Chapter 559
Chapter 559:
As Wyatt brushed past Salome without a flicker of acknowledgment, her eyes followed him to Amelia, who was approaching. When Amelia’s features came into sharp focus, Salome froze in astonishment. She had always taken pride in her beauty, but in that moment her confidence crumbled—Amelia was far more striking.
Catching Salome’s stare, Amelia met her eyes and noticed a glint of resentment. At first puzzled, Amelia quickly pieced it together when she saw Wyatt nearby. She knew that look—countless women who adored Wyatt had sent it his way before. He had an uncanny ability to draw attention.
A flash of irritation crossed Amelia’s face, and she shot Wyatt a sharp look. Perplexed, Wyatt noticed her dry lips, uncapped a water bottle, and offered it to her. “Here, drink this p>
Though still mildly annoyed, Amelia accepted the bottle and took a sip. Wyatt then took it back and drank a couple of swallows himself, never sparing Salome a single glance, as if she did not exist.
Witnessing Wyatt’s attentiveness only hardened Salome’s resolve. She stepped forward, ready to deploy her charm. As she mounted a small step, a sly sparkle lit her eyes. Pretending to trip was a trick she used often—any man witnessing it would instinctively reach out to steady her. Worried Wyatt might hesitate with Amelia present, she timed it to fall directly into his arms.
But the ploy backfired. Wyatt deftly sidestepped, leaving Salome off balance. Her staged stumble turned into a genuine fall as her cheek met the smooth decorative stones lining the garden path.
As Salome lay groaning in agony, Amelia glanced at Wyatt, bewildered. He quickly said, “I had nothing to do with it! She fell on her own p>
“Salome!” a frantic voice called out.
Amelia turned to see Rosita hurrying toward her daughter, her face etched with worry. Rosita reached to assist Salome, but the moment she touched her hand, Salome cried out.
“Don’t touch me. It hurts p>
Salome struggled to lift her head, blood streaking her face. “Your face, Salome!” Rosita gasped, stepping back in shock.
𝘛𝘳e𝗻𝘥𝗶𝘯g no𝘃е𝗅ѕ o𝗇
Rosita, who felt her own life had lacked notable achievements, took immense pride in her daughter’s striking beauty. She harbored grand visions of Salome securing a wealthy husband, and the thought of her daughter’s face being scarred—and thus diminishing her prospects—felt devastating.
“What’s going on?” drawn by the commotion, Kelsey and Shepard hurried into the garden. Shepard scanned Amelia carefully, his voice tense as he asked, “Are you all right, Amelia p>
Noting his concern, Amelia shook her head calmly. “I’m fine p>
“Mrs. Stewart, what did you do to my daughter?” Rosita barked, storming over as she saw Salome staring fiercely at Amelia.
Amelia’s expression darkened at the accusation. Before she could respond, Wyatt stepped protectively in front of her, his gaze icy as he said to Rosita, “Mind your words p>
Rosita’s demeanor softened slightly, though her eyes still burned with resentment. “What’s wrong with me saying that? Wasn’t it your wife who made my daughter fall p>
“Aunt Rosita, what nonsense are you talking about?” Kelsey snapped. Having initially stayed out of the fray, she could no longer remain silent after Rosita’s baseless accusation.
Rosita’s temper flared at Kelsey’s retort. “Kelsey, Salome is injured, and as her cousin you not only fail to stand up for her but side with strangers to bully her p>
Kelsey’s jaw dropped; she was stunned. “When have I ever bullied her p>
“Don’t act innocent! You’ve been envious of her beauty since you were children and have bullied her ever since p>
“You…” Rosita’s warped version of events drew a cold laugh from Kelsey.
At that moment, Shepard spoke up, his tone frigid. “If your vision is failing, I can refer you to an excellent eye specialist p>
Rosita didn’t immediately understand what he meant. Only when Kelsey’s and Amelia’s laughter rang out did she realize she was being mocked. Furious, she raised her hand to strike Shepard.
Salome, well aware of her mother’s reckless impulsiveness, saw the gesture and intervened swiftly, grabbing her arm. Limping toward Shepard, her eyes brimming with emotion, she said, “Mr. Chadwick, I’m so sorry. My mother was just overcome with worry for me. Please don’t hold it against her p>
“You should be apologizing to my sister, not me,” Shepard replied.