Chapter 23
Chapter 23:
“A mango allergy? That’s odd. She’s eating them with such relish!”
“What an eye-opener! She claims to be allergic to mangoes, yet she’s been enjoying them in front of us.”
“Is this a medical marvel? Who would have known that a mango allergy can be cured so efficiently? It turns out you only need to wrongfully accuse an innocent person.”
Laurie rushed forward, waving her hands frantically. “Turn it off. It’s not what you think! Delilah’s allergy was a misunderstanding!”
“A misunderstanding?” Aiden interjected, catching Laurie off guard. “She claimed that a single mango pudding was enough to almost kill her, yet here, she has eaten several mangoes without contracting a single rash. Is that what you call a misunderstanding?”
Laurie was stunned into silence. She looked over at Delilah, a flicker of doubt passing over her eyes.
Indeed, Delilah had seemed like she was about to die after she had eaten the mango pudding. But now, after eating so many mangoes, she looked perfectly fine. Had she actually framed Janice back then?
Delilah caught the suspicion in Laurie’s eyes and panicked. If her lies were exposed here and now, would Laurie and Connor allow her to stay with the Edwards family?
“I feel terrible, Mom.” Delilah dropped the mango and reached for Laurie, her face already turning pale as a sheet. “Help me. I think my allergy is acting up again.”
And just like that, Laurie’s budding doubts were dispelled. It only took one look at Delilah’s pitiful state, and all she felt was concern for her dear daughter. “Are you sure you’re feeling ill? Don’t scare me!”
“I’m not lying, Mom. I really…” Delilah didn’t get to continue her words as her head tilted to one side. She had fainted.
“Delilah! Someone, call an ambulance!” Laurie frantically shouted to the onlookers, but nobody made a move.
Lᴀtєst chαptєrs ιn g𝒶l𝑛ovеℓ𝑠.𝑎𝓂
Everyone in the crowd was smart enough to know that Delilah was pretending yet again. But Laurie’s judgment was clouded by her emotions, and she completely fell for her adopted daughter’s trick.
Janice had to give Delilah credit—the girl was quite an expert at manipulation. Even when she was on the brink of being exposed, she still had the presence of mind to think of a new ploy and feign an injury.
“I know a bit of medicine myself,” Janice said as she stepped forward.
“Don’t you dare!” Laurie stopped her with a fierce glare. “It’s your fault that Delilah has fainted! And you still have the nerve to touch her? Like hell I’d let you!”
“Do you really believe she is unconscious and not simply pretending?” Janice looked Laurie up and down, finding her biological mother’s stance laughable. Everyone present could tell that Delilah was only faking it, yet Laurie chose to turn a blind eye to the obvious.
“I’ve taken care of Delilah as my daughter for over ten years! Of course, I know when she is pretending and when she’s not!” Laurie huffed with indignation. “Someone, hurry and call an ambulance!”
One of her bodyguards finally reacted and called the nearest hospital.
The ambulance arrived in a matter of minutes, and Delilah was carried away.
Janice wasn’t really bothered; she had more or less anticipated this outcome. If it was that easy to tear off Delilah’s mask, then life wouldn’t be half as entertaining.
She wanted Delilah to sink into the deepest recesses of despair first and experience every stage of grief for a prolonged period of time. She wanted the Edwards family to see for themselves exactly what kind of person they had raised and cherished for over a decade. Most of all, she wanted them to understand that without her, the Edwards family was nothing.
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