Chapter 153 Rachel's Reckoning
Jenny froze the instant her eyes landed on the pale brown sheet of wax paper. It was like her body had been nailed to the spot. She knew exactly what it was—she had brought it into the house herself, and no one knew better than she what it contained.
Rachel's pupils dilated, her face draining to a deathly white.
"You… how do you know?" Her lips trembled, as if she had suddenly grasped something terrible. "Was it Orla who told you? So she didn't actually… That explains why Ryan was fine the next day and went to Prestige High School!"
"No," Amelia said, her voice slicing through the air like a blade drawn across ice. "She did put the red lychee powder in Ryan's juice."
"But just as she was about to take it upstairs, I walked in. I stopped her, and I drank that juice myself."
Her gaze was steady, devoid of any ripple. "The glass is still in my room. The dried residue has preserved well. If we send it for testing, it will show exactly what was in it."
What…?
She had known the juice contained red lychee powder, yet she drank it herself? And kept the glass as evidence, just to nail Rachel for attempted poisoning?
Rachel's eyes went wider, almost splitting.
"Red lychee powder?" Kevin's brows furrowed as he turned toward Amelia. "What is that?"
"You should remember the time Rachel's face broke out in those large red blotches," Amelia said, her gaze sweeping over Rachel. "That was supposed to be me."
"Red lychee grows in Vesperia. It's a toxic plant. Skin contact triggers severe rashes. Ingestion covers the body in red welts. Hospitals can't identify the cause—they will call it an allergy—but regular medication won't work. Without an antidote, the marks won't fade for at least three months."
"The day before school started, Rachel gave me red bean porridge mixed with red lychee powder. I overheard her in the dining room."
"This toxin doesn't affect me, so I was fine. She must have accidentally gotten some on herself, which is why she broke out."
Kevin's breathing grew heavy. "You're saying she tried to poison you right after you returned to the Martinez mansion… and you knew all along?"
Amelia nodded.
Kevin's chest rose and fell sharply. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You work every day. I didn't want to distract you."
The silence stretched, heavy as lead. Kevin, Chris, and Tobias all felt their expressions darken. She had endured being poisoned without telling anyone. If tonight hadn't exploded into chaos, she might have kept it to herself forever.
They didn't want to imagine how much more she had endured from Rachel's hidden attacks.
Tobias stepped forward, unable to stay still, and clasped her hand.
Chris reached over and gently ruffled her hair.
Amelia didn't mention where the red lychee powder had come from, nor did she say that Jenny and Rachel had planned the poisoning together. But when she mentioned the dining room, Jenny understood—Amelia knew the truth, and had chosen not to say it.
That meant she was protecting Jenny, and in doing so, giving Jenny leverage. At this moment, Jenny feared more than anyone that Kevin would learn the full truth, and she would not spare Rachel.
"No! The red lychee powder wasn't mine, it was—"
Rachel's protest was cut short when Jenny stormed forward and slapped her hard across the face.
"Shut up!" Jenny's voice was sharp as a knife. "You think you have the right to speak?"
Rachel's cheek burned hot, her eyes filling with tears that wouldn't stop.
Amelia's gaze was cold as forged steel.
"The powder you used on me wasn't finished. Two nights ago, you told Orla to put the rest in Ryan's juice."
"You didn't want him at the school anniversary. You didn't want him helping me draw attention. So you tried to destroy his face."
"Ryan's in the entertainment industry. If he's disfigured, his career is over."
"And you still claim you never meant to hurt him?"
Her tone didn't rise, but every word landed like a hammer blow.
Without Amelia, Ryan's face would have been ruined that night.
Without her, Zander might have died in his own home.
Without her, a triggered Ryan could have done something irreversible—killed his own sister. If that happened, his life would have shattered beyond repair.
The thought chilled the room.
Kevin drew in a deep breath. "Chris, call the police."
"Got it," Chris replied, his voice flat, already reaching for his phone.
"Kevin! Kevin…" Rachel clung to his sleeve like a drowning woman grasping at driftwood. "I know I was wrong. Please don't call the police. I'll never do it again!"
Her tears streamed down her face. "Do you remember what you said when I first came to the Martinez mansion? You told me I wasn't an orphan anymore, that I had a father and mother, and five brothers."
"You said you'd treat me like your most beloved sister… Are you really going to send me to prison yourself?"
"And besides… even if I did all this, they're fine, aren't they?!"
Pain flickered briefly in Kevin's eyes. After raising her for over a decade, how could there be no feelings?
But her last sentence stripped away every illusion—she hadn't truly repented. She was only afraid of prison.
He closed his eyes and shook her off. "Chris, make the call."
Kevin looked at her, his gaze colder than ice. "After what you've done to them, not seeking revenge is already me honoring our years together."
"Once the police open a case, it will go to trial. Whatever sentence you get… you'll serve it."
"You brought this on yourself. I hope you learn how to be human in prison."
He turned to Orla. "For fifty thousand, you did this. Now your son's future is gone too."
Orla's face went bloodless. Rachel crumpled to the floor.
Ten minutes later, the wail of police sirens echoed outside the Martinez mansion.
"Mom! Kevin! Chris! Tobias—!"
Rachel was dragged out by two female officers, her arms locked tight in their grip. She thrashed wildly, her cries cutting through the air.
The Martinez family didn't spare her a glance, as if her presence was nothing but filth.
The last spark of hope in her eyes went out. As she was shoved into the police car, she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Once a high-society darling, now all that awaited her was a prison sentence of ten years or more.