Chapter 13
“Of course, someone like me could never be good enough to be your daughter,” Janice said. “Don’t worry, I’ll take my thing and make sure I never bother you or your precious daughter apain!”
She tamed sharply to leave the room.
“Stop right there?” Garrett roared, “If you take one step out of this house, Tllent ties with you?“
Janice Trozze mid–step. Straightening her back, she replied coldly without looking back, “Chir fles were cut a long time ago.”
With that, she ignored the two and lett Reina’s bedroom.
janice remembered that the villa’s surveillance room was at the end of the second–floor hallway. She hurried up the stairs, determined to find a clue about the necklace.
“Stop right now!” Garrett bellowed, furious that Janice dared to defy him. He stormed after her.
Janice’s heart raced as his footsteps closed in She quickened her pace, but before she could get far, Garrett grabbed her arm and yanked her back violenth
Caught off guard, Janice lost her balance. She let out a startled cry as she tumbled backward down the stairs.
Γ.
Time seemed to freeze. Janice squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the inevitable pain. But instead of hitting the floor, she felt herself being caught in a strong, warm embrace
Her eyes flew open, and she saw a familiar face.
It was Malcolm! What was he doing here?
Malcolm’s unexpected appearance made everyone pause. Garrett and Reina were equally taken aback. No one had anticipated his arrival, let alone his timely rescue of Janice.
Garrett was the first to recover. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he tried to mask his unease with a calm facade and said, “Malcolm, what a surprise. i didn’t expect you to come. Janice has been acting out, and I lost my temper for a bit—”
Malcolm cut him off coldly. “Mr. Ludwig, this is your family matter. I have no intention of interfering”
He helped Janice to her feet and briefly scanned her pallid face. There was a flicker of concem in his eyes, too subtle to notice
“However,” he continued, “Reina and I are about to get married. The last thing we need is a scandal involving your family. It wouldn’t bode well for the wedding.”
His words, though seemingly polite, carried a chilling warning,
Reina quickly stepped forward and clung to Malcolm’s arm, her voice soft and pleading. “Malcolm, don’t say that. Dad didn’t mean any harm. He was just worried about Janice and got a little upset.!
She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with feigned innocence, hoping to elicit his sympathy.
Janoce watched the charade with a cold smile
How laughable Garrett and Reina had their act down perfectly.
Shrugging Malcolm’s hand off, Janice said, “Malcolm, drop the act. You’re not fooling anyone. This is between me and them. Stay out of it.”
Her blunt words made Garrett’s face darken with anger. “Where are your manners?” he shouted.
Janice scoffed and met Garrett’s gaze directly. “The day you threw me out and handed over my mother’s keepsake to someone else, you ceased to be my
Her voice wasn’t loud but carried strength, each word cutting into Garrett’s heart like a sharp blade. His hands shook with fury, but he couldn’t find a
rebuttal
too angry to think right now. Please don’t argue with her.
Reina hastily supported Garrett and comforted him, “Dad, don’t let her upset you, Janice is just too ang
Janice turned to Reina and demanded icily, “This is your last chance. Give me back the necklace, or I’ll tear this place apart.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Garrett thundered. “If you so much as touch anything in this house, I’ll make sure you’re banished from this family for good!”
“Janice, enough!”
Malcolm couldn’t stand it any longer. His brow furrowed deeply as he said in annoyance, “Let’s resolve this civilly. Breaking things won’t help anyone and will only make you look bad.”
He reached out again, only for Janice to shove his hand away. Her eyes blazed with hatred.
“Malcolm, I told you, this is none of your business!” she yelled. “You don’t get to meddle in my affairs.”
Makovshinov hajad hovered to male, his expression hardening Taking a deep breath, he forced his temper down and said coldly, “Don’t forget whose house you’re in you keep acting out, I won’t be polite”
If
standing behind Catret, Reina watched the tension escalating between the two. A strange feeling suddenly rose in her chest. She couldn’t shake the booking at being an isolsider in this argument
Malcolm turned to her and probed, “Reina, what’s so special about this necklace? Care to explain?”
Reisa’s heart skipped a boat. She hady’t expectos Malcolin to squestion her.
Chitching her hands nervously, she stammerod, “She must be talking about the necklace she lost. I’ve seen her wear it a few times, and it seems pretty
ortant to her
She pausvel, glancing at Malcolin for his reaction before adding softly, “lanice, don’t you think you’re overreacting? Lunderstand your mom left you that necklace, but you didn’t have to go this lat
Reina purposely trailed off as the implication of her words was obvious: Janice was disrespectful for causing a stir in the family over a mere necklace.
Janice immediately caught on, and she steered. “Reina, cut the act. You know exactly what happened to the necklace,”
Tuking a step closer, she fixed Reina with a piercing glare and said, “I’ll ask one last time. Are you giving it back or not?“
Frightened, Beina instinctively retreated. She knew Janice wasn’t blufting. It pushed, Janice would follow through on her threats.
Malcolm was growing weary of the quarrel and pinched the bridge of his nose. He uttered sullenly, “Reina, the necklace is Janice’s mother’s keepsake. Just retum it to her.”
Reina’s heart burned with resentment at his werds.
