Chapter 437
Chapter 437:
“I was protecting the family!” Beatrice called back, her voice carrying the conviction of someone who truly believed it.
“I am leaving,” Isolde said, pushing past Grayson, her patience utterly shredded.
Kaiden ran in from the living room, holding a glass of grape juice. He glanced at Isolde, then at Belle — who gave a subtle, almost imperceptible nod.
Isolde saw it. She caught the flicker of command in Belle’s eyes.
Kaiden threw the juice.
The dark purple liquid arced through the air and splashed across Isolde’s white trousers and Effie’s dress. Effie let out a startled gasp as the cold liquid soaked through her clothes.
“Oops!” Kaiden laughed. “Get out, trash p>
Isolde stopped.
𝖱𝖾𝘢𝗱 𝘧𝘳𝘦e nov𝖾𝘭𝘀 о𝘯
The world seemed to narrow to the dripping purple stain spreading across her daughter’s dress.
Something inside her snapped. The calm, professional engineer vanished.
The mother bear emerged.
The Foyer.
Silence descended on the room, heavy and suffocating. The only sound was the soft, steady drip of grape juice onto the pristine marble floor.
Isolde slowly set Effie down.
“Stay there, baby,” she whispered, her voice dangerously calm.
She turned to Kaiden.
The boy’s smile faltered. Isolde didn’t look angry. She looked terrifying. Her eyes, usually warm, were now chips of ice.
She walked over to him and knelt down until she was at eye level, her movements deliberate, almost predatory.
“Who taught you to do that?” Isolde asked softly.
Kaiden pointed a trembling finger at Belle. “Mommy said you are a bad lady. An intruder p>
Isolde stood and faced Grayson.
“This is your legacy, Grayson,” she said, her voice cutting through the silence like glass as she pointed at the child. “You are raising a monster p>
“Kaiden, apologize,” Grayson barked, his face a mask of fury and shame.
“No!” Kaiden yelled, bolting behind Belle’s legs.
“He’s just a child!” Belle defended, pulling him closer. “It was an accident p>
Isolde let out a short, mirthless laugh. She grabbed a linen napkin from the side table and gently wiped Effie’s face. Then she crumpled the stained napkin and dropped it at Grayson’s feet. It landed with a pathetic, wet slap.
“I am done,” Isolde said, her voice low and vibrating with finality. “If your family comes near me or my daughter again, I won’t call a lawyer. I will call the press. And I will burn this house to the ground with my stories p>
She picked up Effie and marched out the door.
Grayson followed her into the rain.
“Isolde! Wait p>
She opened the back door of the X7 and buckled Effie in, her movements swift and efficient.
“Isolde, I didn’t know,” Grayson pleaded. “I’m sorry p>
Isolde turned to him. Rain plastered her hair to her face, streaking down her cheeks like tears she refused to shed.
“Sorry doesn’t fix this, Grayson,” she said. “You live in a snake pit. Don’t drag me back into it p>
“I hate it too,” Grayson admitted. The words tumbled out before he could stop them. “I hate what they are becoming p>