Chapter 395

After escaping from Landon that night, Lauren found herself unable to sleep. Upon returning home,

she discovered her injuries.

She had a severe scrape on her elbow that was bleeding and oozing pus. The stinging pain brought

tears to her eyes.

As she had hurt herself after sneaking out, she kept quiet about her wounds and quickly tended to

her injuries with whatever was available in the first aid kit.

Then, she snuggled with her teddy bear under the covers, but that didn't help. She ended up

tossing and turning throughout the night.

Between sleep and consciousness, a flood of memories inundated her mind.

She remembered the degrading experience of being forced to eat lunch in a squalid restroom. She

also remembered the humiliating incident of being dunked headfirst into a trashcan by a male

student under Zoe's command.

She recalled the shocking discovery of a dead rat hidden in her bag and her cherished novel torn

into shreds by Zoe's cruel hands.

And then there was the harrowing memory of the music room piano. It was a nightmarish episode

that would haunt her forever.

Zoe Harper. Landon Harper. She replayed the names in her mind. Did that mean Zoe was Landon’s

younger sister?

She clutched the blanket tightly, tears streaming down her face as she quietly sobbed until the

break of dawn.

Despite Lauren's psychological and developmental struggles, she wasn't thoughtless or naive. Even

after discovering that Zoe was Landon’s little sister, she remained grateful to Landon for saving her

from a potentially fatal car crash.

That afternoon, Lauren sneaked into the kitchen and made a blueberry mousse cake using an online

recipe. She planned to have Jasper deliver her token of appreciation to Landon.

After the cake was ready, she refrigerated it and dusted her hands off. Then, she returned to her

bedroom.

Upon opening the door, her expression froze as she stumbled backward. There, Betty sat in a chair,

legs crossed and arms folded, wearing an evil smile.

Lauren went numb.

"Why didn't you greet your sister?" Betty flicked her newly manicured nails and sneered, "You're just

dumb, not mute, you know."

"B-Betty ..." Lauren mumbled in a hushed voice.

"I'll take you out for some fun. How does that sound?" Betty beamed at her.

"I-It's okay. I don't really know how to have fun. You'll probably find me boring,” Lauren replied, her

head hanging low.

"Are you sure? Tsk. Fine." Betty slowly rose from her chair, a hint of a smirk in her eyes. "I thought

we could strengthen our sisterhood, but I won't force you if you're not up for it.”

Then, Betty left the room with her arms behind her.

With that, Betty left the room, her hands behind her back.

Lauren let out a long sigh and dragged herself into the room. Suddenly, she rushed to her

headboard in shock, frantically searching through the carefully made bed, tossing the blankets and

pillows aside.

No matter how hard she looked, she failed to find her treasured teddy bear, a gift from Alyssa.

"Teddy ... My teddy bear ... Betty!" Lauren knew all too well that Betty wouldn't have entered her

room without a reason. She concluded that Betty must have taken the bear.

Drenched in sweat, Lauren stumbled out of the door and hurried to the first floor. At the entrance,

she found Betty seated gracefully in the car. The butler promptly closed the car door behind Betty.

"Give it back! Give my teddy back!" Lauren yelled and ran in Betty's direction. Betty rolled down the

car window and made a face at the sweaty Lauren.

She then taunted Lauren further by waving the teddy bear in her direction before instructing the

chauffeur, "Leave now."

The engine roared to life, and the car began to move away, slowly disappearing into the horizon as

Lauren helplessly cried out, "Betty, give it back! Give me my teddy bear!"

Her desperate pleas and tears were in vain. She felt like a mother whose child had been taken from

her. Even the butler couldn't help but sympathize with her.

"Get the car ready!" She glowered at the butler. For the first time in her life, she gave orders to the

household staff like an owner.

"But, Ms. Lauren, Madam Sophia doesn't allow you to leave without permission ..." The butler

hesitated.