Chapter 694
Chapter 694:
Bernice had been nothing more than a pawn in Bella’s game, someone Bella assumed would stay silent no matter what she witnessed. But now, Bernice was slipping out of Bella’s grasp, and Bella couldn’t stand it.
“We are close,” Bernice said, her voice trembling, “and you just stood by and watched as I was left to die? You’re terrible.” Tears welled in her eyes, but they were tears of genuine pain.
Unlike Bella’s, which were insincere and calculated, Bernice’s tears were real.
Even now, Bella was twisting the narrative to make herself the victim, deflecting blame back onto Bernice.
Her crocodile tears only deepened Bernice’s resolve.
“Enough!” Elianna suddenly interjected, her voice cutting through the tension. “If you dislike Bella so much, then maybe you should move out p>
The moment the words left her mouth, Elianna regretted them. But there was no taking them back.
She drew in a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and glanced at Bernice.
She fully expected Bernice to relent and back down.
Instead, Bernice bit her lip, staring at Elianna in disbelief.
Her chest tightened, and tears began to blur her vision. Finally, unable to contain her emotions, she turned to Katelyn, throwing herself into her arms. “Mom,” she cried, her voice breaking as she sobbed.
Katelyn was stunned. She hadn’t anticipated Elianna’s harsh words, and they cut deep.
For years, Katelyn had believed that no matter what happened—even after her divorce from Moss—she could always return to the Harris family. They were her anchor, her safety net. But now, she realized how wrong she had been. At that moment, it became clear—she had no place to call home.
Neither the Harris family nor the Herrera family could offer her the security she once thought she had.
Elianna’s words stripped away Katelyn’s last shred of hope.
“I see,” Katelyn said quietly, her voice steady but full of disappointment. “I’ll take Bernice and leave p>
Elianna froze, stunned by Katelyn’s response. She wanted to take back what she’d said, to ask them to stay, but the words wouldn’t come. Dina, always quick on her feet, stepped in to smooth things over.
“Katelyn’s just upset. She doesn’t mean it. I’ll go talk to her p>
Elianna waved Dina off, a gesture both resigned and desperate.
She felt powerless, unsure why she had said something so cruel.
Upstairs, Dina found Katelyn packing her belongings with deliberate movements. She hesitated for a moment, then gathered her courage and stepped forward. “Katelyn p>
Katelyn didn’t stop what she was doing. Straightening, she said firmly, “There’s no point in trying to persuade me. I’m not staying here anymore p>
Dina could see the pain in Katelyn’s expression. This wasn’t a passing anger; it was a deep hurt. Dina understood. If she had been in Katelyn’s shoes—estranged from her husband and seeking refuge in her own mother’s place, only to face rejection here—she wouldn’t stay either.
Although Dina was caught in her own thoughts for a moment, she had to set them aside as she was playing the role of mediator, tasked with convincing Katelyn to stay.
“Katelyn, I’m sure Elianna didn’t really mean what she said. She’s getting older and sometimes speaks without thinking. Right after she said it, she regretted her words and sent me up here to talk to you. Please, stay. This is your home. This will always be your home,” Dina said.