Chapter 391

391
391
It only took one glance for the anger ta boil over,
There they were–Taylor and her son Hayden–standing at the door of the previously war ant room across the courtyard. Timothy was wit them, and Caitlin too, along with a small crowd gathered outside.
“I’m going over there,” Carmen muttered, marching toward the commotion.
The room had already been cleaned and arranged, Hayden wheeled Taylor inside, followed by her attendants carrying several personal items -among them, a cherished antique phonograph, a gift from Timothy in their younger days. Taylor had kept it in pristine condition.
“Vivienne, play one of my old songs.” Taylor said softly, clearly pleased with her new quarters. From here, she could see Rachel’s room directly across the courtyard
Vivienne placed a vinyl on the turntable, and soon, the nostalgic voice of Taylor in her youth echoed through the courtyard–clear, soulful, unforgettable .
Timothy stood nearby, his expression pensive. The song seemed to pull him back in time, to a part of his life he’d long buried
When Carmen arrived and heard the music, her face darkened.
“Could you turn that down? Or better yet–off! My grandmother is trying to rest. She needs peace and quiet!”
Taylor gave her a sideways glance and said calmly, “Vivienne, turn it up. I can’t hear it clearly.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Vivienne replied, and the volume rose, flooding the courtyard with Taylor’s voice.
“Grandpa, do you hear this?” Carmen turned to Timothy, expecting his support.
“I haven’t heard that voice in so long. Timothy murmured. “It’s beautiful.”
Furious at his indifference, Carmen exploded. “You people are unbelievabled”
She stormed inside, knocked over the phonograph, and started stomping on it, smashing it to pieces.
“No–don’t! That was my favorite!” Taylor cried, her voice breaking as her treasured memories were crushed under Carmen’s heel
Hayden’s eyes darkened with rage. He seized Carmen by the arm, yanked her back, and landed four sharp slaps across her face.
Smack. Smack, Smack . Smack,
The blows knocked her to the floor, stunned and wide–eyed, as Hayden loomed over her like a shadow.
“If you ever lay a finger on my mother again, I won’t be this polite.”
Carmen scrambled to look at Timothy. “Grandpa, he hit me!”
“You brought it on yoursell, Timothy said coldly. “That phonograph was a gift from me. She only wantesten to some music–how dare you destroy it?”
Taylor, tears slipping down her cheeks, looked away. “Forget it, Timothy, I know it’s just a thing… But it was from you.”
His face softened. “Forrest!” he called out to the house steward. “Bring the phonograph from my room. She’ll have it instead.”
391
Watching all this unfold, Carmen fled, humiliated and furious.
From the sidelines, Caitlin stood with arms crossed, an amused glint in her eyes. Like the saying goes–two queens can’t rule the sama mountain. Taylor and Rachel living as neighbors? This was just the beginning.
Back in the main house, Carmen recounted everything to the rest of her family, Greta gasped at the sight of her swollen face. “This is outrageous ! ”
“They’re turning your father against us,” she told Quill. “He’s been bewitched. What are we going to do
Quill sighed. “Father’s completely lost it.”
In her bedroom, Rachel was fuming. When she heard about the smashed phonograph and Carmen getting slapped, she slammed her fists against the bed. “Over a stupid record player? That bastard wants to drive me to my grave!”
Just then, Forrest entered
“Ma’am, I’ve come to collect the phonograph.”
“What for?” Rachel asked sharply.
“Mr. Timothy’s orders,” Forrest answered, taking it from the cabinet without waiting for permission.
“You put that back right now!”
But Forrest ignored her and walked off.
Rachel, trembling with rage, clutched her chest–and then, another gush of blood spilled from her lips as she collapsed unconscious onto the
bed .
“Mom!”
“Call an ambulance! Hurry!”
Chaos erupted in the room as family members scrambled–performing CPR, calling emergency services, and trying to keep her stable.
in ! You have to come now!”
Douglas rushed to find Timothy “Grandpa! It’s bad! Grandma passed out again! You
Timothy said nothing but followed Douglas without hesitation.
Once he was gone, Taylor’s expression returned to icy calm.
She would make sure Rachel suffered for everything she had done.
This was only the beginning.
“I’ll go too,” Caitlin said, following after them. She had to see the look on Rachel’s face with her own eyes
As paramedics carried Rachel out on a stretcher, Caitlin stood silently in the courtyard, watching the scene with a calm, unreadable smile.
They a
all thought they could live comfortably?
Not anymore.
391
Taylor was the weapon.
Rachel was the target.
And Caitlin the one holding the blade.
This was her real objective all along
The very next morning. The Vuncey Family’s chaos exploded across the country’s news networks.
It was the talk of every household, every online thread. While the public marveled at Timothy’s whirlwind birthday turned wedding, only he knew how much trouble was brewing,
Rachel had barely been saved in time. She now lay in the hospital under critical care.
And her children and grandchildren?
They were livid
They all came to Timothy, demanding Taylor be kicked out of the estate.
*Dad, you have to choose. The doctors said she can’t be around any stress. And Taylor being across the courtyard? That’s stress/
Timothy hesitated, caught between loyalty and duty.
Then Caitlin stepped forward.
othly. “One that works for everyone!
“I have a solution,” she said smoothly.
“Oh?” Timothy looked at her. “What do you suggest?”
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