Chapter 419
Chapter 419:
“Liliana!” Natalie cried out in alarm, instinctively moving as if to rush over.
But then she paused, catching herself mid-step as her eyes flicked to Helena.
In that instant, she was torn between her guilt toward her biological daughter and concern for the girl she had raised. Her tension reached its peak. Her head throbbed sharply—and just like that, she collapsed.
“Mom p>
“Mom p>
Both Helena and Liliana shouted at once. They moved quickly, catching Natalie before she could hit the floor.
A moment later, Helena stepped back, releasing her hold first.
“Liliana, you’re a doctor. You know Mom’s health better than anyone. We can deal with everything else later. For now, please stay and look after her,” Helena said, offering Liliana a good reason not to walk away.
Liliana helped the barely conscious Natalie to her room, leaving Kareem and Helena alone in the living room.
“Helena,” Kareem began, his voice low and tentative. “Liliana is actually your mother’s cousin’s daughter.” He paused, as if carefully choosing his words. “Her mother passed away when Liliana was only seven. After that… she was placed in your mother’s care p>
For a long moment, Kareem seemed to wrestle with what came next. “We didn’t originally plan to adopt her. But she was such a gentle, affectionate little girl. After some time with us, well…” His words trailed off into an uneasy silence.
Helena had already convinced herself to let go of her misgivings about Liliana. Her voice softened as she said, “Back then, when I wasn’t around… having Liliana beside you must’ve eased the loneliness a little.” But even as she spoke, a dull ache tugged at her chest. No matter how much she tried to let it go, the unfairness still stung.
At seven, Liliana had been pampered like royalty in a sprawling villa, while Helena herself had scrounged through life, an orphan girl clinging to scraps of warmth and shelter.
Across from her, Kareem seemed to wrestle with the same bitter reflection. His eyes grew misty. He ducked his head, ashamed to let his daughter see his tears, and pressed on, his voice hoarse. “Your mother was always frail. Liliana chose to study medicine for her sake and spent years caring for her p>
When he reached this part, his words faltered. “Helena, we know it’s not fair to you, but we just couldn’t p>
Kareem struggled to express that they couldn’t cast Liliana out, but Helena cut him off, her tone firm and unwavering. “I get it. Liliana is also a daughter to you. I’m not holding it against you p>
“Helena…” Kareem’s throat clenched tight. The kinder Helena sounded, the more suffocating the guilt felt. Words failed him; all he could do was choke out her name, his voice shaking with emotion.
“Mr. Gibson, don’t you think it’s about time you let Helena go?” The sharp rebuke split the tense silence.
Helena turned around to find Albert standing in the doorway, his expression stormy with outrage.