Chapter 197

Chapter 196 林念29%售 +13 Emma was very satisfied with Mary’s attitude. She raised her chin slightly and walked in with a smug look on her face. Mary watched her back and snorted coldly, thinking, ‘Just wait. She’ll be crying soon.

On the way, the servants looked at Emma with strange expressions, and some even began to whisper, “I wonder how she dares to come back? Mr. Rosewood is angry. Coming back at this time is a bad idea.”

A maid who heard this quickly made a gesture to silence her. She glanced in the direction Emma had left and lowered her voice, “Be careful not to bring trouble to yourself.”

Hearing this, the maid quickly covered her mouth, looking very frightened. Everyone in the Rosewood family knew what had happened that night. It wasn’t that Scott didn’t want to keep it a secret, but the commotion was just too big to hide.

Because of this, Scott had ordered everyone in the family not to talk about it. Anyone who did would be expelled from the Rosewood family.

When Emma arrived in the living room, she finally sensed that something was wrong. She had felt the strange looks from the servants on the way and thought it was because she was going to return to the Rosewood family.

But now it seemed that wasn’t the case. She felt something off. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, Scott’s voice sounded behind her. “What are you doing here?”

Sensing the anger in his tone, Emma knew she couldn’t escape. She turned around and forced a smile, “Dad, I heard about what happened at home and came back to see you and Mom.”

Emma’s smile annoyed Scott. He thought, ‘Emma is the evidence of my humiliation. I have raised her with Bella for so many years. Now, she has the nerve to smile at me. Is she mocking me for not knowing that I was being cheated?‘

Thinking of this, his face darkened even more, and all the anger that had been building up in his heart for days surged up. He quickened his steps, his body radiating resentment.

Emma had already sensed that something was wrong and was about to run out when Scott was already in front of her. He grabbed her collar directly and slapped her so hard that she was sent flying to the ground.

The force was so great that blood seeped from Emma’s mouth. She covered her aching face, looking at the furious Scott with eyes full of unfamiliarity.

Although Scott had been angry before, he had never been this out of control, making Emma feel like he changed. She thought, ‘Why is he so angry? I have come back secretly before, but he has never been this furious. What is different today?”

Emma’s mind was full of doubts, but the next second, she got her answer from Scott’s mouth. “You bastard, you still have the nerve to come back.” Scott’s veins were bulging, and his voice was filled with fury.

Hearing this, Emma’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Scott. Her voice was filled with grievance. “Dad, even if you don’t like me and you don’t acknowledge me as your daughter, you can’t use such a word as ‘bastard‘ to insult me.”

“Insult you?” Scott raised an eyebrow, finding her words amusing. “Didn’t that shameless mother of yours tell you that you were born out of wedlock?”

“Bastard?” Emma asked.

“Yes, you are a bastard, the result of your mother’s affair with some man,” Scott said.

Emma’s body went limp as she was shocked. She thought, ‘So I am not an orphan, nor am I an adopted child. I am Bella’s biological daughter. All these years, my biological mother had been right beside me. But who is my father?‘

The sudden revelation of her true parentage was too much to take in. Her breathing felt like it was about to stop as she gasped for air, trying to steady herself.

1/3 Tue, 18 Feb Chapter 196 At that moment, Bella burst in. Seeing Emma sitting on the floor, she had tears in her eyes. “Emma”

Bella rushed to Emma’s side and tried to embrace her. “Emma, it’s okay, Mommy’s here...

But Emma pushed her away, her eyes filled with hatred. “Am I your biological daughter?”

“Emma...” Bella’s words caught in her throat as tears streamed down her face. She didn’t know how to explain this.

Emma looked at her, her hatred intensifying. She wondered, ‘If I am truly Bella’s biological daughter, why haven’t the ever hinted at it over the years? How could she bear to keep me in the dark like this?

‘And when I was driven out of the Rosewood residence by Scott, why did she just stand by and do nothing? All those promises of eventually bringing me back to the Rosewood family were just empty words. What efforts have she made?

