Filed to story: A Little Princess's Journey from Darkness to Light Novel
Master Sullivan responded coldly, “It’s nothing.”
“Master Sullivan, please come in…” Karen gestured, but Master Sullivan declined, saying, “No, thank you.”
He then promptly exited after his reply.
Sable looked at Karen and exclaimed loudly, “Old Mrs. Shaw, the way your family handled this is inexcusable! Do you honestly believe that a brat from the Crawford family has the capability to save Young Master Shaw?”
Karen hesitated before inquiring, “What do you mean?”
“Young Master Shaw is only awake right now because of my Master!” Sable huffed. “Master Sullivan used his powers to ask the Gods to bring back the young master’s soul… but his soul had been wandering for too long, so Master Sullivan’s timing was slightly off. The little brat took advantage of the situation and claimed the credit as hers!”
Old Mrs. Shaw finally understood. Her grandson’s life was actually saved by Master Sullivan, despite a slight delay, but Lilly Hatcher let everyone think she was the one who did it. Master Sullivan’s words now made sense to Old Mrs. Shaw. “I knew it!” she croaked angrily, feeling deceived. “She’s just a four-year-old kid, what does she know?”
“My Master didn’t want to pick a fight with a child just to claim what was rightfully his, but you Shaws have disrespected him terribly! I wish you the best of luck in the future,” Sable chastised the old lady before escorting Master Sullivan away.
Old Mrs. Shaw was panic-stricken as she hastily caught up with Master Sullivan and Sable from behind, muttering a string of
apologies and thank-yous. She even discreetly took out some money and stuffed it into Sable’s hand. It was only then that Master Sullivan’s displeased expression eased up slightly. If it were up to him, he never wanted to see Lilly Hatcher ever again.
“Where are we going, Master?” Sable asked as he trailed behind.
“We’re invited to the opening ceremony of Taylor Entertainment tomorrow. Let’s get ready for it,” Master Sullivan told his loyal disciple, who nodded eagerly. Opening ceremonies were easy enough to handle. All they needed to do was predict a good time for the ribbon-cutting.
…
Old Mrs. Shaw watched as Master Sullivan and Sable walked away until they disappeared from her sight. She then got into her own car, but not before giving the Crawford Mansion a dirty look. The little trickster brat had caused her to offend Master Sullivan, and Colton wanted her to pay her visit and thank her in person? No way! As long as she was alive, she would never let her grandson be close to Lilly Hatcher! Hmph!
**
Back at the Crawford home, Hugh, Bettany, and Anthony had mixed emotions as they observed Lilly happily gnawing on a chicken drumstick. They were all thinking the same thing, but no one dared to voice their concerns… until Bettany spoke up.
“I’ve never had the chance to tell any of you before, but I think there’s something wrong with Lilly…” Bettany whispered in a hushed tone.
Hugh’s eyebrows narrowed. “What do you mean? There’s nothing wrong with our Lilly!”
“No, I just mean… she says there’s a Master by her side,” Bettany corrected herself. The three of them turned to look at Lilly… and the empty space next to her. They felt a chill down their spines every time they thought about what Lilly had told them.
“Perhaps Lilly has a psychiatric condition due to the years of abuse she went through! Like a multiple personality disorder. Her mind creates an entirely new character that seems as real as you and me,” Bettany thought out loud.
Anthony considered his mother’s assessment in silence as he stared at Lilly.
“Should we bring her to a psychiatrist? Just to be safe,” Bettany suggested anxiously.
“That won’t be necessary,” Anthony shook his head. “Lilly will be with me during this period. I’ll take care of her.” Bettany and Hugh were elderly folks, after all, and Bettany had her own medical issues to attend to. Anthony thought it would be best to keep Lilly by his side.
“I’ll bring her to the ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow,” Anthony decided. Crawford Holdings was one of the main shareholders of Taylor Entertainment, which was going to be publicly listed tomorrow.
After her dinner, Lilly sat quietly on the living room sofa, drawing in her scrapbook. Next to her, Pablo was skimming through a book.
“Ah, here it is!” Pablo exclaimed excitedly. “Here, the purple point, the jade point… You should try giving your grandmother massages. Once you feel her legs coming back to life, you can treat her with some acupuncture.”
Lilly listened to Pablo intently, taking in every word. “Will grandma be able to stand and walk again?” she asked.
Pablo floated in the air, stroking his jaw thoughtfully. “Stand and walk? She could even join a flash mob if she wanted to! Get your uncle to buy you a pair of silver needles.”
Lilly’s eyes lit up with hope. She only had one goal in mind now. Grandma will get up one day and dance in a flash mob!!
**
Old Mrs. Karen Shaw returned home immediately looking for her grandson, Ivan.
“My darling boy! Let grandma have a look at you…” she said as she walked toward her grandson’s room. However, she heard the sound of the door being bolted shut just as she arrived. It was Melody, of course.
“Melody, open the door right now!” she shrieked angrily. “You must think you’re all that ever since Colton came back, don’t you?
Well, let me tell you something. As long as you’re in my home, it’s my rules you’ll have to follow!”
How dare that woman disrespect her in her own home? She could barely wait until Colton left once again, so she could show Melody who’s truly in charge around here.
Colton climbed up the stairs holding a hot bowl of soup. He gave his mother a cold stare, having overheard her screams just a few moments ago.
“Are you done causing a scene?” Colton drawled.
