Chapter 17
The other guests finally snapped out of their shock from Avery’s “wild remarks” and started urging both her and Molly to calm down. Avery, done with the scene, turned to leave.
Abigail ran up to her, grabbing her arm. “Avery, please just apologize to Mom. She worked herself to the bone organizing this party for your birthday. She barely slept in the last three days. She was just so upset; that’s why she lost her temper.
Molly, who had just calmed down thanks to the guests, looked up and saw Abigail pleading with Avery. Instantly, her anger reignited. She pulled Abigail into her arms protectively and glared daggers at Avery. “What have I done to deserve such an ungrateful child?”
Abigail quickly interjected, “Mom, please don’t say that about Avery. She’s just emotional. That’s why she said those things.”
She pulled away from Molly’s embrace, her face full of worry as she looked at Avery. “Avery, please apologize to Mom! I know you’ve always felt like Mom was unfair to you, and that’s why things are tense. I’m already planning to move out. I just wanted to be with Mom and Dad one last time for your birthday before I left…”
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, and Molly, seeing her cry, immediately turned sympathetic.
Wiping her tears, Molly said coldly, “What do you mean? As long as I’m here, you’ll always be my precious daughter. No one has the right to make you leave.”
“But Avery…”
“Avery?” Molly shot Avery a disdainful look. “From this moment on, I no longer have a daughter like her-”
“And she doesn’t need a mother who can’t tell right from wrong.” A familiar voice interrupted. Avery didn’t even have a chance to react before she was pulled into a warm
embrace.
The scent of mint drifted over her. She looked up, surprised, and met Joshua’s intense gaze.
She hadn’t felt upset when Molly slapped her or even when Molly declared she was no longer her daughter. But now that she was being held in Joshua’s arms, she suddenly felt the urge to
cry.
She tilted her head back while holding in her tears. “Why are you here?” she asked, trying to
sound casual.
“If I’d arrived a minute later, you would’ve been in real trouble, wouldn’t you?” His gaze lingered on the scratch on her cheek, and a flash of anger crossed his face.
Howard witnessed the entire exchange nearby and felt a chill run down his spine. Forgetting
about the crowd watching, he stormed up to Molly and slapped her hard across the face.
Caught off guard, Molly stumbled back, staring at him in disbelief. “Did you just hit me?”
Throughout their marriage, even if he had been frustrated with her, Howard had never laid a hand on her. But today, he humiliated her in front of everyone. It had to be one of those mistresses outside filling his head with nonsense.
As her thoughts raced, Molly’s face contorted with fury.
Howard, seeing her twisted expression, only grew angrier. He was about to reprimand her when he noticed the pale Abigail trembling before collapsing on the floor.
At first, he didn’t think much of it. Then, someone shouted, “Wait… There’s blood under her!”
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