Filed to story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
The others were caught off guard by his quick connection of the dots.
“Indeed, it is related.” Kenneth nodded, “Come to the study with me.”
He didn’t want to rehash the footage from that unfinished construction site again. No need to upset the rest.
Sean, sensing the gravity of the situation, stood up to follow his father.
He remembered when he’d gone to that derelict building looking for Bella, they had told him she was dead, had fallen from the building. He was so enraged; he wanted to blow the place sky-high. But before he could act on that impulse, he had hoped to find his sister’s body.
At that moment, Martha had fallen from the building. He wondered, why was a servant of the Collins family like Martha even there?
Later, when he learned that Bella was alive and that, aside from his own plans, another group had also rigged the building with explosives set to detonate soon. He didn’t think twice; he just acted to save his sister.
Now, with a moment to reflect, he wondered when had Martha left the Collins family? How did she end up in Belloria, entangled in Bella’s kidnapping?
Steward didn’t follow Sean; after all, this was a family matter.After watching the footage in the study, Sean was seething with rage. He couldn’t believe the extent of suffering Bella had endured before he arrived at the construction site. Slaps, whippings, threats.
What truly sent him over the edge was the conversation between Bella and Martha. He was livid to realize that since the day his sister had returned home, Martha and Serena had harbored ill intentions, targeting her at every turn. Worse, when Martha decided to scar Bella’s face, Serena didn’t intervene.
Instead, she ordered Martha to carve deeper and demanded Bella to kneel and bow to her.
Having seen everything, Sean kicked the desk with explosive fury, like a pressure cooker on the verge of bursting.
“That’s what happened,” Kenneth concluded, making it clear that not just he but the entire family was deeply disappointed in Serena. They no longer wanted this adopted daughter and were ready to cast her out.
“Is she in the basement?” Sean asked, anger lacing his voice.
Before Kenneth could answer, Sean stormed out.
Kenneth had a bad feeling and called out, “Sean, where are you going?”
Betty, who was guarding the basement, trembled at the sight of Sean’s uncontainable fury, “Mr. Collins.”
“Open the door,” Sean demanded, his face grim.
Betty, frightened, fumbled with the keys as if they had a mind of their own. When the door swung open, Betty saw the girl lying on the floor, barely clinging to life, fear and surprise flickering in her eyes at the sight of Sean.”Sean.” Serena’s voice was weak. She hadn’t eaten for a long time; no water, no treatment for her wounds, which had led to a fever.
Looking at the girl before him, Sean found it impossible to reconcile her with the person from the surveillance footage.
The Serena he remembered was innocent and kind, with a clear and sunny smile, always clinging to Clark and David, rarely coming to him. Perhaps because he was barely at home, had a temper, and didn’t spend much time on personal bond with the family members. He was more inclined to deal with the family’s practical problems.
Of course, he did care for his sister, and he’d always been responsive to her requests.
Sometimes Sean would think that she was a bit manipulative, but she was his sister after all, so he let it slide. Who could have imagined the face on the surveillance footage?
When his biological sister first came back to the family, he thought all sisters were like Serena, all mind games and clinginess, maybe even relentless. Fresh to high society, she likely felt timid and out of place.
At that time, he was nursing a serious injury, hanging onto life by a thread, and had no energy to deal with her or cater to her feelings.
He dreaded a girl’s tears – what if she was a crybaby?
As word got around that she was becoming the family’s darling, he figured she must be playing a game more sophisticated than Serena’s. Otherwise, how could she have won everyone over so quickly?
Turned out his sis had real skills, a unique charm that captivated everyone. She was nothing like the “sister” in his head.
Watching Serena, he suddenly realized that Serena was leagues behind. Bella was subtle yet formidable, wise and resolute, with solid morals and integrity. Serena, on the other hand, was two-
faced, malicious, and morally bankrupt.
“Your real mom humiliated my sister, and now that she’s gone, you’ll pay her debts.”
Perhaps not expecting such ruthless words from Sean, Serena looked stunned and hurt. She was already down, unable to get up, and here he was, ready to hit her on behalf of Mirabella?
Suddenly, her resentment towards Mirabella bubbled up again.
“Considering we were once a family, is asking for twenty slaps too much?”To a stranger, death would be too kind, but considering they lived together for eighteen years, played siblings for that long.
Sean turned to Betty, “Ever hit someone?”
