Chapter 66
Shirley’s expression was filled with discomfort, and she seemed at a loss for words.
“And then there’s Maddy,” Wendy said, tears streaming down her face. Her voice quivered as she continued, “What she did was even worse! Shirley, do you know what Maddy has done to Joshua?”
Shirley looked troubled and was hesitant. After a moment, she sighed and said, “Wendy, Maddy… She’s always wanted to drive Joshua out of the house. Otherwise, why would she go so far as to hide his phone. from him? She’s done far worse things than me. Once, she took Joshua, Cassidy, and Frankie to an amusement park but deliberately left Joshua behind, only bringing Cassidy and Frankie back with her. If you’ve seen the things Maddy has done, you’d understand just how much worse they are.”
Wendy trembled, unable to bring herself to recall those incidents. The truth was undeniable that what Maddy had done was even more malicious than what Shirley admitted to. Her actions were cruel, leaving a chill in anyone’s heart who heard about them..
One memory stood out vividly. On a day when everyone else was out working, Maddy and Joshua were alone at home.
Maddy, feeling unwell, had been resting in the living room when she suddenly developed a high fever. Her body convulsed violently, and foam gathered at the corners of her mouth.
When Joshua saw her in that state, he was terrified. Without hesitation, he hoisted her onto his back and ran several kilometers to the nearest hospital to get her treated. The effort completely drained him, and by the time they reached the hospital, he collapsed from exhaustion.
The doctors managed to save Maddy, but her response when she recovered was far from gratitude. As soon as she opened her eyes, she unleashed a torrent of insults at Joshua. She accused him of dirtying her by touching her and blamed him for making her condition worse, claiming that carrying her over such a long distance had worsened her illness.
Wendy knew about this incident, at least partially. What made it worse was that Maddy later vented her frustrations in the family group chat, cursing Joshua and accusing him of ruining her image.
“Maddy always believed Joshua came back to the family to snatch the inheritance or steal things,” Shirley explained. “She has caught him sneaking around several times and even saw him entering Mom’s room. I think that’s why she hates him so much!”
Wendy’s gaze darkened. “Have you confronted Maddy about this?” she asked, turning toward Shirley.
Shirley shook her head. “Maddy is probably gloating right now. She’s been waiting for a chance to get Joshua out of the house for ages.”
Wendy froze for a moment. Thinking about Maddy’s personality, she found herself struggling to accept the reality of it.
“Should we tell Maddy about this?” Shirley asked, her gaze fixed on Wendy.
“Would it even matter?” Wendy sniffled. “Didn’t you just say she’s still gloating? Honestly, under these circumstances, maybe it’s better if Joshua doesn’t come back.”
Shirley looked at her in shock. “Wendy…”
Wendy’s voice softened, but the weight of her guilt made every word cut deeply. “Shirley, we’ve wronged him terribly. As the eldest, I should have been like a second mother to him. But I’ve never once stood up for him, and not once have I done anything for him. Do you know how many times he wanted to visit my company? And every time, I told him no. The few times he did show up, the security guards kicked him out.”
Shirley fell silent, her lips pressing into a thin line.
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Chapter 66
“And you’re no better!” Wendy continued, her gaze hardening as she stared at her. “You’re the second sister, and you treated him just as badly. Remember that old sports car of yours? You wouldn’t even let him touch it!”
Shirley’s chest tightened, her heart feeling suffocated as an unshakable sense of frustration and regret churned within her. She wanted to say something, but the words refused to come.
“I don’t know what Mom and Dad are thinking,” Wendy muttered, her tone bitter. “Let’s see how things play out.” She didn’t want to dwell on it anymore. The more she spoke, the heavier her guilt grew.
Joshua was right. They would face retribution. Sooner or later, it was bound to happen.
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a voice outside. “Wendy, are you in there?”
It was Maggie.
“I’m here!” Wendy quickly wiped her eyes, scrambling to compose herself.
She walked to the door, steadying her breath, and opened it.
It was likely that she had come by after tending to Frankie.
Frankie had been busy preparing for his upcoming SATS, endlessly working through practice tests and assignments. Half a month ago, Maggie had posted a message in the family group chat, declaring that everything in the household should revolve around Frankie’s SATS.
Nothing was to disrupt or distract him during this crucial period. Because of this, both Maggie and David avoided bringing up anything related to Joshua.
With the return of their biological son, the adopted son felt somewhat sensitive about the situation. Maggie and David didn’t want Frankie to feel like an outsider, so they did their best to be more considerate and supportive of him.
“Mom! What brings you here?” Wendy quickly moved to greet her as she entered the room.
Noticing Shirley nearby, Maggie raised an eyebrow and nodded approvingly. “You’re here too? Perfect. This saves me the trouble of looking for you later.”
“Mom, is Frankie working on his practice tests?” Wendy asked as she ushered Maggie inside.
Maggie sighed and gave a small nod. Her face softened with a hint of worry. “Yes, he’s been working so hard lately. I think the distractions at home must’ve affected him as he didn’t do so well on his last chemistry test. I’ve told him to calm down, to stop overthinking, and to focus on performing his best during the SATS.”
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