"Mom, this jade pendant was left to that bitch Kara by Veronica. She is not gonna find out that we took it, is she?" It was her cousin Kathleen Quain's worried voice.
"This jade pendant is too precious, and that invalid doesn't deserve it. It's been hidden in the bedroom, and I'm sure she doesn't remember it at all. Kathleen, Madam Hemming has made you Mr. James' fiancée. Sooner or later, you're gonna be Mrs. Hemming. Only you are worthy of this jade pendant."
It was her aunt Sophia's voice. She then continued, "Kara is a retard. She can't take care of herself after being mistreated by my servants. The only reason I pretended to be nice to her was because of the Quain Group."
"If she doesn't listen to us, I'll have her killed. Who would care about that jade pendant by then?"
Kara was stunned, her entire body trembling with anger.
Aunty Sophia wanted to find someone to kill her?
Sophia had always been nice to her. Why would she want her dead?
Kara didn't believe it, and then she heard Sophia's words.
"Today is your father's 50th birthday. It's a great chance to inform every one of NK City that he is in charge of the Quain Group. Also, we can take this opportunity to invite Mr. James over. Bring out your best look and try your best to fascinate him. Then you're gonna be Mrs. Hemming!"
"Yes, Mom, you're right. I'll go find Mr. James now." Imagining herself as the great Mrs. Hemming, Kathleen ran downstairs excitedly.
Kara tightened her grip on the door handle, veins popping up on the back of her fair hand.
She wanted to ask Sophia and Kathleen what she had done wrong to them. Why on earth did they do this to her?
Feeling unwell the night before, she had come home from school and slept in her mother's old bedroom. Otherwise she would have still been in the dark about their evil intentions. Once Sophia also left the room, Kara came out of the bathroom to check her mother's casket. Sure enough, it was empty. She hurried out of the room and went downstairs.
Seeing her grandma Linda Quain leaning on a walking stick at the corner of the staircase, Kara seemed to catch a glimmer of hope.
"Grandma, Aunty Sophia..."
Linda's expression changed when she saw Kara's pale face.
"Why are you here? Aren't you in school? Today is your uncle's 50th birthday party. Hurry up and leave this place. Don't bring your bad luck to him."
Linda said disdainfully with a grim face. To Kara, she looked like a monster that wanted to devour her alive.
Today was Adam's big day. Didn't Sophia promised that this invalid wouldn't show up?
Kara widened her eyes in astonishment. Ripples of cold undulated over her skin, as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She couldn't even make a move now.
She had been in poor health since she was young, and Grandma had never liked her. Ever since her mother's death, Grandma found her loathsome even when looking at her.
She now realized how stupid she was to see Grandma as her lifesaver and to seek help from her!
She clenched her fists and turned to leave. Suddenly, a great pain came from her back. Her knees gave away and she instantly knelt on the ground.
Enduring the pain, she looked back and then widened her eyes in shock.
Her grandma was beating her with a cane!
"You wicked girl! Whoever looks at your face will come to a bad end! That's the very reason why your parents died. Are you also trying to get your uncle killed now?"
Although Linda was leaning on her walking stick, she had great strength. She pulled Kara upstairs, while the latter cried and begged for mercy when being pinched hard by her grandma.
Kara's miserable scream attracted everyone's attention. Seeing the old lady drag a girl upstairs, they all came over with doubts, wanting to find out what had happened.
Hearing the commotion, Sophia hurried over. Seeing Kara kneeling on the ground, she put on a strange look.
Her mother-in-law's behavior was so unreasonable. If Linda wanted to teach Kara a lesson, she could call a security guard to lock her up. As long as Kara wasn't beaten to death, Sophia would turn a blind eye.
Linda's punishment of the invalid on such an important occasion would only embarrass her.
Looking at Kara, who was blushing with tears, Sophia didn't have any pity on her. She just comforted her softly, "Kara, be a good girl and don't anger your grandma. After the banquet is over, you can utter your grievances to me."
Hearing her words, Kara widened her eyes in shock. There was a hint of sorrow and self-mockery in her watery eyes.
She was quite familiar with such a scene.
Whenever Linda found her annoying, she would scold her and even hit her with a cane.
Only when she was badly injured did Sophia come forward to stop Linda and take her to the hospital. Sophia would even console her, saying that Linda lost control of her emotions because she felt so anguished losing her young son.
Given that Linda was an elder, Sophia advised Kara not to argue with her grandma. Sophia also swore that she would never let anyone bully her in the future.
Believing that Sophia was the only person she could rely on, Kara would not object to how Sophia arranged her life.
She now realized how naïve and stupid she used to be!