Chapter 8

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Evelyn turned to Butler Lu, her voice trembling as she cried, "I can't take this anymore." Butler Lu, ever the loyal and steady figure, could only pat her shoulder gently and murmur, "Everything will be fine." But Evelyn knew better. Her heart weighed heavily as she whispered, "Nothing will ever be fine, not as long as I'm here."

Noticing Butler Lu's confused expression, she continued with a shaky breath, that she had uncovered the truth about her birth Though shocked, Butler Lu assured Evelyn that it was all in the past, and both Master Mike and Madam Erica loved her as much as they did her siblings. However, Evelyn denied this, stating bitterly, “To them, I am nothing but a burden they never wanted.”

Seeing his disbelief, Evelyn recounted the events of the day. She told him about her failed proposal to Edward and the cold conversation she overheard between her parents. She refrained from mentioning the most painful parts—her plan to leave or the fact that she had been starved.

Unable to bear it, Butler Lu resolved to inform Old Master and Madam Jones immediately. But Evelyn stopped him, not wanting to disturb her grandparents unnecessarily. Butler Lu misinterpreted her refusal as a sign of her lingering love and care for her parents. Having no other choice, Evelyn revealed that she planned to leave after the engagement. Shocked, Butler Lu exclaimed, “Leaving?” Evelyn explained that Mike had decided to send her abroad so she wouldn’t “cause trouble” during Amy’s wedding.

Butler Lu, still unwilling to accept this, decided to inform the Old Master, knowing he could intervene. But Evelyn, guessing his thoughts, confronted him about being sent by her grandfather to monitor her. Caught off guard, Butler Lu admitted it and reminded Evelyn that her grandparents loved her deeply and would be heartbroken if she left. Evelyn acknowledged this sadly but said she had no choice but to obey. What hurt her most, however, was being hated by Jake, the very sibling she had lovingly raised. Evelyn recounted how, as a child, she had taken care of Jake when no one else did, yet he now despised her presence.

Her voice cracked as she recalled the past. "When Jake was born, Father and Mother were too busy. Amy and Jack ignored him. I was only four, but I cared for him like he was my own. I don’t know when or why he started hating me."

Seeing her pain, Butler Lu reassured her that one day everyone would realize her worth. Evelyn replied wistfully, “I hope it’s sooner rather than later,” making Butler Lu wonder if she could ever forgive her family. Evelyn revealed that she was giving them one last chance to prove their love at the engagement party.

Not wanting to prolong her pain, Butler Lu gently offered her food, Despite her empty stomach Evelyn hesitantly lied, claiming she wasn’t hungry. Later, as he passed the dining room, he overheard voices from the dining room.

The dining table was lavishly set with spaghetti and meatballs, cheesy pizza, Russian salad, sandwiches, burgers, sausages, eggs, and more. Erica stood proudly as everyone thanked her for preparing their favourite dishes, but no one mentioned Evelyn. Amid the praises, Olivia asked casually, "Where’s Eve?"

Her words froze the room. None of them even knew Evelyn’s nickname was “Eve.” Erica, visibly annoyed, muttered, "Oh, that brat."

Butler Lu, shocked by the venom in her tone, decided to stay and listen.

Jack scoffed, "Why bring her up now?"

Daisy chimed in, "Yeah, let’s not ruin a peaceful dinner talking about her."

To everyone’s surprise, Jake nodded in agreement, and Amy added venomously, "She nearly ruined my life today by proposing to Edward!"

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "What does her proposal have to do with your marriage?"

Amy floundered for a response, prompting Erica to interject, "Amy is about to join Edward’s family. If Evelyn causes trouble, they’ll blame Amy."

"So, Evelyn should sacrifice her happiness for Amy’s convenience?" Olivia asked bluntly, her voice dripping with disbelief.

Erica hesitated before admitting, "Yes."

This infuriated Olivia, who mockingly laughed while rising from her seat, she remarked, "What a loving family you all are," and confronted Erica and the family about their treatment towards Evelyn.

Erica and others downplayed Evelyn’s struggles, but Olivia pressed them, exposing their hypocrisy and revealing that Evelyn had been starved as punishment and also questioned why was she only starved when Buter Lu wasn’t around —this froze Butler Lu, who shockingly realized the depth of Evelyn’s suffering.

Erica stammered, unable to respond. Mike looked troubled but said nothing. Olivia pressed on, taunting Erica with biting sarcasm.

Jack, furious, yelled, "That’s enough, Olivia!"

Unfazed, Olivia shot back, "And what about Evelyn? She hasn’t eaten all day, but you don’t care about that, do you?"

Erica shouted, "Olivia, don’t raise your voice at your husband!"

Ignoring her, Olivia turned to Jack. "You would defend your parents but not your sister? Pathetic."

Unable to control his anger, Jack raised his hand to slap her however Olivia caught his wrist, her voice icy. "Don’t even think about it."

Amid the heated exchange, Olivia reminded them of the Bell family’s role in saving the Jones Company, leaving everyone uneasy., As her parting words echoed in the dining room, Mike gritted his teeth, struggling to control his anger. Erica, losing her composure, warned Olivia that she was no longer a Bell but the Jones family’s daughter-in-law. This further angered Olivia. Sarcastically, she asked Erica, “If Amy’s husband slapped her or hurt her, what would you do?”

Without hesitation, Erica declared she would bring Amy back, emphasising that Amy was her daughter first and a daughter-in-law second. Olivia then questioned Erica’s double standards: “So I must prioritize being your daughter-in-law over being my parents’ daughter, but Amy is your daughter first, then a daughter-in-law. Is that correct?” Erica, unaware of Olivia’s intent, agreed, only to be cut off by Olivia’s mocking laughter.

Olivia stormed out, calling Erica a partial mother-in-law. Jack tried to stop her but was brutally ignored. The rest of the family left in silence, except Jake, who was left pondering Olivia’s words but dismissed them as his imagination.

Butler Lu, in the shadows, clenched his fists. His resolve strengthened. “This family is unworthy of her. I’ll protect her, no matter what.”

Heartbroken by Evelyn’s plight, Butler Lu resolved to report everything to Old Master Jones after Evelyn left for her studies and if anyone dared harm her again, they would face the wrath of her grandparents. Determined, he ordered food for Evelyn despite the maids’ protests. He carried the tray to her room, knocking gently.

That’s it for now…

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