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Novel Catalog
Chapter 9
Twenty minutes later, the car came to a slow stop at the Farwell residence.
Estella, determined not to be carried, climbed out of the car on her own, moving carefully but steadily. Lucian followed, silent and observant as ever.
The moment they stepped through the door, a voice rang out from the living room.
“Essie!” Aubree exclaimed, her eyes lighting up when she saw them.
She immediately dashed toward the little girl and swept her into a tight hug. “Essie, you’re finally home! How could you run away without telling anyone? I nearly had a heart attack when you went missing. Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Aubree’s voice dripped with a veneer of concern as she began inspecting Estella, her hands moving over the child’s body in an overly attentive manner.
Estella froze for a moment, clearly taken aback by the woman’s sudden closeness. But soon, the coldness returned to her gaze, her discomfort palpable as Aubree continued to fuss over her.
Does she really not know why I ran away? I wouldn’t have left if she hadn’t said Daddy wouldn’t care about me anymore.
Estella’s disgust grew as she recalled the beautiful woman she’d met earlier that day. Now there was someone who actually cared. The difference between these two women couldn’t have been more striking.
She couldn’t stand Aubree’s false concern. With growing irritation, Estella began pulling away from her grasp.
“What’s wrong, Essie? Stay still, okay? Let me check if you’re all right,” Aubree said, her tone still feigning worry, but her grip tightening on the little girl.
Estella struggled more fiercely now, pain flaring as she twisted to free herself.
Aubree’s patience began to wane. When she had punished Estella in the past, the little girl would tremble and stay silent. But now, for the first time, she fought back.
If Lucian hadn’t been there, Aubree would have forced the child to obey, but she knew better than to act too harshly with him watching. A cold glint flickered in her eyes as a thought formed. Instead of continuing this tug-of-war, she decided to let go of Estella and, dramatically, fell to the floor.
“Essie,” Aubree said, her voice trembling with faux hurt. “I know you don’t like me, but I’m really worried about you. How could you…” Her voice broke, and she looked up at Estella with red-rimmed eyes, as if on the verge of tears.
Lucian, who had been watching quietly, frowned when he saw Aubree collapse onto the floor. He immediately pulled Estella aside, his voice firm but gentle.
“Essie,” he said softly, “I know you’re upset, and you can be mad at me. But you can’t take it out on others like this. It’s rude, do you understand?”
Estella stubbornly refused to acknowledge her actions, pulling her hand away from his and hugging her doll tightly. Daddy always sides with her…
With a defeated huff, Estella ran upstairs, her tiny feet pounding against the floorboards as she retreated to her room.
Lucian sighed deeply and turned back to Aubree, his expression unreadable. “You should go now. Essie is still upset, and she doesn’t want to see you.”
Aubree, still on the floor, hesitated for a moment. The hurt expression on her face was all too apparent, but she quickly masked it with a stiff smile. “All right then. I’ll visit her some other time.”
She stood up, brushing herself off, and walked out of the Farwell residence, her head lowered in what seemed to be quiet resignation.
The moment Aubree stepped outside, her composure shattered. Her smile faded, and her face twisted with fury.
How did he find that little brat? And how dare she act like that in front of me? Aubree’s hands clenched into fists. Why isn’t she dead yet?
Meanwhile, back at Drunken Fairy, Madilyn stayed behind even after Lucian’s departure. She lingered, trying to steady her nerves, until it was finally time to leave. She exited the restaurant and hurried toward the car, eager to escape.
Roxanne was already waiting for her. As soon as the door opened, she asked, “Are you all right? He’s gone?”
Madilyn let out a long, relieved sigh as she slid into the car. “Yes. You should’ve seen how he stared at me. It felt like he could see right through me. I nearly cracked under the pressure and gave you away.”
Roxanne smiled, relieved that her friend had made it through unscathed. “You must’ve had a hard time. Let’s go somewhere and grab something to eat. My treat.”
Madilyn waved her off with a dismissive hand. “No, thanks. I packed up all the leftovers. I plan on enjoying every bite of these exquisite dishes from that fancy place.”
Roxanne chuckled, her worries finally easing for the moment. “All right, all right. Next time, though, you can’t refuse my offer.”
As the car drove off into the night, the two women shared a quiet understanding, but Roxanne’s thoughts still lingered on the situation. What’s going to happen now?
