Chapter 32
Thalia sighed and said, “It was Sandra.”
Sandra? You’ve got to be kidding mel My dad just said he was going to throw Sandra and Charlie out, and now all of a sudden, Sandra’s in a car accident? There’s no way that’s a coincidence. Something’s definitely going on here! Tiffany’s face grew dark as the thought crossed her mind.
“What happened?” Charlie frowned, asking the question everyone else had been thinking.
Thalia finally explained everything. When Charlie came storming home that night and took Stan away, he’d ordered the se**ts not to tell Thalia anything. He’d even kept the news of Tiffany’s kidnapping under wraps, but Sandra had gone ahead and told Thalia about it.
Thalia was immediately frantic and had the chauffeur take her out to look for Tiffany. Sandra hopped in the car with her.
Then, halfway there, something went wrong-the car veered straight into a telephone pole. In the panic, it was Sandra who threw herself in front of Thalia, shielding her from most of the impact. Thalia got off with just a few scrapes, but Sandra was covered in blood and then was rushed to the hospital.
Tiffany listened without a shred of sympathy. In fact, she found it almost laughable. She knew this whole accident was something Sandra had planned. She glanced over at Charlie-she knew with this happening, he’d be second-guessing whether to kick Sandra and her family out.
‘If only I’d had someone keeping an eye on Sandra. I thought she’d stay put at school, but ver imagined she’d come running home and pull off this little stunt. Well, now Dad and Mom probably won’t throw them out. All my work for nothing. Tiffany thought bitterly.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
After what felt like an eternity of silence, the light above the emergency room finally flicked off. A nurse emerged, wheeling out the unconscious Sandra. Charlie and Thalia rushed forward.
“Doctor, how is she?” they asked in unison.
“She has a moderate concussion and a fractured right arm, but she’s not in any life-threatening danger. She just needs to rest and recover,” the doctor replied.
“Thank you, Doctor, Charlie and Thalia said together, relief evident in their voices.
Sandra was then wheeled to her room. Thalia let out a sigh of relief but then noticed Tiffany standing there, quiet and expressionless. Concerned, she said, “Tiffany, sweetheart, you must be so shaken up. And look at you, you’re hurt all over. Come on, let’s find a doctor to patch you up.”
“No need.” Tiffany shook her head, then turned directly to Charlie. She didn’t say a word, just waited to see what her father would decide.
Charlie gritted his teeth, caught in a dilemma. Finally, he spoke, his voice almost pleading. “Stan is a terrible person. I know you don’t want to see them anymore, so we’ll let Stan go. But Sandra is a good girl, and she got hurt because of your mom We can’t just kick her out, right?”
Tiffany had expected this answer. A bitter smile crept across her face.
Charlie, knowing how much Tiffany disliked Stan and his family, continued, “I owe Stan a lot, but now the debt’s settled. Sandra, though, hasn’t done anything wrong. We can’t-
“You’re never going to get rid of them now,” Tiffany cut him off. Then, almost in a whisper, as if she were talking to herself, she said, “Dad, if this keeps up, I’m really afraid I won’t be able to protect you guys.”
Sandra had won last time, partly because of Tiffany’s own stu**ity, and partly because Charlie was just too naive and soft hearted.
Suddenly, Tiffany felt a wave of anxiety. She was the one who had to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the whole family, and Charlie had no idea that everything she did was for them.
“What are you talking about, sweetheart? When did I ever need your protection? Isn’t it my job to protect you and your mom?” Charlie chuckled, giving Tiffany a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Come on, don’t worry about it anymore. Go get those wounds taken care of.”
“No need.” Tiffany brushed his hand away and turned, walking straight out of the hospital.
Owen had just finished dealing with the kidnappers and sent Zoe back home before he rushed to the hospital. As he reached the entrance, he saw Tiffany coming out, her face devoid of emotion.
Tiffany, what are you doing out here? Is your mom okay?” Owen asked, concerned.
“She’s fine. Thank you, Uncle Owen. I couldn’t have done it without your help, Tiffany replied with gratitude, and then she walked away, resolute and alone.
Owen hesitated, something nagging at him that things weren’t quite right After he found Charlie and got the full story about Sandra, he shook his head in exasperation.
“Charlie, you’re being blind. Do you even know how much Tiffany’s done for your family? Listen, if you don’t start seeing people for who they really are, you’re going to end up in a mess you can’t get out of. With that, Owen turned and walked out of the hospital.
The night had settled in by the time Tiffany stepped outside.
As she exited the hospital, her family’s chauffeur quickly approached. “Miss Kelley, ready to head home?” he asked.
Tiffany nodded and got into the car. Noticing her quiet mood, the chauffeur kept a steady pace, not rushing through the empty streets.
Tiffany sat in silence for a while, letting the quiet wash over her. As she calmed down, her resolve hardened-she was going to take Sandra down, and she was sure she’d be the one left standing in the end. The thought brought a hint of satisfaction, lifting her spirits just a little.
She rolled down the window, letting the cool night air brush against her face as she took in the city lights. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something in the side mirror a sleek black Maybach trailing them.
That car had been following them for a while, matching their speed exactly, never too close, but never far behind.
Even the chauffeur couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the deal with that car? We speed up, it speeds up. We slow down, it slows down.”
Tiffany paused, her breath catching. She knew that car-it was Richard’s. It seemed that ever since she’d left the hospital, Richard had been right there, following her every step.
For a moment, Tiffany froze, a wave of emotion washing over her. Her chest tightened. She had always felt so alone, carrying the weight of protecting her family by herself, with her parents barely understanding the burden she bore. She had resigned herself to fighting this battle alone, convinced no one would be there to help her. But here was Richard, quietly looking out for her, ready to protect her without a word.
“Stop the car!” she suddenly called out.
The chauffeur, puzzled, pulled over to the side of the road. The Maybach behind them came to a stop as well.
Richard watched, surprised, as Tiffany’s car came to a halt. Then to his astonishment, he saw Tiffany step out and walk toward him.