Chapter 5

Megan, no stranger to such things, knew the marks for what they were – hickeys.

“I thought you were engaged to Tyler, Kelsey. Why are you still going out with other men?” Megan raised her voice to bring the matter to Charlie’s attention.

Sure enough, Charlie grimaced.

Kelsey snapped back, “I can say the same thing about you. My mom is alive and kicking, but you and your daughter act like you own the place.”

“You!”

Megan gave Charlie an embarrassed and hurt look.

“I think I should just move out, Charlie.”

“Bye now. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

Kelsey waved her arm crudely.

Megan froze.

She only said that to tug at Charlie’s heartstrings, not to actually leave.

The opportunity to move into the place was hard to come by. Megan could not possibly back out before she could assume the role of the lady of the house.

“Shut up!” Charlie yelled at Kelsey. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

He stared at the red marks along her neck and pressed solemnly, “Tell me. Where were you last night?”

“Kels was with me last night.” Josephine covered up for Kelsey.

Josephine’s flighty eyes and trailing voice left Charlie more to wonder.

Charlie was livid that Josephine lied for Kelsey.

“Tell me now. Where were you last night?” His gaze locked in on Kelsey.

Charlie believed Kelsey had pushed his docile youngest daughter to lie.

Kelsey had always been a snarky, stubborn, and defiant kid in Charlie’s eyes.

Following a glance at Josephine, Kelsey scoffed to herself.

Josephine’s supposed defense only added fuel to the fire.

However, Kelsey had nothing to hide.

“I was at the hotel last night.” Kelsey was honest.

Tyler had left marks on her last night. Even if Kelsey wanted to, she could not conceal the evidence.

Besides, Kelsey could not back down now that Megan and Josephine made a fuss out of the whole thing.

“Oh, my.”

Megan exclaimed before gloating with a smile, “Kelsey, how could you spend the night with another man behind Tyler’s back? It explains why he wants to cut all business ties with us. He must have found out.”

She was aware that Charlie was fretting over the Lang Group’s business termination. Hence, Megan pushed the blame on Kelsey to make Charlie resent her.

“You have no shame!”

Enraged, Charlie raised his hand on Kelsey once more.

Kelsey took a step back, dodging the attack.

Charlie grew frustrated.

“Who were you with last night? Was it Cooper?” He yelled menacingly.

“Dad, I told you that nothing’s going on between me and Cooper. Besides, a member of Shadow Gale took him away,” Kelsey explained calmly.

Charlie threatened with a scowl, “Who was it then? I’m going to kill him!”

Kelsey’s eyes sparkled amusedly. “Kill Tyler then.”

“What did you say?” Charlie was in disbelief.

Kelsey shrugged. “I was with Tyler at the hotel last night.”

Charlie snorted. “Do you think I’d believe you?”

If Tyler had spent the night with her, the Lang Group would not have ended the business collaborations with the Youngs today.

Kelsey let out an offhanded smile. “I have explained myself. It’s up to you whether you want to believe me.”

She turned around and went upstairs.

Kelsey had said her piece, and it was on them whether they took her for it. She could care less.

She was sore all over as Tyler was rough with her last night.

Unwilling to waste another moment on the trio, Kelsey retreated to her room and lay on her tiny bed.

Megan took over the household when she and her daughter moved into the villa.

Not only did Megan occupy the master bedroom and sleep on her parents’ bed, but her daughter, Josephine, settled in Kelsey’s previous bedroom too.

Kelsey, on the other hand, was forced to take the room in the attic.

Uninsulated from the harsh elements, the room was damp and leaked when she first moved her belongings in.

The space was unlivable during rainstorms.

Nevertheless, Kelsey was strong-willed. Despite the problems, she would not share her feelings and kept her father in the dark.

Confident in Kelsey’s silence, Megan walked all over her and reduced her to a level beneath the domestic help.

Still, Megan would send her daughter, Josephine, to make sure Kelsey was okay from time to time.

That was the reason why Kelsey was so blind to assuming Josephine was different from her mother in her previous life.

It was dark out by the time Kelsey woke up from her nap.

“You must be hungry, Ms. Kelsey. Come and eat.”

With Kelsey’s door opening, Talia served her a simple dinner.

It was a plate of tomato basil pasta.

Talia used to take care of Kelsey’s mother.

When Megan and Josephine arrived at the villa, they replaced all the existing household help, and only Talia remained.

Talia was the only one nice to Kelsey at home.

Megan would leave Kelsey out of the family meals with the intention of starving her.

Talia would secretly cook on the side for Kelsey.

“Thank you, Talia,” Kelsey expressed her gratitude while taking the plate of pasta.

Talia gave her a sympathetic look. “You lost more weight, Ms. Kelsey.”

She sighed. “It has been tough on you since Mrs. Young fell ill.”

Kelsey shook her head. “Not at all. Nothing is too hard for me so long as you and Mom are alive and well.”

She vowed to watch over her loved ones in her newly granted life.

Talia died tragically in Megan’s hands during Kelsey’s previous life.

This time, Kelsey would keep Talia safe from any harm.

“Mr. Lyon has arrived, Ms. Kelsey.”

A household help announced an arrival when Kelsey finished her dinner.

Kelsey narrowed her eyes. “Who did you say was here?”

“Mr. Cooper Lyon,” the household help replied.

Kelsey sneered.

It did not take long for Cooper to lose his cool.

Here Kelsey thought that a member of Shadow Gale had captured him.

She did not beg Tyler to save him. Yet, Cooper was released so soon.

Perhaps panic drove Cooper to meet Kelsey when Josephine spilled the beans about Kelsey’s night with Tyler, her denial of any connections to Cooper, and her plan to marry Tyler.

Cooper might have hoped to steer Kelsey toward him once more so that he could manipulate her.

Well, he had another thing coming.

Kelsey answered without hesitation, “I won’t meet him.”

The household help was shocked. “But—”