isn’t it normal for him not to like what you did, Mom? And because of that, he ended up disappointed in me too p>

Selena stared at her daughter for a long moment. There was something in Eli’s demeanor that irritated her even more. The girl was no longer entirely under her influence.

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“Remember this, Eli,” Selena said firmly. “Whatever you do in this house must be under my control p>

Eli lowered her head. “I never intended to go against you, Mom p>

“Make sure you don’t,” Selena replied coldly. “Because if you do, you’ll regret it p>

“But could you stop doing things that make them uncomfortable?” Eli asked.

Selena’s brow furrowed.

“I know I shouldn’t be saying this to you, Mom,” Eli continued. Anxiety twisted inside her, but she refused to hold back any longer. “We’re in this house because of GrandDad. Shouldn’t we respect everything that belongs to this house as well? Shouldn’t that be the right thing to do p>

Selena’s hands clenched tightly. The urge to teach Eli a lesson nearly pushed her over the edge.

“I’ve said this to you before too, haven’t I, Mom?” Eli went on. “Wasn’t being here your wish? Then why are you making everyone in this house lose sympathy for you p>

“What the hell was wrong with that crazy woman?” Felicia muttered as she walked beside Althea.

Althea, on the other hand, looked calm and completely unbothered. “Let her be. The more we react, the more she enjoys it p>

“But she had no right to say those things to you, Althea ”

“I know,” Althea replied with a small smile.

“God, why haven’t you changed at all?” Felicia snapped in frustration. “You still let people treat you badly. You should fight back, Althea p>

Felicia truly felt exasperated by Althea’s gentle nature.

Ah-she should have realized long ago that this softness had always been part of Althea. Felicia hadn’t forgotten the time when she herself had treated Althea poorly. She regretted it deeply now. Althea’s sincerity and kindness filled her with shame-and because of that, she had changed her attitude.

Completely. One hundred percent.

And now,

she stood firmly in the very front line, ready to defend Althea if anyone dared treat her badly. Anyone at all. No exceptions.

“Fighting her doesn’t mean throwing harsh words around, Feli,” Althea laughed softly. “Besides, I still want to observe her closely-to see what’s really behind her intense determination to be here p>

“She pressured Mr. and Mrs. Miller?” Felicia blurted out, stunned. “Just so she could stay in this house p>

“Yes. If you’ve been following the news lately, you’d be shocked by what she’s done p>

Felicia clenched her fists. “She’s absolutely manipulative p>

Althea only gave a faint smile as they arrived at the right-wing pavilion. Several men in black suits greeted

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them, bowing politely. Ever since Selena and Eli arrived, Cale had specifically requested that the right-wing pavilion remain under strict surveillance.

Riana and Nathan hadn’t objected to the slightest-this was about Althea’s safety and that of her children. Just as Cale had also arranged for additional personnel to discreetly monitor Selena’s movements throughout the house.

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