Chapter 496
Chapter 496:
Cut off from the outside world, she had no idea what was happening beyond those walls. What she didn’t expect was that the change would come from the person she disliked most.
Two days later, Kailey sat in her room with a book open on her lap. She wasn’t really reading — she just stared past the pages and out the open window.
Voices drifted up from downstairs. One of them sounded familiar. She focused.
Candice?
Holding her breath, Kailey slipped out of bed and padded quietly to her door.
𝗪𝗵a𝗍 𝗲𝘃𝘦𝘳y𝗈n𝗲 𝗂ѕ 𝘳𝗲a𝖽𝗶ո𝗀 o𝗇
“I can’t wait anymore. I don’t care about whatever plans you have. I’m moving forward with mine. What you do is up to you.” Candice’s voice carried clear impatience.
Lyman didn’t respond.
Candice let out a cold laugh. “You don’t seriously believe you can win Kailey over like this, do you? Let me be honest — women care about first impressions. Plenty of men have hovered around me for years, but I only want Kyson p>
Hearing her own name so suddenly made Kailey’s heart lurch. She turned and pressed her back against the door, trying to steady her breathing.
After a long pause, Lyman’s voice finally came from downstairs. “I told you. I have my plans p>
“Fine.” Candice made a careless sound. “Kyson won’t return anytime soon. I’ll handle things on his side. As for you, just keep your little bird locked up. Don’t let her come near me. Otherwise…” Another cold laugh. “You know I don’t have much patience p>
Just then, a phone rang. Lyman answered it and headed upstairs to his study. The door shut.
Silence settled over the house.
Kailey’s hand slowly tightened into a fist. Then she opened her door and walked out.
Candice stood in the living room, admiring the decorations and humming softly to herself. She was still smiling when a cool voice cut through the air behind her.
“How dare you come here p>
Candice nearly jumped. When she turned and saw who it was, she laughed. “Kailey? Why wouldn’t I dare?” Her eyes swept over Kailey from head to toe, slow and deliberate, like she was examining something caged. “Looks like Lyman isn’t treating you very well. He can’t even give you a pair of shoes p>
Kailey didn’t answer. She simply stared at Candice.
One second passed. Then another.
Candice shifted back without realizing it. “What are you planning to do p>
A faint smile curved at the corner of Kailey’s mouth. She stepped forward — and before Candice could finish speaking, Kailey lunged. She grabbed a fistful of her hair and shoved her down onto the couch.
“Kailey, have you lost your mind p>
Kailey didn’t respond. Her palm struck Candice’s face.
“Kailey p>
The sound of slaps echoed through the living room again and again. All the anger she had swallowed for days came pouring out at once. Her own hair fell loose around her face, but she didn’t care. All she knew was that today, Candice was going to pay.
In more than twenty years of life, Kailey had never struck anyone the way she did now.