Chapter 24

Was it possible Miss Norwood was even more skilled than Garrett?
Just then, Lucinda rushed over to her grandfather, practically in tears, and threw her arms around him. “Grandpa, I’m so glad you’re okay. I was really scared. Please, don’t ever scare me like that again.”
Mr. Norwood’s face softened. He gently patted Lucinda’s back. “It’s okay, Lucinda. See, I’m right here. I’m fine.”
As he spoke, his gaze landed on Lydia, who was now standing up. The angry, bloody bite mark on the back of her hand stood out starkly.
Even though his memory was fuzzy, he vaguely remembered clamping down on something with his teeth while his body was convulsing. He never thought…it had actually been his own granddaughter’s hand.
Something in his heart shifted.
He was just about to say something when Lydia’s calm voice broke the silence. “Lucinda, isn’t it time for you to keep your promise?”
Everyone turned to look at Lucinda.
That was right. Just a moment ago, Lucinda had said that if Lydia could save Mr. Norwood without a scratch, she would kneel and apologize.
The room went tense again.
The maids held their breath, and Cameron and Kylie didn’t know what to say.
Mr. Norwood looked confused. “Promise? What promise?”
Lucinda’s eyes filled with tears as she tried to find the right words. Before she could speak, Grace chimed in. “Sir, this is what happened. Miss Lucinda said that if Miss Lydia could save you, she would kneel and thank her.”
Mr. Norwood was stunned. Was that really what happened?
He’d thought Lydia saved him out of family loyalty. He never imagined it was because Lucinda asked for it.
“Grace!”
Cameron and Kylie both spoke at once, their eyes dark with disapproval.
Grace had been with the Norwood family for years, looking after Lucinda since she was a child. They’d never really treated her like just a servant, but that didn’t mean she could twist the truth or speak for them.
Seeing their warning, Grace quickly bowed her head. “I’m sorry, sir. I overstepped.”
Lucinda looked at her parents, the ones who had always spoiled her, now scolding Grace for trying to defend her. A wave of sadness washed over her, but even more than that, she felt jealousy and resentment.
Were her parents really going to make her kneel and apologize to their own daughter?
She turned to her grandfather, her voice trembling, trying to sound as pitiful as possible. “Grandpa, it’s my fault. I came downstairs and saw Lydia holding needles over you. I didn’t know she knew acupuncture, and I panicked. I told her to stop so we could take you to the hospital. Lydia said if she managed to save you, I’d have to kneel and apologize.”
The message was clear. Lucinda was suggesting Lydia had set her up, just to humiliate her. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ
Mr. Norwood listened, his breath coming faster, disappointment clouding his face as he looked at Lydia.
He’d just started to believe his granddaughter wasn’t as awful as he’d thought. Now, it seemed she really did have a problem with her character.
Lydia just smiled and looked at Lucinda, not buying her act for a second. “Lucinda, is that so? You said yourself you’d kneel and apologize. Everyone here heard you. Are you trying to back out?”
Lucinda lifted her chin, face full of sincerity. “I’m not. For Grandpa, I’d do anything. Not just kneel and apologize, I’d give my life for him if I had to.”