Chapter 528
528:
The moment she saw him, the emotions she had been holding back broke free. Tears welled up in her eyes as she sobbed, “Jeffery!”
Without hesitation, Jeffery pulled her into a comforting embrace, gently patting her shoulder while his gaze swept over Carol’s friends.
“Someone explain—what’s going on?” he demanded. His eyes briefly rested on the faint bruise on Annie’s shoulder. His voice dropped as he asked, “Did Carol hurt you? I’m sorry. Go take care of that first.”
Annie, touched by his concern, felt a flicker of warmth replace her earlier resentment. “It’s nothing, Mr. Lawson. I was out of line when I spoke to Carol.”
Jeffery’s expression shifted as he glanced down at his still-crying sister. With a sigh, he turned his attention to the mess on the floor. “There’s water everywhere. Have someone clean it up before Carol slips.”
As if on cue, Alexa walked in to tidy up.
“Carol, stop crying, or you’ll ruin your makeup. Just tell me—what happened to upset you this much?” Jeffery said as he handed her a tissue and gently dabbed at her tears.
Alexa, silently wiping the floor, couldn’t help but speak up. “Miss Lawson, whatever it is, just tell Mr. Lawson. He’ll handle it for you.”
Carol sniffled and glanced at her brother with grievance and frustration. “Annie said a woman at tonight’s birthday party looks just like you. People are saying she’s Dad’s illegitimate daughter!”
The cup Alexa had just picked up slipped from her grasp, shattering against the floor. The sharp sound cut through the room, drawing everyone’s attention.
Startled, Carol snapped, “Be more careful! Didn’t they train you properly before you got this job?”
Alexa quickly masked the flicker of guilt in her eyes and bowed her head. “I’m so sorry, Miss Lawson. I’ll be more careful.”
gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs．c𝗈𝗺, a world of tales
Carol’s words echoed in Alexa’s mind, and her thoughts immediately turned to Linsey.
From the first moment Alexa saw Linsey, she had noticed how much she resembled Myla. Later, when she met Jeffery, the similarities between him and Linsey became impossible to ignore.
One thing was for sure: if Myla ever crossed paths with Linsey, she would ask questions. And when that happened, Carol would be in trouble.
Jeffery barely reacted, his expression unreadable. Still, his tone was calm as he said, “Alright, Carol, it was just a mistake.”
Carol listened as Jeffery defended Alexa, and in that moment, she recalled what Alexa had told her earlier. So, Alexa really was following his instructions. Since that was the case, there was no point in arguing with a mere servant.
“I knew it! You never take my side! I’m upset, and you haven’t even tried to make me feel better! Can you believe the nonsense people are spreading? Doesn’t it bother you? I refuse to believe Dad has some illegitimate child!” Carol huffed, crossing her arms.
Jeffery gently patted her head, his tone calm. “I don’t believe it either. You shouldn’t let it bother you. People love to stir up drama for no reason.”
Then, his expression darkened slightly. “If anyone keeps running their mouth, they’ll be thrown out and banned from our events going forward.”
Hearing that, Carol finally relaxed a little. “Now that’s what I like to hear!” She tossed her hair over her shoulder but was still visibly annoyed. “Everyone here tonight is someone I know. If there really was a woman who looked like you, how could I not have noticed?”
Nearby, Alexa tensed as she silently cleaned up. If Carol ever learned the truth—that Linsey was the real daughter of the Lawson family—she would never accept it.
Jeffery chuckled softly but didn’t argue. His sister had always been terrible at recognizing faces. She would never admit it, though, and Jeffery didn’t see the point in pressing the issue.
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