‘Bella tried to help when Vincent was choosing his successor by finding a ghostwriter for me. But the person she found couldn’t even compare to Elysia. How could she claim to have won first prize in a national painting competition? It is laughable.’

Bella saw the hatred in her eyes and reached out to her tremblingly. “Emma, I’m sorry...

But Emma slapped her hand away, shouting, “Don’t touch me.”

Scott watched the scene and felt a bit better, though his expression was still far from pleasant. He found the sight of them extremely annoying.

“Since everyone’s here, let me make this clear. Bella, pack your things and move out of the Rosewood residence. And you, Emma, get out of the suburban villa too. As far as I’m concerned, you’re no longer my daughter,” Scott said.

With that, he turned and walked away.

Bella cried, holding her head in her hands, releasing all the grievances she had bottled up over the past few days. After the secret was exposed, she had a big argument with Scott.

She thought he would surely drive her out of the Rosewood family, but strangely, he never brought it up, as if he was held back by something. She had secretly hoped that once his anger subsided, everything might go back to normal.

But she never expected Emma to come back suddenly and completely enrage Scott. Bella thought, ‘Everything is ruined. I have lived in the Rosewood family for so many years, accustomed to a life of luxury. What will I do after leaving the Rosewood family?‘

She thought of Berenger in Shecrity. She could go to them, but she and Odalyn had always been at odds. If she went there, she would live under Odalyn’s shadow. Moreover, staying with Berenger’s family for too long would inevitably lead to resentment.

While she was pondering these thoughts, Emma looked at her with disdain. She had never thought Bella was so useless before, but now she seemed to be good at nothing but crying.

“Have you thought about where we’re going?” Emma’s cold tone was tinged with contempt. Bella was taken aback for a moment, then wiped her tears without saying a word.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? What’s the point of being so silent? Let me tell you. I don’t want to live a hand–to–mouth. life with you. If you don’t have a good plan, go talk to Scott. Maybe he’ll let us stay,” Emma said.

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+23 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Hearing Emma’s words, Bella felt a pang in her heart. She thought, ‘What happens to my gentle, considerate, and kind- hearted Emma? Why is she speaking to me with such a harsh tone and attitude today?

‘No matter how wrong I was, I am still the one who has given birth to and raised her. And over the years, I have never wronged her.‘

“Have you thought about it?” Emma pressed again. Bella met her eyes, tears welling up in her own. Her voice was somewhat stern. “Emma, I am your mother. How can you speak to me like this?”

“Mother?” Emma raised an eyebrow. “If you truly were my mother, you would think of me first in everything. Why don’t you go beg Scott to let us stay?”

Bella’s eyes filled with unfamiliarity as she looked at Emma. She thought, ‘What is she saying? If begging Scott works, I would have done it already. Besides, I am the lady of the house. The thought of humbling myself before Scott is unbearable.

‘Emma doesn’t understand me at all. Why can’t she see the efforts I have made?““You don’t need to worry about this. I’ll pack our things, and we’ll leave the Rosewood residence right now,” Bella said.

Seeing that Bella had no intention of begging Scott, Emma’s anger grew. “Did you hear what I said?”

Bella couldn’t take it anymore. Despite having indulged Emma in the past, she felt a surge of frustration. She slapped Emma across the face. “I’m telling you for the last time, I am your mother. Watch your tone and attitude.”

Emma covered her cheek, which was burning from the slap. She had just been slapped by Scott, and now Bella had done the same. She wondered, ‘How could this woman be my mother?‘

“Emma, let me make this clear. What needs to be done is my decision. You don’t need to tell me what to do. Wait for me here.

Once I’ve packed our things, we’ll leave immediately,” Bella said firmly.

Emma suppressed her anger and softened her tone. “At least tell me where you’re taking me.”

“To Shecrity, Berenger’s house,” Bella replied, and then she left without another word.

She was angry, not just at the Rosewood family and Scott, but also at Emma. She had loved and cherished Emma for so many years, only to be met with her complaints. She felt very upset.

