All Chapters of From Coma to Queen: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Behind her sunglasses, Arya watched her angry little daughter. Charlotte's cheeks puffed out, and her eyebrows scrunched in fierce indignation. At five, she couldn't hide her emotions. Joy, anger, and hate were written plainly across her face.In Charlotte's world, Lindsay and Nicole were the heroines. The entire Hammond family treated her like a princess. Arya? She was the outsider, the intruder, the villain.Arya could blame anyone but Charlotte. The girl was only five, living in the fantasy the Hammonds had carefully built around her. Of course she hated Arya.Arya knelt down and spoke gently. "Lottie, can I ask you something?"Charlotte had braced for a scolding, already planning her counterattack. She would call the driver, go to her grandparents' house, and tell her father to kick this woman out.Arya's soft tone unsettled her. Her clenched fists faltered. It was like punching a marshmallow—frustrating and strangely disappointing.She turned her head away awkwardly and huff

Neil was on his way to the Hammond estate. His suit jacket lay crumpled in the backseat, and his phone buzzed in his pocket, ignored.As soon as he stepped through the front door, he spotted Anthony on the couch, scowling as he puffed furiously on a cigar. The ashtray in front of him overflowed with ashes.Anthony held the phone tight in one hand, and his scowl deepened as he snapped, "Mr. Keenan, we had a deal. Contracts were already drafted. Why are you backing out now?""I'm sorry, Mr. Hammond. If I keep working with you, my company's stock will be the next to crash," Thomas Keenan replied sharply and hung up without waiting for a response.Anthony's face turned red. He immediately redialed, but the call went unanswered."That backstabbing old bastard!" he roared and slammed the phone down hard enough to rattle the table. Veins bulged on his forehead.Neil walked over quickly and handed him a cup of tea. His expression was tense. "Dad, I've already reached out to my contacts.

All the assistants nearby had already fallen silent.Still, Nicole pressed on, utterly tone-deaf. "Maybe she hooked up with him years ago! Dad, you can't let her off the— Ah!"Before she could finish, Anthony snapped. His slap came hard and fast as he scolded, "How dare you even lie?!"A man's strength far outmatched a woman's. The blow sent Nicole sprawling to the floor, her head striking the hardwood with a dull thud. She didn't even have time to scream before everything went black.The assistants dropped their gazes even lower, each one wishing they could vanish."Nicole!" Quinn cried, rushing to her daughter's side. She pulled her into her arms and sobbed in panic. Nicole's forehead had already begun to swell, and blood poured from her nose."You've lost your mind! That's your own daughter!" Quinn screamed. "Neil, call an ambulance!""Ambulance? She's not dying," Anthony snapped, his voice still trembling with rage. He jabbed a finger at his wife. "Do you have any idea what

Neil still hadn't come home, even late into the night.Arya didn't care. She had no interest in where he was or what he was doing.On the other hand, Charlotte had been calling him over and over, clearly with something important to say.Arya knocked on the children's bedroom door."Chris, Lottie, Mommy's coming in," she called.The door was slightly open. She pushed it wider and saw Charlotte quickly hide her phone behind her back. Guilt flickered in her wide eyes."What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked, clearly annoyed.She had just finished recording a voice message for her father, telling him about the aquarium trip planned for tomorrow with Lindsay. The last thing she wanted was this bad woman overhearing.For some reason, every time she saw this bad woman, she thought about the mini mango cake she'd thrown away.Of course, Arya noticed her hiding the phone. The sight brought a pang of sadness, but she reminded herself to be patient."Lottie, it's getting late. Time f

Neil's tone carried a sharp edge, and Arya heard it loud and clear. For a moment, she froze—then let out a bitter laugh.Seriously? Lindsay was practically living in their house, and now he was accusing her of infidelity?Earlier that day, Neil had gotten a call from Nicole. She'd just woken up and immediately launched into accusations."Neil, I'm telling you, that bitch is cheating on you! Haven't you noticed how different she is since waking up?" she had insisted.He'd told her to stop talking nonsense, but her last comment had struck a nerve. After all, it was true. Something about Arya had changed.Neil studied her face, searching for signs. She looked the same. If anything, she was more delicate than she had five years ago.Still, unease coiled in his chest, and he said coldly, "Ary, I need an explanation."Arya didn't answer. He really was accusing her.She shut her eyes. Her pale fingers clenched the bedsheet beneath her.A wave of cold bitterness crept through her ches