Chapter 887
887:
Confused by the silence, Linsey narrowed her eyes, unsure why Caylee refused to answer.
Before anyone else could speak, Gorman stepped into the room. His lips curved into a faint smile, but the chill in his eyes landed squarely on Caylee. “She asked you a question. Why the delay? Is there something you’re trying to avoid?”
The sound of his voice made Caylee lift her head sharply. Her eyes locked on him, swimming with unease and quiet defiance. She knew he had orchestrated that incident.
After a pause to collect herself, Caylee inhaled and turned to Linsey. “Let’s get Zenia changed first. Her clothes are still a mess.”
Gorman did not argue. With a casual nod, he gestured toward a nearby servant. “Take her to wash up.”
Without thinking, Linsey pulled Zenia closer. The little girl clung to her chest like an anchor, and Linsey had no intention of letting go.
“Linsey,” Caylee stepped forward and gently rested her hand over Linsey’s. “She’ll feel better once she’s cleaned up,” she said softly.
Reluctantly, Linsey looked into Caylee’s eyes. After a moment, she let her arms loosen, then crouched down beside Zenia and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “Mommy will be right here, okay? Just for a little while.”
Zenia nodded without protest, quiet and trusting as she followed the servant upstairs.
Once the child had disappeared from view, Caylee lowered her eyes and exhaled. The strength she had held onto began to waver.
Your imagination begins with gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s﹒ç𝗈𝗺
Before saying anything, she cast a glance at Gorman, her brows pinched in frustration. Then, slowly, she turned to Linsey and began to speak. “After you left…”
“Mr. Green sent someone to take Zenia and me here. We both saw you lying there. I told her you were just resting from packing, and she believed me.”
Gorman stood back, silent as ever, though a flicker of amusement danced beneath his half-lowered eyes.
Linsey remained still, but her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. A storm brewed beneath her calm expression.
“He told us this would be our new home,” Caylee continued, her voice turning faint. “He thought Zenia might feel out of place, so he suggested we go for a short walk. Everything was fine until we ran into a group of children. The moment they spotted Zenia, they swarmed her. They shouted things like—she had no father, she was unwanted, like some stray dog.”
Her words began to falter, her breath catching with the memory. “I tried to stop them. I told them to leave her alone, but they just laughed. Some pushed me down. The others started shoving Zenia, taunting her. I only managed to scare them off after I picked up a stick.”
The blood drained from Linsey’s face as her fingers began to tremble. Never once had she faced anything like this while raising Zander and Zenia on her own.
She lived in a time when single parents were nothing out of the ordinary. People didn’t shame children for missing a parent.
And yet, here they were. On their very first day in this house, Zenia had already been cruelly targeted.
.
.
.