Betty shook her head in fright.
“Here’s your chance. Go on, get some practice,” Sean couldn’t be bothered to do it himself; he had grapes to peel for his sister and didn’t want to get his hands dirty.
Betty knew how Sean was; if he said to do something, it had to be done.
Trembling, she stepped forward, and although she found Serena’s actions despicable, she hesitated to strike. After all, she had once seen Serena as her boss.
Serena knew she was an outsider to this family. Even after eighteen years, once the truth came out, past affections meant nothing.
She knew pleading was useless; tears streamed down as she weakly cried out, “Sean.”
“What are you waiting for?” Sean’s patience was running thin.
“Forgive me,” Betty steeled herself and slapped Serena, the sound echoing through the air.
Serena’s cheek reddened from the blow, lying on the floor like a fish on a chopping board, helpless.
“Haven’t had your breakfast? Has the Collins family been treating you poorly?” Sean wasn’t satisfied with Betty’s strength.
Just then, another voice rang out, “Sean?”
Followed by another, “Sean??”It was Mirabella and Steward, rushing over after hearing from Kenneth that Sean had gone to the basement to settle scores with Serena.
“Sis, what are you doing here? It’s dirty and smells. Go upstairs; I’ll peel you some grapes later.”
Sean’s doting tone for Mirabella only highlighted the sadness in Serena’s defeated smile.
Once upon a time, Sean had showered her with the same affection, but then.
When he found out she wasn’t his real sister, was this the treatment she deserved? Did that mean if Mirabella ever made a mistake in the future, or if it turned out she wasn’t his real sister, there was a good chance she’d end up receiving the same harsh treatment??
“I’m just here for the show.”
Mirabella’s sudden interjection caught everyone off guard.
“Carry on.”
Mirabella had no intention of pleading for Serena. Instead, she stood outside the door, a cool and detached observer of the unfolding drama.
Steward looked at Mirabella with admiration. Ms. Collins was truly one of a kind.
Serena was seething. If only Mirabella had put on a show of pleading on her behalf, she wouldn’t seem so despicable.
“I’ll teach her a lesson for you.” Sean patted Mirabella on the head before turning to Steward, “You take over. This one’s running on an empty stomach and doesn’t have the strength.”
Betty was on the verge of tears. She had used all her strength and still couldn’t satisfy Sean.
Steward was no stranger to meting out punishment, and he knew how to deliver a blow with just the right force.
Seeing Sean’s cold indifference towards his supposed sister Serena, Steward couldn’t help but speculate. Had Serena committed some unforgivable sin to disappoint and anger the entire family thismuch?
Was she involved in that notorious derelict building kidnapping case? Could she be plotting against Ms.
Collins??
“Are you going to start or not?”
Prompted by Sean’s command, Steward stepped forward and began to slap Serena across the face repeatedly.
The first few slaps alone were enough to draw blood from Serena’s mouth, ringing in her ears, and stars in her eyes.
Steward was not holding back. Serena’s face swelled with bruises, and in no time, she passed out.
“Sean, she’s out cold.”
She really couldn’t take it; he had only given her a dozen slaps.
“Isn’t there ice water in the outdoor fountain? Fetch some and throw it on her,” Sean said, devoid of any sympathy.
The outside was freezing, and some of the fountain water had turned to crushed ice. Betty filled a bucket and took it inside, riding the elevator down to the basement. Louisa saw her but said nothing, as if she didn’t see a thing.
When the ice water hit Serena, she shook instinctively and let out a soul-shattering scream, jolting awake and trembling terribly.
“Continue,” Sean said in a tone devoid of emotion.Steward slapped her another dozen times. Serena had become numb, the feeling of the slaps on her face as if they were happening to someone else. The crisp sound of each slap grew distant, and in a haze, she thought she saw a white fog, with Martha’s figure faintly looming. Was she dying? Was that why she saw Martha??
Was it a hallucination, or was it real??
Seeing Serena lying there with her mouth slightly open, a vacant gaze fixed on the ceiling, barely clinging to life, Betty nervously spoke up, “Steward, that was more than twenty slaps. You’ve gone over.”
“Did I?” Steward paused, looking at Serena’s numb state, “Sorry, I got carried away.”
Slowly, tears of anger and shame began to fill Serena’s eyes as if she had snapped back to reality, showing a flicker of life.
