Chapter 14
Lydia went sprawling on the floor, the impact stinging so sharply that tears welled up. But thinking of what she had to do, she bit back any sound and hauled herself upright, glaring daggers at Zina.
Zina pulled the rag–wrapped tail ring and tossed it to Lydia. “Consider this your lesson learned,” she said coldly, “I won’t be telling Mrs. Lambert what happened. Cross me again, and you won’t walk away unscathed.”
“You!” Lydia recognized the ring, her glare at Zina only growing fiercer.
“You’re a monster!” she snapped, her voice raw with venom.
“Still better than having a twisted mind like yours.” Zina shot back, looking down at her. “Picking that worthless trash only proves how stupid you are. Or do you actually want the other Lamberts to find out about your little stunt?”
Lydia’s face went pale, her lips pressed tight as she fought to control her trembling. “I slipped up this time. But next time, I will make sure you’re kicked out of this house for good!”
“Good.” Zina replied, “I’m waiting.”
Zina watched Lydia leave the room, shaking her head with a faint sigh. ‘Dealing with a child terrified of being abandoned…. what a handful.’ she thought.
Zina threw on some clothes and headed downstairs.
Yvonne was already seated in the dining room. Spotting Zina coming downstairs, her eyes instinctively scanned the room behind Zina. “Wasn’t Lydia with you?” Yvonne asked.
“No.” Zina said, shaking her head, “Probably holed up in her room by now.”
Yvonne didn’t press further. She simply let out a long, resigned sigh..
“I’ve been thinking,” Yvonne began, her voice steady but gentle. “in a few days, when it feels right, I’d like to introduce you as who you really are. You are a Lambert, after all. It’s not right for you to stay here without any standing.”
At this, in case Zina might misunderstand, Yvonne quickly added, “Of course, if you’re not comfortable with this, we would never push you into it. We’d be happy to wait–take all the time you need. We can make the announcement whenever you’re ready.”
“I’m in.” Zina nodded, said solemnly. “You could go ahead and handle it for me.”
Yvonne hadn’t expected things to go this smoothly. A smile spread across her face.
Then, a sudden thought struck Yvonne. She darted upstairs, and when she came back down moments later, she was already cradling a finely crafted wooden box in her hands.
As if lost in memory, her whole face softening with tenderness, Yvonne gently opened the wooden box, revealing a pair of exquisite diamond bracelets nestled within.
“These were left to me by your grandmother.” Yvonne said, her voice soft with memory, “I’ve kept them all these years, just waiting for the day I could give them to you myself.” As she spoke, she tenderly slipped the bracelets onto Zina’s wrists.
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Chapter 14
“They look absolutely beautiful. Every bit as lovely as when your grandmother first placed them on my wrists.” Yvonne murmured, her voice thick with bittersweet emotion, “I failed you… letting you endure so much hardship out there all those years.”
“I… “Zina felt she ought to say something, but when she parted her lips, the words failed her.
Under Yvonne’s expectant gaze, Zina could only force out a single, quiet “Thank you.”
The bracelets were exquisite craftsmanship, cool and smooth against her skin. As Zina turned her wrist, watching the light dance across the emerald, an unbidden smile flickered across her lips.
Yet, an inexplicable ripple of unease soon surfaced within Zina. She glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes with Lydia, meeting a burning stare seething with raw injustice and slow–simmering hatred.
There was no telling how long she’d been standing there, or how much she’d overheard.
Zina pressed her lips together, a tired sigh brewing inside. ‘Well, this just got messy again,‘ she thought.
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