<b>Chapter </b><b>391 </b>
Delh eased <b>her </b><b>car </b><b>into </b><b>the </b><b>garage </b><b>with </b><b>practiced </b>precision<b>, </b><b>and </b>as she <b>stepped </b><b>out </b><b>into </b><b>the </b>cool evening air<b>, </b><b>she </b><b>noticed </b><b>Zach </b>was still <b>in </b><b>the </b><b>yard</b><b>, </b><b>waiting </b><b>for </b>her. She walked <b>towards </b><b>him </b><b>with </b><b>an </b>unusual expression, <b>“</b><b>Why </b><b>aren’t </b><b>you </b><b>inside</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>Zach’s </b><b>gaze lingered </b><b>on his </b>mother’s <b>face </b><b>before </b><b>he </b>spoke, <b>“</b><b>Mom</b><b>, </b><b>did </b><b>you </b><b>meet </b><b>with Summer </b><b>tonight</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>At the </b><b>mention </b><b>of </b><b>Summer</b>, <b>a </b>shadow <b>crossed </b>Delh’s face, and she took a moment before <b>nodding</b><b>, </b><b>“</b><b>Yeah</b><b>, </b>
<b>she </b><b>had something </b><b>to </b><b>discuss with </b><b>me</b><b>.” </b>
Zach <b>fell </b>silent <b>for </b><b>a </b>beat, “About Leo, right<b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>A </b><b>soft </b>hum <b>escaped </b>Delh,ced with a pang <b>of </b>sorrow. “I never imagined she could do something like this<b>, </b><bpletely </b>disregarding years of sibling bonds.”
<b>Had </b>it not been for the call she received from Summer, Delh would have been oblivious to the <b>online </b><b>debacle</b>, and she <b>wouldn’t </b>have fathomed Summer’s personality bing so radical.
“It’s probably because she feels we have wronged her somehow,” Zach said with a calm detachment.
He vividly remembered the day Summer turned her back on the Davis family, sneering at their modest means, eager to leave what she deemed a life too shabby for her taste.
Despite being raised with the finest of everything, from clothes to education, she still resented their family’sck <b>of </b>wealth<b>, </b>craving a life of affluence that they couldn’t provide.
What was more ludicrous was that she might’ve not even remembered the reasons behind Nick’s departure to a foreignnd.
Zach collected his thoughts and asked, “Mom, she wants you to get Leo to clear things up online, doesn’t she<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Delh’s smile was tinged with bitterness as she nodded. The daughter she had cared for had hurt her own flesh and blood; the irony of it all was not lost on her.
Zach’s lips twisted wryly. “I thought as much. Everyone has to face the consequences of their actions. You <b>don’t </b>have to put yourself in a difficult position over a sense of kinship that has lost its meaning.”
<b>If </b>Summer had any regard for family ties, she wouldn’t have done what she did. Now that she had crossed <b>that </b>line, why should they respond to her ying the family card? Forgiving her once would only pave the way for a next time.
<b>With </b><b>a </b>shake of her head, Delh turned and walked towards the house.
Zach watched her retreat, keenly aware of the struggle and hesitation of a mother for the child she had <b>raised </b><b>for </b>over a decade.
<b>He </b><b>pulled </b><b>out </b>his phone and sent a text message to Summer.
The <b>next </b><b>day</b>.
<b>Summoning </b>all her courage, <b>Summer </b>still went <b>to </b>school. She <b>pretended </b>not to hear the <b>whispers </b><b>of </b><b>her </b>ssmates<b>, </b><b>burying </b>herself <b>in </b>her books all day. Whether she <b>absorbed </b><b>a </b><b>word </b>was <b>another </b><b>matter </b><b>entirely</b>. <b>When </b><b>the </b><b>final </b>bell rang<b>, </b>she packed up and quickly <b>left </b><b>the </b>ssroom. Zach <b>had </b><b>asked </b><b>to </b>meet her.
<b>Descending </b><b>the </b>school <b>steps</b><b>, </b>Summer <b>ran </b>into Mirabe. Seeing Mirabe <b>suddenly </b><b>made </b><b>the </b>whispers <b>of </b><b>her </b><b>ssmates </b><b>seem </b>insignificant. <b>It </b>was <b>only </b><b>in </b><b>the </b><b>presence </b><b>of </b><b>Mirabe’s </b><b>aloof </b><b>demeanor </b><b>that </b>Summer
feit the biting <b>sting </b><b>of </b><b>humiliation</b><b>. </b>
Clenching her fists, Summer <b>called </b>out <b>to </b>her.
<b>nked </b><b>by </b><b>Jenna</b>, <b>Mirabe </b>gestured for <b>Jenna to </b>go ahead as she walked with Summer <b>toward </b><b>the </b><b>edges </b>of the school <b>field</b><b>, </b>where <b>they could </b>have some privacy.
Summer <b>faced </b>Mirabe <b>with </b><b>a </b><b>gaunt </b><b>expression </b><b>devoid </b><b>of </b>her usual bravado. “<b>Are </b><b>you </b><b>enjoying </b><b>this</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>Having </b><b>another episode</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>Mirabe <b>arched </b>an <b>eyebrow</b><b>, </b><b>clearly </b><b>not </b>understanding why Summer <b>would </b><b>confront </b>her <b>with </b><b>threats </b>or <b>usations </b>time and <b>again</b>.
<b>With </b><b>a </b><b>twisted smile</b><b>, </b>Summer <b>thought </b>of <b>Delh’s reaction </b>the <b>previous </b>night <b>and </b><b>Zach’s </b><b>invitation </b><b>to </b><b>meet </b><b>today</b><b>, </b>and <b>suddenly</b>, she threw her head back andughed.