Wordlessly, I just listened to her with no intention of interrupting. She got the waiter to refill her cup before continuing, “When I was 24, both of us started to envision our future. I even imagined what my life would be like after getting married to him. I found it beautiful and worth looking forward to, but the reality is cruel. Very few children born from ordinary families can easily gain the respect of others. Only those who are born of noble birth are gifted with inherent superiority and elegance, which make them stand out from the crowd.”
She looked at me with contempt in her eyes. “Very few people possess inherent nobility because a trait like this only runs in the blood.”
I frowned inadvertently but let her continue.
She leaned back slightly before speaking again, “Because of our difference in family background, I was rejected by the Moore family. Being the proud woman I was, I left Zachary in a fit of anger, wanting to make a living for myself. So on the day I left K City, I vowed to one day become someone the Moore family looked up to.”
Here, she chuckled with self-mockery. “But fate is a funny thing. I only realized I was pregnant after leaving K City. My pride did not allow me to go back to Zachary, but I was young and it was my first child, so I couldn’t bring myself to abort it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t raise her either. While I was caught in a dilemma, my belly grew bigger and bigger. In the end, I had to give birth to her. I’d thought of finding a man to make things easier, but how could I settle for anything less than Zachary? So after giving birth, I went abroad alone.”
Seeing the sorrow lining her features, my brows drew together slightly. This woman had been fueled by ambition her whole life, but now, I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing.
A brief silence ensued before she went on, “Do you know how difficult it is for a woman in her twenties to live abroad? It’s like walking on a tightrope. I couldn’t sleep at night as I was plagued with thoughts about my child, missing her day and night. But I couldn’t go back to get her, not until I’d saved enough money and had a stable income. Ten years passed just like that. When I went back to R Province to look for her, I found that she had already been thrown out by that damnable man. My child whom I had risked my life for!”
Noticing the mist pooling in her eyes, I lowered my gaze as a dull ache formed in my chest. Even if I sacrificed my life, I would never be able to get my child back. A sneer escaped my lips as I looked at her again. “So? Is this an excuse for you to hurt others?”
She shook her head, calming herself before replying, “Sixteen years. That’s how long I’ve been looking for Rebecca. Even as I longed for her during those sixteen years, I prayed that she was living a good life. To find her, I wasn’t willing to have a baby with someone else after I got married and would rather be a stepmother. I’ve been atoning for my mistakes for so many years and now, I’ve finally found her. You may say that I’m selfish and evil. I won’t deny it. But as a mother, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill all of Rebecca’s wishes. Right now, I only live for her.”
I sneered. “You love your daughter more than life itself. Don’t you think other people would feel the same about their own child?”
“Nothing else is more important than my daughter.” She looked at me, raising her tone a little when she said, “Scarlett, you had a choice. If you’d chosen to get rid of the child and leave Ashton from the start, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. I gave you a choice, didn’t I?”
I really had the urge to laugh, but my anger overpowered it. There were indeed shameless people in the world who could make their selfish and evil deeds sound so noble.
“I’m impressed, Ms. Anderson. As expected of someone who has been through many hardships in life, you can even justify such heinous crimes so effortlessly. Since your hands are covered with my child’s blood, aren’t you afraid that your grandchild will receive retribution because of you?” I was no saint. My heart would never waver just because of a couple of sob stories.
Right then, I realized that it was truly impossible to perform the virtuous act of burying the hatchet.
Her face darkened at my words. “Do you think you pose a threat to me just because you’re associated with Louis Stovall now? To put it bluntly, you’re nothing but an ant beneath my boot. If I want you dead, do you think there’s anything you can do to stop me?”
Hah!
What arrogant words!
“My life isn’t worth that much to begin with. If you have what it takes to claim it, by all means, go ahead. Indeed, being associated with Uncle Louis isn’t all that impressive, but you’d do well to remember that the child you killed belonged to Ashton. Not to mention, I’m now connected to Louis Stovall in addition to the White family. Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you. I also have a brother called John Stovall. You should know him. With a line-up like this, what do you think are the chances of me pushing the Moore family off the edge?”
“You…” Cameron’s face blanched.
“Those are very arrogant words, young lady. What makes you think you’d be able to convince that many people to help you?”
I hadn’t sensed Zachary’s presence, but I wasn’t intimidated by him whatsoever. He came over and sat beside Cameron, cocking a brow at me. “The matter regarding the child was a mistake on Cameron’s part, but Ms. Stovall, do you really think you have the power to topple my family?”
