Chapter 1292
Rita had seen this side of Karlee many times, but this time a jolt of pure panic shot through her. The “man” Karlee was throwing herself at was her daughter. No—she couldn’t let Karlee lay a hand on Elliana. Elliana was pure, and Karlee was filthy. The thought of those hands on Elliana made Rita’s skin crawl.
On instinct, Rita lunged forward to pull Karlee away. But before her hand reached them, Elliana’s leg shot out, sending Karlee flying.
Elliana hadn’t meant to injure Karlee. She had promised her mother not to cause trouble or risk upsetting Edgar. But Karlee was unbearable. The disgust came too fast.
Karlee reeked of heavy perfume and caked-on makeup—a mix so thick it stung Elliana’s nose. That painted mouth reaching for a kiss made her stomach twist. She either had to kick or be sick.
The kick was pure reflex, and Elliana hadn’t held back. She’d put far too much force behind it.
The door to the room was open, and Karlee sailed straight through it, landing in a heap in the corridor.
“Ah!” This scream was different—sharp and full of pain. The earlier fall had been nothing compared to this. Her voice cracked into agonized sobs.
“It hurts! My arm! I think it’s broken—I heard it snap! Ahhh!”
The servants panicked, rushing to her side.
“Miss Thompson!”
“Her arm is twisted—call a doctor! Hurry!”
“We’re doomed!”
Rita stood frozen as everything erupted around her. Her gaze darted from the weeping Karlee on the floor to Elliana, who remained perfectly still. She hurried to Elliana, grabbed her arm, and whispered urgently, “Elliana, you broke Karlee’s arm. Amilia will come after you. You have to leave now. I’ll get you out the back door.”
A jolt of heartache crashed through Elliana as she studied the worry carved into her mother’s face. Before the amnesia had stolen everything, her mother had blazed through life as a brilliant doctor and relentless fighter—proud, unshakeable, bold enough to stare down any injustice. But ten years of servitude in the Thompson household had ground her down, leaving behind only timidity and caution. Her mother’s wisdom hadn’t vanished; she was simply trapped by gratitude to the Thompsons for saving her life. To repay that single kindness, she had swallowed countless humiliations.
Today, Elliana swore that her mother’s life of degradation would come to an end. With that resolve, she gently squeezed Rita’s hand and offered a reassuring smile.
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“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take care of everything.”
Downstairs, chaos erupted. A shrill scream tore through the floorboards like a knife through silk.
“Who the hell dares lay a hand on my daughter? Show yourself!”
Elliana’s eyebrow arched. The voice belonged to Amilia—Karlee’s mother. Excellent timing. She had been anticipating meeting the impostor who had stolen her mother’s life.
At the sound of Amilia’s voice, Karlee’s wailing surged to new heights. Servants propped her up as she lurched toward her mother, her cries climbing toward hysteria.
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