Chapter 248
Chapter 248:
Phyllis glared venomously. “Even if I wronged you before, you’re perfectly fine now. What more do you want p>
“Perfectly fine?” A cold spark flashed in Gabriela’s eyes. She swung her hand, landing a sharp slap across Phyllis’s face.
Phyllis shrieked like a madwoman, clutching her cheek. “How dare you hit me p>
“This slap won’t hurt for more than ten minutes,” Gabriela said with a casual smile. “It’s just a fleeting sting. You will be perfectly fine, so why are you so angry p>
Phyllis’s face flushed with fury. Gripping her cheek, she spat, “I know you hate me, but my parents are innocent. I’ll move out as you request. Just don’t kick them out p>
𝗦𝘩a𝘳𝗲 yo𝘶𝗿 fa𝘷𝗼𝘳іt𝖾ѕ 𝘧rо𝗺 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗇o𝘷еlѕ.cо𝗆
Phyllis had thought long and hard before coming up with this plan. She would leave, but her parents would stay. Later, she could use an excuse, like an injury or illness, to slip back in and deal with Gabriela for good.
“Well, Uncle Josh has always been kind to me. He can stay,” Gabriela said, turning her gaze to Marie. “But you, Aunt Marie—if you won’t leave, should I share the medical report from when you ‘accidentally’ broke my wrist before that painting contest p>
As a child, Gabriela loved painting, earning praise from her teachers. One had even nominated her for a competition. But days before the event, Marie had locked her up at home and beaten her.
Marie’s face stiffened. “You were reckless, running with delinquents. I was just trying to steer you right p>
“No excuse justifies abuse,” Gabriela cut in coldly. “Even though years have passed, I could still press charges. I kept the photos as proof p>
Marie’s expression darkened. “You took pictures of that? You never saw me as family p>
Gabriela didn’t bother arguing. “So, are you leaving or not p>
Marie, having learned Gabriela’s resolve the hard way, didn’t dare push further. Grinding her teeth, she muttered, “I’ll go p>
Gabriela exhaled quietly in relief. In her freshman year of high school, she had hoped to enter a painting contest, but Marie’s violence crushed that hope, ending her ability to paint. That incident taught Gabriela to preserve evidence. But in this case, she hadn’t actually kept photos—she was bluffing.
Josh, standing aside, was stunned. He had read about Gabriela’s fallout with Phyllis online, but the words had left him largely unmoved, eliciting only a faint pang of guilt.
However, hearing Gabriela’s accusations now, he realized his family’s harmony was a delusion. He had believed Marie cared for Gabriela, and Phyllis was kind. He had never recognized Gabriela’s silent suffering until now.
Tears streaming down his face, Josh said, “I’m sorry, Gabriela. We’ll move out tomorrow and return the house to you p>
Seeing his grief softened Gabriela’s heart briefly, but memories of her painful childhood steeled her resolve. “If you’re leaving, give me the keys p>
Phyllis, accepting defeat, yanked out the keys and threw them at her with a hateful glare. “You can keep your damn keys, you bitch p>
Ignoring the taunt, Gabriela calmly retrieved the keys from the floor.
Josh snapped out of his daze, tears in his eyes as he turned and slapped Phyllis. “I raised you to be kind. How could you treat your cousin so cruelly? You’ve let me down p>
Gabriela glanced at Josh’s pale, anguished face. She opened her mouth but said nothing, turning to her room.
Inside, she found it ransacked, her bed covered in vile filth.