?Chapter 504: You have brought nothing but disgrace upon us.
Is this how your father and I raised you to behave? The words hit Lindsay like a p to the soul.
A bitter scoff escaped her lips as she sprang to her feet, defiance zing in her eyes.
She yelled at her mother as if she were an enemy, How dare you say that? Lindsay gazed into her mothers eyes.
Her expression darkened, her eyes burning with unbridled rage.
Her nails dug into her palms, the sharp pressure grounding her turbulent emotions.
Have you and my dad ever truly been parents to me all these years? No! You dumped me with my grandma so you could chase your precious archaeology work! You say my behavior is disgraceful? Tell me.
How should I act when my own parents have ignored me for years and showered all their love on some goddaughter instead? I only wanted my grandma to stand up for me.
Is that such a crime? I just wanted someone to care about me! What exactly did I do wrong? Lindsays words spilled out like a dam breaking, each syble heavy with years of built-up bitterness.
Her steps were forceful, each one a reflection of the anger and sorrow she had carried since childhood.
Lindsay angrily knocked over an antique vase, the crash of its shattering ringing through the living room as if she hoped it would somehow ease her breakdown.
?????????????????v?????????.co???? for more reading She unleashed a flood of grievances she had held in for years.
After the car ident, she had expected her parents to rally around her, staying by her side in the hospital to help her heal both physically and emotionally.
However, none of that happened.
Their visits felt more like a begrudging obligation than genuine concern.
She tried to convince herself that their brief, half-hour appearances were the best they could manage since they were busy with their endless archaeological expeditions.
Yet, when she finally returned home, what greeted her? The sight of her parentsvishing affection on Harlee as if Harlee were the center of their universe.
How could Lindsay not be jealous? How could anyone expect her to y nice with Harlee, who seemed to have stolen everything from her? Yes, her behavior had been abrasive, and her methods far from virtuous.
But so what? If no one else was going to care for her, why shouldnt she seek out someone who would? Was that truly so unforgivable? As her daughters usations echoed through the room, Belen remained silent.
She and Wilton had never been the best parents.
They had made mistakes and had spent countless nights thinking about how to make things right.
But when Lindsay raged about Harlee being favored, Belen stood firm.
Calmly, she said, As for what happened at the hospital, your father and I have nothing more to say.
Then, with a quiet yet firm voice, Belen began reading aloud the information her assistant had gathered.
And finally, with all the weight of truth behind her words, she expressed her true thoughts to Lindsay: First, lets talk about why we didnt visit you much while you were in the hospital.
Your father and I struggled to reconcile the daughter we knew with someone who would resort to such underhanded tactics.
We couldnt face you without feeling conflicted, and we didnt want to disturb your recovery, so we limited our visits to brief half-hour windows each day.
We have talked this over and owe you an apology.
Having you, despite knowing we werent naturally inclined to parenthood, was a failing on our part.
After the birthday banquet, we would like to sit down with you to discuss how you feel about us and your ns for the future.
As your parents, we are prepared to weather any storm of emotions you throw our way, but thats no excuse for ying dirty against Harlee.
Belens expression hardened, her eyes now icy, stripped of warmth or understanding.
The sudden exposure of her online-sourced scheming left Lindsay reeling.
She had dared to confront her mother earlier because she felt righteous in her indignation.
However… Her breath hitched as she pped her hands over her face, masking her panic with a poorly staged disy of hurt.
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