Chapter 155: The Good Daughter

When I heard Monica beg, I almost laughed.

Just hours ago, she had pushed Lincy onto the stage, urging her to steal attention and stir chaos at the gathering. The goal had been clear humiliate me, disgust Grant , and poison my standing in Snowville.

Not long before that, she had tried to circle my mate. And before that, she had worked behind the scenes with Yenik, slicing away at my life piece by piece.

So now I was supposed to forget the past twenty years?

Forget the way my mother was sidelined.

Forget how Riley was crushed, ignored, and finally broken?

This mother and daughter survived by taking what wasn’t theirs. Lies. Manipulation. Quiet cruelty dressed up as grace. Why would they ever believe I’d lift a finger to save them?

I tilted my head and put on a confused look.

“Aunt Monica,” I asked gently, “what exactly are you saying? Are you sure Lincy… actually killed someone?”

I could see it then the way her breathing stuttered. Fear has a smell. Sharp. Bitter.

Acting came easily to me. There was a strange satisfaction in it.

I pressed on, my voice soft and sincere.

“Sure, my sister can be arrogant. A little selfish. Maybe even manipulative at times. But she’s kind deep down… right? She wouldn’t really do something like murder, would she?”

Monica’s lips twitched. Under normal circumstances, she would have snapped back already. But desperation has a way of swallowing pride.

“It’s your father’s fault!” she blurted. “He spoiled her too much. She was jealous of Camilla, so she took a… dangerous route. She only meant to scare her. But the person in the car wasn’t Camilla. It was Ethan.”

I gasped, covering my mouth.

“What?” I said, eyes wide. “I always thought my sister was just reckless. I never imagined she could arrange something like that so calmly. Dad… what if she comes after me next?”

Grant ’s shoulders stiffened. Whatever patience he had left shattered quietly.

He patted my back. “She wouldn’t dare.”

Monica panicked when she saw the direction of his gaze and rushed to defend her daughter.

“She didn’t mean it,” she said quickly. “She was pushed too far! Yenik meant everything to her. Now he wants to bind himself to someone else anyone would break!”

I didn’t raise my voice. I didn’t need to.

“Aunt Monica,” I said calmly, “you shouldn’t use double standards.”

She froze.

“Yenik was mine first,” I continued. “Lincy took him. You’re saying she couldn’t endure humiliation… but I was expected to? I didn’t lash out. I didn’t hire someone to ruin lives. Or are you saying your daughter’s feelings matter more than mine ever did?”

The room fell silent.

Grant ’s face darkened. Guilt crept in slowly, like a shadow he couldn’t outrun.

From beginning to end, Riley had been the one sacrificed.

Not Lincy.

“Riley, that’s not what I meant,” Monica said weakly. “What you and Yenik had wasn’t as deep as what they shared.”

I nodded thoughtfully.

“Oh, I see,” I said. “So in your world, bonds formed through stealing and scheming are deeper than honest ones.”

Her face drained of color.

“No wonder my father ignored my mother all those years,” I went on, my tone still gentle, “to stay hidden with you. But if your love was truly so powerful, Aunt Monica… why were you never acknowledged? Not strong enough? Or just never worthy enough?”

That was when Grant finally looked at her.

And the silence that followed was louder than any argument.

Grant cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

“We’re talking about Lincy here. Not me.”

“Fine,” I said calmly. “Then let’s talk about my sister.”

I turned to Monica, my voice steady.

“Your daughter destroyed herself over a man. Before blaming anyone else, shouldn’t you look at the way you raised her?”

Monica stiffened.

“Lincy does whatever she wants,” I continued. “Anyone who crosses her, she targets. If my mother and I offended her, wouldn’t we be next?”

“Riley, we’re family!” Monica shot back. “Lincy would never hurt you. You’re exaggerating.”

I laughed softly. There was no warmth in it.

“Family?” I asked. “Since childhood, how many things has Lincy taken from me? Toys. Clothes. Relationships. And even after I finally formed a bond of my own, she still flirts with my mate without shame. What exactly does she want? Everything?”

Monica’s face tightened.

“You built your life by taking what wasn’t yours,” I said quietly. “And you taught your daughter to do the same. Ethan is dead because of her. Shouldn’t she face what she’s done?”

I turned to Grant .

“Dad, you know she’s never been the obedient girl you pretend she is. Back in school, she ran someone down and broke their leg. If you hadn’t buried it with money and influence, the Ashbourne name would’ve been dragged through the mud long ago.”

Grant ’s jaw clenched.

“And now,” I added, “you’ve just arrived in Snowville, trying to establish control, and she pulls something like this. She doesn’t care about your position. She doesn’t care about the family. She only cares about herself.”

The air went cold.

“So,” Grant said slowly, “what are you suggesting?”

I didn’t hesitate.

“If you make a mistake, you pay for it. That’s the rule everywhere. If she’s innocent, the truth will clear her. But if she’s guilty, the Sanders family lost a life. Lincy loses her freedom. Ethan will never come back.”

I paused, a flicker of memory passing through me.

“He made his mistakes,” I said softly, “but he didn’t deserve to die like that.”

Lincy had always relied on the Ashbourne name to shield her.

If no one stopped her now, she would only go further next time.

“Protecting her isn’t mercy,” I finished. “It’s ruin.”

Monica snapped.

“Enough! You’re just using this to take revenge! Honey, don’t listen to her. Lincy is our daughter!”

“Honey?” I echoed mildly. “How intimate. Have you two sealed anything official yet, or are you still pretending? A rotten tree always bears rotten fruit.”

Grant ’s face darkened like a storm about to break.

“Enough,” he said. “This is your territory. If you can save Lincy, name your terms.”

Then he looked at me, trying to soften his voice.

“Riley, I know you hate her. But she’s still my blood. If something happened to you, I wouldn’t stand by either. I’ll make sure she suffers for this but she’s young. If she goes inside, her life is over.”

Before I could respond, Lewis spoke.

He was calm, seated beside me, fingers resting around a teacup. He blew lightly across the surface before saying evenly,

“The authorities have linked the case to her. They haven’t passed judgment yet. That means there’s still room.”

Monica’s eyes lit up.

She rushed forward and grabbed Lewis’s arm.

“Lewis, please. You’re a good man. Help her. I’m begging you.”

My skin crawled.

Did she really think acting soft would work on everyone?

Lewis’s gaze dropped to her hand on his sleeve.

“Have I ever mentioned,” he said calmly, “that I dislike being touched?”

He lifted his eyes.

Monica froze as if something invisible had wrapped around her spine.

“Calling you ’Aunt’ is courtesy,” Lewis said quietly. “Did you really think you were important? Dreaming of becoming my elder? Take a look at yourself first then ask if you’re even worthy.”

The room went silent.

And for the first time, Monica looked afraid.

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