"Damn it."
They let her off too easy!
"That little witch must've squirreled away the package Serena sent us. And Martha, she only coughed it up after we badgered her
about it a dozen times."
"And why we keep that card from Serena? We're afraid that she thought we were playing favorites. How much does Bella actually
cost us? She's my flesh and blood, finally back in my arms. Can't | give her a little spending money?"
"Then there's the whole family portrait debacle. That little witch was off playing bridesmaid for a friend and didn't bother to tell us.
We wanted her in the picture, but when the photographers showed up, she was nowhere to be found. What were we supposed to
do? Ask them to cback another day? Plus, it's not like we couldn't have a few extra snaps with our long-lost daughter. Is that
so wrong?"
The maid shuddered at the thought - none of this was her fault. She had only overheard the wails and whispers from the basement
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtall night and thought she should relay the message to the master and mistress. fearful they were in the dark, their names being
dragged through the mud without their knowledge.
Misunderstandings were clearly brewing between them, likely fanned by Martha's malicious whispers.
"And | heard the basement dweller say that even Myrna, who hasn't set foot in the house, didn't take her seriously. The gifts she
received were just Bella's hand-me-downs."
"Hand-me-downs? Who said that?" Louisa fumed even more, "The number of gifts Myrna gave to Bella and her were the same. It's
just that they have different tastes and chose different styles, that's all."
It was only then that she and Kenneth realized that it must have been Martha stirring the pot, egging on the little witch until she bit
the bait.
"From now on, we don't need to hear anything else she has to say," Kenneth concluded. At this point, words were futile. Even
though they suspected Martha was the instigator behind it all, if the girl in the basement remained steadfast and strong-willed,
then no amount of gossip could sway her. The trouble was, her heart was already in turmoil, leading her to make one mistake after
another.
"That Martha." Louisa seethed, her head throbbing as darkness danced before her eyes.
She had underestimated the old woman's spite. If the maid hadn't cwith the message, they would have remained ignorant of
the slander they'd been subjected to over the past six months.
Damn it.
The maid made her way to the basement, conveying the message through the door to Serena. Serena's eyes were wide and
unfocused with disbelief, tears streaming down her face.
Had Martha lied to her??
It seemed impossible.
Every tMartha spoke of these things, she did so with righteous indignation, as if her parents had been so biased that she’s not
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmtheir daughter. Martha seemed to be fighting for justice on her behalf.
But with things having gotten this far, there was no reason for her parents to lie to her.
So who was lying?
Why would Martha want her to hate her parents, to drive a wedge between them?
What did Martha stand to gain??
Meanwhile.
Kenneth, supporting Louisa's shoulders, led her towards the helipad's grassy expanse.
Bard and Eunice were already there waiting for them.
Upon seeing her brother and sister-in-law, Louisa couldn't help but spill her concerns, "In that surveillance footage Bella sent, when
she was being bullied, there was someone calling her 'Boss' and sticking up for her like they'd take the beating for her. Does Bella
have sother identity we don't know about? Why would she have lackeys? Should we look into this, or wait for Bella to come
hand ask her ourselves?"