Chapter 417



🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 ”

Kallie simply chuckled. “Fine, I’ll be waiting.”

With that, she turned and began to walk away.

Fuming, Lenny stomped his feet. As he turned around, he was startled to see Edgar watching him from a distance. The sight was like a cold splash of water, extinguishing his bravado.

Lowering his head, Lenny tried to leave quickly, but Edgar caught up to him. “I told you not to interfere in what’s going on between Jake and Kallie. Why did you say those things to her?” Edgar said.

“Fine, as long as she doesn’t try to get close to Jake again, I won’t bother her.”

Meanwhile, when Kallie arrived at the Martel family estate, she was struck by the emptiness of the grand house. Despite its size and opulence, there wasn’t a single servant in sight.

The wealth of the Martel family didn’t surprise Kallie. After all, the Martel family had always been rich long before Charlee’s time, and their fortune wasn’t something built on shady dealings.

Fortunately, the butler appeared and led the way, guiding Kallie through the vast and silent halls. Reaching the empty living room, the butler left without saying a word, leaving Kallie alone.

Confused, Kallie looked around but didn’t see Charlee or anyone else. After sitting there for a while with no sign of anyone, she decided to take out her phone and send Charlee a message. “Where are you? Should I come to you?”

After a few minutes, her phone vibrated with a response: “I’m upstairs in the study on the second floor.” Kallie paused, uncertain, but eventually made her way up the stairs.

Upon reaching the second floor, she was shocked to find Charlee lying on the floor, unconscious, with blood pooling around her. The scene was horrifying.

In a panic, Kallie fumbled for her phone, intending to call for help. Before she could dial, a group of bodyguards appeared out of nowhere and restrained her.

Just then, Joanna appeared on the staircase from the third floor, her voice shrill and accusatory. “Kallie, I saw it all! How dare you push my mother!”

Kallie’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up, her expression one of utter disbelief. “What are you talking about?”

Joanna rushed down the stairs, throwing herself beside Charlee and crying out in distress. “Mom, please wake up! Are you okay? Don’t do this to me. You tried to apologize to Kallie, but she wouldn’t accept it. She demanded you kick me out, and in the heat of the argument, she pushed you down the stairs! Please! Mom, wake up!”

Kallie’s stomach turned as she realized Joanna was laying all the blame squarely on her. The audacity of such a blatant lie left her momentarily speechless. It dawned on Kallie that the messages from Charlee might have actually been sent by Joanna. In that case, who had really pushed Charlee down? Could it have been Joanna herself?

A wave of fear washed over Kallie as she looked at Joanna in disbelief. “She’s your mother! How could you do this to her? Joanna, do you even have a conscience?”

Joanna’s expression twisted with anger as she clenched her fists and shouted, “Don’t be ridiculous! You’re the one who hurt my mother, not anyone else. You refused her apology and demanded she kick me out. She didn’t want to, and you shoved her down the stairs in a rage!”

Kallie took Joanna’s flea-pied demeanor, realizing she was being set up. Steeling herself, Kallie forced herself to remain calm. “Joanna, this is pointless,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. “You might want to see me in jail, but the police aren’t fools. They’ll uncover the truth, and your plan is too flimsy. Is it really worth destroying your life over a moment of anger?”

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