After packing their things, Bella took Emma to the suburban villa, planning to spend the night there before heading to Shecrity the next morning. Emma didn’t say anything more. Any place was better than nowhere.

Although Berenger’s house in Shecrity wasn’t as luxurious as the Rosewood residence, it was the only place she could think of to go.

Emma thought, ‘When I visited Shecrity, Odalyn had never been fond of me because I’m adopted. But this time is different. I am Bella’s biological daughter now. Maybe Odalyn will treat me differently.

This thought reminded her of something. Bella hadn’t told her who her biological father was. She turned to Bella, who was sitting beside her, and asked, “Who is my biological father?”

Bella’s eyes flickered with panic as she recalled the past. The fear washed over her again. She forced herself to calm down and replied as evenly as she could, “You don’t have a father. You only have a mother. Don’t ask such questions again.”

Emma was confused and wondered, ‘What does she mean that I don’t have a father?‘

Before she could continue the question, Bella had already stood up and walked toward the second floor. Before going upstairs, she reminded Emma, “Pack your things. We’ll leave early tomorrow.” Then she went upstairs without another word.

At Arcanum House, the night had enveloped the entire courtyard in darkness and silence. Elysia stood in the yard, her figure 1/2 16:07 Tue, 18 Feb MM Chapter 197 appearing somewhat lonely against the backdrop of the night. “How’s the investigation going?”

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“Boss, Mrs. Evans had twins back then. One of the children died shortly after birth, which is why the Evans family was left with one daughter, named Evelyn. Coincidentally, the Rosewood family also had a baby girl who died shortly after birth,” Yuna said.

Elysia’s brows furrowed and wondered, ‘Could there be such a coincidence?

‘If I’m right, Scott took Bella to Jorlandia to give birth in order to switch the Rosewood family’s deceased child with me. So, the Evans family thought I was dead, which was why they had ignored me all these years.

‘If that, it makes sense why there is no trace of her existence in the Evans family. A person who has been taken from Jorlandia to Sivro right after birth, whose parents and family don’t even know she exists, will naturally leave no trace.

‘I can’t let it go. Even if they thought I died, I once existed in this world. It shouldn’t be denied. But to Jorlandia elite, the Evans family has five children. What about me? Am I not part of the Evans family because I “died“?

‘Over the years, have they never mentioned me to anyone? If they have, how could people still say the Evans family only has five children? Since they have acted as if I don’t exist all these years, why bother looking for me now?‘

Elysia looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, her eyes wet. After calming herself down, she thought, ‘Scott’s funding back then must have been related to this. So, Scott isn’t the mastermind; there is someone behind him. Who could that be?’

“Boss, there’s one more thing. Scott hired a private detective to investigate Emma’s background,” Yuna said.

Hearing this, Elysia’s interest was piqued. She smiled, “Interesting. Bella didn’t tell Scott about Emma’s background. With all this effort to hide it, there must be something fishy. Yuna, keep a close eye on the Rosewood family’s every move. I’m curious about Emma’s background.”

Yuna understood the meaning behind Elysia’s words and quickly replied, “Boss, I will start investigating Emma’s background right away.”

“No need. Just keep an eye on Scott, and everything will become clear. Also, pick two capable people to look into the financial transactions of the Rosewood Group. Hurry up,” Elysia said.

She didn’t want to wait any longer. The sooner she dealt with the Rosewood family, the sooner she could return to Silverstream Village and reunite with her grandfathers.

“Yes, Boss,” Yuna said. She didn’t leave immediately but hesitated for a while before speaking, “Boss, this afternoon, the two Evans brothers went to the Rosewood residence and gave Scott a hard time.”

Hearing this, Elysia simply said, “I know. You may go.”

“Yes, Boss. It’s getting cold at night. You should go back inside sooner,” Yuna said before turning and leaving.

Elysia still stood in the same spot, looking up at the crescent moon. She couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling. She thought, ‘People are strange; it’s only after losing something that they learn to cherish it.

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