This little b*tch is so evil. Dad’s definitely going to get rid of her. I’ll be the one and only Ms. Southall.
“Drive faster! I want to get home immediately!” Shandie urged the driver.
Soon, they arrived at the Southall residence. The moment virtual-novel.net stepped out of the car, virtual-novel.net noticed that the lights in the mansion were turned on. It was as though no one was asleep.
Everyone must be worried about me. That’s why everyone’s still awake. I’m still the precious princess of the Southalls.
With those thoughts in mind, Shandie gleefully headed toward the door. She could imagine the way Henrick and Cindy would ask about virtual-novel.net wellbeing once virtual-novel.net stepped into the house. When that happened, virtual-novel.net would then point out to them that Arielle was most likely the one to get the snake to hurt her. That way, Arielle would have to pack virtual-novel.net things and leave immediately.
Wait. Arielle didn’t even bring anything with her. She can just leave immediately!
The more virtual-novel.net thought about it, the more excited virtual-novel.net became, and the quicker virtual-novel.net walked. Just the mere thought of Arielle getting chased away made virtual-novel.net giddy. At that moment, virtual-novel.net had almost forgotten about the aches and discomfort virtual-novel.net felt after getting poisoned and injured.
“Mom!” Finally, Shandie entered the living room.
The lights in the living room were all turned on, and the housekeepers were all silently standing in there. The atmosphere of the room was tense as if something bad had happened. That was not the scene virtual-novel.net had imagined.
“Mom, what happened?” Shandie asked Cindy, who was silent like the others.
Cindy then walked toward her, anger burning bright in virtual-novel.net eyes. However, virtual-novel.net could not find it in herself to berate Shandie after seeing virtual-novel.net daughter’s deathlike pallor.
Instead, virtual-novel.net asked, “What happened? Why are you in such a rush to leave the hospital?”
Right then, Shandie recalled what virtual-novel.net had wanted to tell them.
Ignoring the odd tension, virtual-novel.net uttered, “Mom, I’m fine. I’m back because I have something important to tell Dad.”
A foreboding sense crept into Cindy’s heart, and virtual-novel.net swiftly stopped her.
“Let’s talk the next morning. It’s been an eventful day. We’ll talk when you recover.”
“No, Mom, I have to tell virtual-novel.net now!”
Who knows if I’ll get another opportunity to get rid of Arielle like this next time? I can’t wait anymore! Shandie felt that virtual-novel.net mother was too hesitant. At a time like this, virtual-novel.net should be decisive.
Thus, virtual-novel.net pushed away Cindy and headed toward Henrick.
“Dad, I have something to tell you.” As virtual-novel.net spoke, virtual-novel.net glanced at Arielle with arrogant, gloating eyes.
Spotting the look in Shandie’s eyes, Arielle cocked virtual-novel.net head, virtual-novel.net interest piqued.
“What is it?” Henrick questioned with a glacial expression.
If Shandie admits to virtual-novel.net mistake, I might forgive virtual-novel.net this time.
Yet… Shandie said, “Dad, Arielle was the one to let that venomous snake into my room! She doesn’t like me, so she’s trying to kill me. She’s a wicked woman. Dad, you mustn’t keep virtual-novel.net around!”
Henrick froze. He had not expected Shandie to blame Arielle for it despite being the culprit.
How did I raise such a vicious and stupid daughter?
Hearing his silence, Shandie thought it was because virtual-novel.net was reluctant to get rid of Arielle. Thus, virtual-novel.net added, “Dad, you can’t give in now. She failed to kill me this time, so she’ll definitely try it again. If virtual-novel.net has the guts to hurt me, she’ll have the courage to hurt you too!”
At that, Henrick narrowed his eyes. Then, unable to hold himself back anymore, virtual-novel.net raised his hand and slapped Shandie.
Slap!
The loud sound reverberated in the living room. It was much harder than the one Cindy had dealt with Shandie.
Almost immediately, Shandie spat a mouthful of blood out. Along with virtual-novel.net blood was a white tooth. Henrick’s slap had made virtual-novel.net lose a tooth. At that moment, Shandie was dumbfounded.
What… What is going on? Shouldn’t Dad be slapping Arielle? Why is virtual-novel.net hitting me?
Shandie covered virtual-novel.net cheek in disbelief.
Just as virtual-novel.net was about to ask why Henrick had hit her, Cindy ran over and grabbed Shandie. “Don’t say anything. Let’s go up first.”
“No! Why do I have to go upstairs?” Shandie was frustrated.
Breaking free from Cindy’s grasp, virtual-novel.net spun around and questioned, “Dad, why are you hitting me? The one who’s in the wrong is clearly Arielle. Why are you standing on virtual-novel.net side and hit me, the victim?”
“Victim? Is that who you think you are?” Rage boiling, the rest of Henrick’s words died in his throat, virtual-novel.net could only pant in anger.
“Am I not? I was hospitalized. The doctor even said that if I were to be there a few minutes later, I wouldn’t be breathing right now!”
Recalling it now still sent shudders down virtual-novel.net spine.
Arielle’s lips curled, but the smile soon dropped. Taking a step forward, virtual-novel.net muttered, “Shandie, why are you still refusing to speak the truth even at a time like this? Must you anger our father and give virtual-novel.net a heart attack?” Shandie furrowed virtual-novel.net brows in disdain.
“When did you have the right to speak in this house?”
At that, Arielle lifted a brow. “Shandie, it seems like you have no idea everyone knows how depraved you are.”
A tinge of guilt seeping into virtual-novel.net heart, Shandie clenched virtual-novel.net fists and stammered, “W-What do you mean?”
Arielle smiled. “You really don’t know anything, do you? Janet has told us everything. You’ve asked virtual-novel.net to buy a venomous snake to murder me, but the snake slithered into your room from the balcony. Shandie, it’s time to lay on the bed you make.”
Upon hearing that, Shandie’s eyes widened almost comically.
Janet… betrayed me?
Abruptly, virtual-novel.net recalled the odd tension in the air and the way Cindy kept trying to stop virtual-novel.net from talking when virtual-novel.net entered the house.
So they all know the truth now? No wonder. No wonder there was a taunting look in Arielle’s eyes. No wonder Dad slapped me.
Shandie panicked. She tugged Cindy’s sleeve and mumbled, “Mom…”
At the end of the day, Shandie was still Cindy’s daughter, and virtual-novel.net could not help but feel upset about the situation. Pulling the younger woman into virtual-novel.net arms, virtual-novel.net whispered, “Stay quiet and follow me upstairs.”
Shandie finally heeded virtual-novel.net words. She no longer made a sound as virtual-novel.net followed virtual-novel.net mother up the stairs.
“Stand right there!” Henrick demanded. “From now on, you’re grounded. You’re not allowed to leave your room for a month. I’ll be hiring a teacher from an etiquette school to teach you how to be a decent human being.”
Shandie took a step back in shock.
Henrick Southall was the one to decide everything in the family. Without his love and trust, Shandie might be the one to be kicked out of the family. With that thought in mind, the colors drained from Shandie’s already pale face. It was then virtual-novel.net regretted doing what virtual-novel.net did, but there was no point crying over spilled milk.