Chapter 272
Chapter 272 His Silent Protection
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When she turned her head, her eyes locked straight onto Leighton’s. It felt like his gaze had been fixed on her this entire time.
His beautiful, affectionate eyes were filled with unhidden heartache.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the cup in her hand.
She frowned, a messy, confusing emotion swirling wildly inside her chest.
She did not know how to deal with the feeling. She could only lower her head and take a sip of her drink, trying to distract herself and calm the restlessness in her heart.
Leighton had not expected her to turn around so suddenly. He was extremely worried about her state.
What had happened today could leave a huge impact on a minor like her. If she did not process it well, it might even become a permanent mental scar.
He had been thinking about how to cheer her up, so her sudden turn and unexpected words caught him off guard.
She had stayed quiet for so long, and Leighton had feared she might blame herself for everything.
Wendy was never the type to admit her own mistakes. She could never face the consequences of her wrongdoings.
The only way for her to release her pent-up rage and hatred was to shift all her faults onto others.
Even the Marlow family was on her list of grudges.
She never dared to yell at the Knox brothers or pick fights with Wayne. Jolie was the daughter she had doted on since childhood.
Even though all the trouble started because of Jolie, Wendy could never bring herself to blame
her.
That left Zora as her only outlet. She had never had deep affection for this newly found daughter.
But because they shared blood, she thought Zora owed her respect as a mother. This allowed her to lash out at Zora ruthlessly without any guilt.
Wendy had barely any love for Zora.
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Chapter 272 His Silent Protection
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She might have felt a little guilty at first, but that guilt quickly faded into irritation because of all the schemes Jolie had pulled.
Whenever trouble happened, she never bothered to find out the truth. She simply believed everything Jolie said.
Deep down, she had never been okay with Zora’s sudden appearance in her life.
If Zora had not agreed to leave the Knox family when she did, Wendy would have eventually hurt her too, given more time.
Zora’s sudden departure had thrown Wendy off balance, which was why she kept going to the Marlow Manor to look for her afterward.
But every attempt was half-hearted and insincere.
Looking at her now, Asher had raised her incredibly well. Zora never trapped herself in useless self-blame.
“You did nothing wrong in your past life. The Knox family are just terrible people p>
The hospital was not far from Aria Estates, yet roads were crowded with holiday traffic.
By the time the car headed home, Zora was already sleepy. Her head slowly tilted over and rested on Leighton’s shoulder.
Leighton had been working on his laptop, handling company matters for the Pierce Group.
He paused his typing the second he felt her lean on him. He turned his head to look at her soft face.
He gently moved the small desk aside and then took the half-finished coffee from her hand.
It was obvious today’s incident had hurt her. Even in her sleep, her brows were furrowed, and exhaustion was all over her face.
She had not even finished her favorite drink; she had only sipped half of it.
There was not much left, and he hated to waste it. Leighton drank the rest in a few quick sips.
It tasted pretty good.
He touched her slightly cold hands, then draped his suit jacket over her body and tucked it tightly around her.
“Turn the air conditioning up a bit.” He instructed the driver in the front seat.
The faint, clean scent of mint filled the air around her. Zora’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed
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Chapter 272 His Silent Protection
unconsciously.
With her fast asleep, Leighton put his work aside entirely.
His slender, refined fingers lightly brushed the crease between her brows. “Sleep well. Everything will be better once you wake up p>
The Knox family would never get the chance to hurt her again.
She was still so young, yet she had endured so many wrongs.
He would not let any of them get away with it-not the Knox family, and not Wendy.
As if his words had worked, the tension in her brows faded completely.
Leighton took out the ointment and reapplied a thin layer on her injured cheek.
Most of the swelling had already gone down. There was barely any trace left of the slap.
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But that single slap from Wendy had left a deep mark in the hearts of everyone who cared about her. Its consequences were far heavier than anyone could bear easily.
The car finally pulled into the underground parking lot of the residential complex. The driver opened the door.
Zora was still sound asleep. Leighton bent down and lifted her gently into his arms.
She looked tiny and light in his hold. He frowned slightly. She still had not put on enough weight.
Zora twitched her brows, on the verge of waking up.
Leighton patted her back softly to soothe her.
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She relaxed again, unconsciously nuzzling her head against his chest.
The sensor elevator detected them and opened automatically. They headed straight up to their floor.
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The Real Heiress’s New Family Adored by All
Jane is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.