“I’m causing a scene?!” Karen retorted. “I’m your mother, Colton! Are you siding with an outsider instead of your own mother? I never agreed to your marriage with her from the beginning. Look at her attitude even when you’re around. Can you imagine what she’s like when you’re not here? She talks back, disrespects me, and is never home! Who knows what she does outside? She’s a laughingstock, Colt!”
Colton sighed and opened the door to Ivan’s room, then forcefully kicked it shut, accidentally slamming it in Karen’s face. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “Please gather Mother’s belongings and have the driver take her back to her hometown. She can spend the rest of her days there,” he said into the phone.
Unaware of Colton’s plans, Karen stood outside the room, completely oblivious to the fact that her future had already been decided. She was convinced that Melody had brainwashed her own son into hating her. “What have I done to deserve such an ungrateful son?” she cried out, pounding her chest emotionally.
As she sobbed and complained, the butler appeared with a message for Karen. “Madam, the Millers are here to visit. Would you like to meet them?”
“The Millers?” Karen raised an eyebrow. The name was unfamiliar to her.
“They were the ones who called Mr. Shaw yesterday after they found Ivan while they were camping,” the butler patiently explained.
Karen gasped in shock. Wasn’t it Lilly Crawford who had found Ivan?
“Oh dear, please let them in!” Karen said, smoothing her hair and adjusting her dress. She put on a bright smile befitting a matriarch, still unaware of Colton’s plan to send her away.
In the living room, Cheryl Miller sat on a sofa with her parents, taking in her surroundings as they waited for Karen. The Shaw residence was strikingly different from the Crawford’s. While the Crawford mansion was newly built on a large plot of land, exuding wealth and opulence, the Shaw residence was a historic building that had been passed down through generations. It was built in a courtyard style and emanated an elegant, regal atmosphere.
“The Crawfords are a well-known name in the business world, but the Shaw family comes from a political dynasty,” Cheryl’s father whispered to her. “Mind your manners when we meet Mrs. Shaw!”
The Shaw family was known for their loyalty and sacrifice. Old Mr. Shaw had given his life for the country, and his son had followed in his footsteps, working for the nation. That was perhaps why the Shaws were a small family with only one grandson who was adored by everyone.
“…especially Old Mrs. Shaw. She’s the matriarch who holds the power in the family. Cheryl, remember to be kind to her! If she likes you, we could become closer to the Shaws in the future!” Cheryl’s father told her with a serious expression.
Cheryl nodded with equal seriousness. She was determined not to disappoint her parents. The family waited with a gift in hand until they spotted Old Mrs. Shaw approaching the living room. Cheryl’s father immediately stood up. “Ah, you must be Mrs. Shaw! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” he greeted the elderly lady enthusiastically.
Karen was delighted by this man’s respectful attitude towards her, something she felt was lacking in her own household these days.
“Hello,” she returned the greeting. “Were you the ones who found Ivan yesterday?”
Cheryl’s father chuckled. “Oh, no, we weren’t the ones who found him. But we were there when it happened, so we offered our help as well.”
Karen was impressed by the Millers. Not only did they not try to take credit for saving Ivan, but they were also respectful and clearly raised their child well. Karen glanced at Cheryl.
Cheryl stepped forward to greet Karen as well. “Hello, my name is Cheryl! You look amazing for your age, Mrs. Shaw. Let me guess, you must be… 50?”
Karen burst into laughter. She was actually almost 70. Cheryl’s words had made her day, and perhaps her whole week. What a sweet child!
Old Mrs. Karen Shaw was greatly impressed with the Millers. She chuckled heartily as she invited them to take a seat in her living room. “Come and sit here, Cheryl.” Cheryl obeyed Karen’s instructions, perching herself on the sofa demurely with her legs crossed and hands placed daintily on her lap.
Karen had already considered Cheryl as a potential candidate for her grandson’s future wife. Naturally, Cheryl’s parents were overjoyed to see Old Mrs. Shaw pleased with their daughter.
“Is Young Master Shaw better yet? He was covered in blood when we saw him yesterday. My husband and I were terribly worried, so we decided to come and pay a visit,” Cheryl’s mother, Tina, explained.
“Yes, yes, all is well thanks to Master Sullivan. He saved Ivan’s life!” Karen informed the Millers.
“Are you referring to THE Master Robert Sullivan?” Tina Miller was shocked that the
Shaws had sought the help of such a renowned shaman.
Karen felt a budding topic of conversation with Tina. “Yes, yes, the one and only Robert Sullivan! To tell you the truth, Ivan was on the brink of death, but Master Sullivan brought him back from the dead!”
Cheryl’s mother could not hide her shock. “Oh my, really?”
“Yes, absolutely!” Karen confirmed. The two ladies began chatting and exchanging stories about Master Sullivan. Karen was delighted to have found a friend in Tina, and in return Tina was hoping to hear more about the elusive shaman.
Towards the end of their conversation, Tina found an opportunity to slip in a question she had been waiting to ask all this time. “Karen, do you think we could visit Ivan? Cheryl has been worried about him since yesterday. She wants to see for herself that Ivan is alright. I couldn’t possibly say no to her…”
“Of course you can!” Karen nodded agreeably. She was the matriarch of the Shaw family, after all. Who could say no to her? Karen couldn’t stop complimenting Cheryl even as she led the Millers towards the staircase. “What a sweet child with such a kind heart!”
