Chapter 269

Chapter 269
Catherine’s POV
The blood drained from her face as my words hit their mark. "Catherine, don't get cocky. You think Everard likes you so you can join the Sforza family? Keep dreaming. Sarah will never let you in, absolutely never!"

I gestured toward her chair, unmoved by her outburst. "Sit down."

Surprisingly, she complied, sinking back into her seat like a scolded child. Interesting.

I took a slow sip of my coffee, watching her squirm. "I'll just ask you one question. If you answer honestly, I might consider letting you have Everard."

Her eyes widened slightly, a desperate hope flickering across her face. "What question?"

My heart hammered against my ribs as I looked directly into her eyes. "My daughter's injuries, and her current condition—was it you who did it?"

"No!" Brenda frantically waved her hands. "It really wasn't me, I swear."

"Did you ever mistreat my daughter?" I pressed, watching every minute shift in her expression.

Her gaze darted away guiltily. My fingers dug into my palms, rage bubbling just beneath the surface of my carefully composed face.

"Tell me! I want the truth."

She glanced furtively at Caroline, who remained focused on her Rubik's cube. "I don't like this child. I've disliked her since she was born, even hated her. But I absolutely never actively mistreated her, at most I just... just..."

"Just went along with it, right?" I interrupted coldly. "Like when she was playing and sweating, you wouldn't change her clothes, letting her catch cold and fever. Like when Caroline went missing, you didn't look for her or call the police. After all, you didn't actively lose her—she wandered off herself. Better if she got lost, right? Can't be blamed on you."

Her silence was confirmation enough. My chest tightened painfully. Clayton's investigation had been thorough—Brenda was telling the truth about not actively harming Caroline, but then who did?

"Tell me," I continued, my voice dangerously quiet, "why did Caroline suffer so many injuries? Why does she have signs of abuse on her body? Who did it?"

"How could anyone abuse Caroline?" Brenda's eyes darted away. "You must be mistaken."

I stirred my coffee with deliberate slowness. "You won't talk? Don't forget, this is Skyview City. I have plenty of ways to make you talk."

Her eyes flickered nervously toward the security guards standing outside. I laughed softly, a sound devoid of humor.

"I've heard the Sforzas particularly value family background. If they knew my true identity, do you think your engagement to Everard would still stand?"

Her expression crumbled, and I knew I'd found her weakness.

"It was Sarah Sforza," she finally whispered.

Everard's grandmother. The name from Clayton's investigation materialized in my mind—a woman similar in age to William Murphy who had controlled the Sforza family for years.

"Do you know why that old woman kept the child?" Brenda continued, her voice gaining strength. "She was simply afraid you'd use Caroline to cling to Everard. She always mocked you, called you a gold-digger. If she knew your family is worth billions, that old witch's expression would certainly be worth seeing."

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by her vehemence.

"Wondering why I have this attitude? Because I hate them too!" Pain flashed in her eyes. "If that old hag hadn't told me since childhood that I was Everard's future wife, I wouldn't have started liking him so young. And what happened? Everard fell in love with you."

She dabbed at her coffee-stained blouse, her voice bitter. "When Everard first started dating you, he told me not to waste my time on him. I was heartbroken but young and proud. If he didn't like me, then I wouldn't like him either."

"Originally our families were going to break off the engagement, but Sarah wouldn't allow it. She said you were just after the Sforza money. So the engagement wasn't broken, and I foolishly waited. Waited until you gave birth to Caroline, until she grew up, until he found you again." Her laugh was hollow. "I wasted my best years on Everard. Don't you think I'm resentful?"

"That's your business," I cut in, completely unmoved. "I just want to know why she treated Caroline that way."

Brenda's smile turned cruel. "Because she resented that Caroline was a girl, and born to a 'poor woman.' Most importantly, she hated that Caroline held Everard back."

An icy sensation crawled down my spine. "What does that mean?"

She hesitated, then sighed. "After you left, Everard returned home and eventually discovered the truth about you being locked up. He caused a huge scene. The old woman wanted him to marry me, but he refused."

"For three years, Everard stayed home with Caroline every day. She lived very well then, truly a princess. No one dared mistreat her."

"Then what happened?" My voice was barely audible.

"The Sarah  said Caroline should start learning, hired tutors. Everard thought his grandmother had accepted Caroline and would nurture her, so he started working."

She paused, not meeting my eyes. "That's when Caroline's suffering began. The old witch kept her close, claiming to educate her, but was actually cruel. Verbal abuse, punishment, withholding food... A child barely three years old often went hungry."

My blood boiled, hands gripping the armrests until my knuckles turned white.

"That time Caroline's arm was fractured? She woke up thirsty. The staff wouldn't help her and told her to go downstairs herself. She couldn't reach the light switch and fell down the stairs in the dark."

"And Everard?" I choked out, veins bulging on my hands. "Was he dead or something?"

"He was extremely busy taking over the company. The old witch was manipulative—dressed Caroline beautifully whenever he visited. By the time he noticed something was wrong, Caroline  had already withdrawn into herself."

My chest heaved, heart wrenching with pain. What kind of torment had my precious daughter endured while I didn't even know she existed?

Brenda continued, "The injuries weren't my doing. They must have been from the servants working for the old woman. Now that Caroline's older, Everard can't see her injuries, and she doesn't know to complain when she's hurt."

I felt dizzy, the world before me turning blood-red.

"My family is struggling now," Brenda admitted, her eyes reflecting desperation. "I have to marry Everard; only the Sforzas can save my family. I have no other path."

For a moment, something like pity stirred in my chest. But I quickly crushed it. Everyone has choices.

"This is the twenty-first century," I said coldly, standing up. "If you want to, you can choose any path."

I took Caroline's small hand in mine, making a silent vow. No one will ever hurt you again, my precious daughter.