Chapter 215 Old Scores, New Wounds
“Hmph.” Yunice sneered, watching Elsie’s show. “Do you really think everyone’s as much of <b>an </b>idiot as Owen? That they’ll just dance around your little games?”
Elsie looked confused–until Carl’s <b>cold </b>voice cut through the air.
“So much effort running the show, and yet you can’t even make space for your own sister to stay in the house? What exactly have you been busy with all these <b>years</b>?”
Owen’s face flushed hot. He darted a nce at Yunice, his eyes full of embarrassment and threat, wondering if she’d said something to Carl behind his back. I still need to work <b>with </b>Mr. Carl, <i>I </i>can’t afford to let him think poorly of me!
Carl <b>said</b>, “Don’t look at her. I’ve seen all the quarterly reports from Saunders Hospital. The ce has been going <b>downhill </b><b>year </b>after year–is that Yunny’s fault too?”
“Mr. Carl…” Elsie’s voice trembled, a <b>mix </b>of panic and dread. “It’s not Owen’s <b>fault</b><b>…</b>”
But before she could finish, Carl snapped, “And who the heck do you think you <b>are</b>, speaking <b>to </b>me<b>?</b>”
His cold, impatient re made Elsie flinch hard. Her eyes reddened instantly, as if she’d been bullied.
But then, quick as lightning, she ran to Yunice’s side and grabbed her arm, crying as <b>she </b>pleaded, “Yunice, tell Mr. Carl! Tell him how hard Owen’s worked <b>all </b>these years, please. He’ll believe <b>you </b>
-he trusts you…
Seeing Elsie desperately trying to plead Owen’s case, even while clearly terrified, touched something in Owen.
Compared to that, Yunice’s icy silence only made his heart chill.
Noticing Carl’s dislike toward Elsie, Owen made up his mind–he’d stand up for her.
He addressed Carl with solemn resolve. “Mr. Carl, I think you’ve misunderstood Elsie. She’s my real sister, not some outsider. I only hope she can be treated with the same kindness and protection you <b>give </b>Yunny.”
<b>Carl </b><b>had </b>been merely cold before–but hearing <b>that </b>made his expression darken with genuine fury.
“Will only <b>had </b>one daughter–Yunny. And <b>that </b>one? If anything, she’s the reason your father ended up dead.”
Just as he said it, Lily <b>had </b>walked in–and caught every word. With a loud thump, she staggered and copsed <b>against </b>the doorframe.
The noise caught everyone’s attention.
Crupter 215 old Scores New Wounde
Lily clung to the doorframe, her expression crumbling. Her eyes, aged by time, brimmed with tears–then overflowed.
Elsic panicked. “Owen, did Mom hear what Mr. Carl said?”
Owen panicked too. He and Elsie rushed to Lily’s side, one on each side supporting her. Owen’s voice shook. “Mom, why are you here?”
Lily nced guiltily at Carl, then tried topose herself. “I heard something happened with Elsie. I <b>was </b>worried…”
Owen whipped his head around to re at Yunice. “You called Mom here, <b>didn’t </b>you?”
In <b>his </b>mind, Yunice wanted Lily to witness Elsie being humiliated–<b>that </b>way, she’d feel satisfied.
But Yunice frowned. Lily didn’te because of me.
Still, with Lily’s arrival, the atmosphere shifted once <b>again</b>.
Yunice looked to Carl.
Carl’s brow was furrowed into a hard line, his expression cold, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
He <b>and </b>Will had been <b>as </b>close as family.
Back when Will married Lily, Carl had been <b>a </b>constant presence. In a <b>way</b>, Carl and Lily were old acquaintances.
When Lily disappeared, Carl had <b>even </b>used his connections to search for her.
But after Will died, and with everything that followed, it had been over twenty years since hest <b>saw </b>her.
Old friends meeting again stirred old memories. Two decades had passed. The kids were grown: time <b>had </b>left its <b>mark </b>on them all.
Lily stepped forward, her eyes already bloodshot. “Carl<b>.</b>”
Carl <b>didn’t </b>answer. His face remained cold.
Lily looked down. “I know you me <b>me</b>. You think I’m the <b>reason </b>Will died–your best friend…..”
Her voice was barely more than a <b>whisper</b>. “I don’t me you. All of Will’s friends think the
Owen and Elsie clutched at Lily’s arms, eyes red with emotion.
Owen clenched his jaw, fury building as <b>he </b>watched <b>his </b>mother humbled like this. “Mr
mom is a victim too. <b>For </b><b>blteen </b>years, she lived a life worse than death. No one <b>has </b>the right to me her–not even you!”
30 PM ? <b>dt </b>·
Chapter 215 Old Scores New Wounds
She <b>leaned </b>in and said, “Everyone, if you need to talk, <b>maybe </b>take it somewhere else?”
This is still the Powell mansion. One after another<b>, </b>sobbing and pleading on <b>the </b>floor–it’s starting to look like we’re bullying someone.