The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 82

Gloria’s words made images of Leilani’s cold, desolate gaze flash incessantly in Milford’s mind. He roared, the emotions he had suppressed for so long finally erupting.

Gloria froze, clearly not expecting such a strong reaction.

Milford took a deep breath, his eyes cold and determined. “Mom, I don’t want to be pushed around by you all anymore.”

Gloria’s expression changed slightly. “What… what do you mean?”

“I mean about who truly caused Yvonne to fall…” Milford continued, “Mom, did you really not notice anything? Or are you turning a blind eye just like I did?”

Before Leilani went to prison, she was shy and introverted. Because she and Yvonne had a good relationship, she often visited the Sherwood family. Both Milford and Gloria had a good impression of Leilani, a shy but polite child.

That was until Leilani’s eighteenth birthday. Yvonne was pushed down the stairs and lay in a pool of blood. Milford remembered it clearly. On the day of the accident, Leilani’s shock and

confusion were so obvious.

But the Sherwood family’s anger needed a target. So, even without the crucial surveillance footage as evidence, Leilani was made the scapegoat based solely on the Sloan family’s testimony. Both he and Gloria had firmly believed in that ‘truth.’

It wasn’t until Yvonne mentioned her fragmented memories-that she didn’t see Leilani when she fell-that he realized how terribly wrong they had been. Although he didn’t know who the real culprit was, what Leilani said must be true. She wasn’t the one who did it.

Faced with Milford’s questioning, Gloria clearly looked guilty. Back then, she knew it was illogical to convict Leilani based solely on the Sloan family’s testimony without physical evidence. But even without evidence, her precious daughter had been hurt. Someone from the Sloan family had to pay the price. Besides, wasn’t it because Yvonne went to Leilani’s birthday party that the accident happened?

“What do you mean I turned a blind eye? It was the Sloans who pushed Leilani out and said she was the culprit!” Gloria argued. “Would they hurt their own flesh and blood?”

Milford felt like he had been struck by lightning. Gloria’s words were a thunderclap that instantly sobered him.

Because the Sherwood family was close to the Sloan family, they were among the few who knew the truth about Leilani and Tamara being switched at birth.

Yes, why had he believed it so implicitly back then? It was because the Sloan family’s

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testimonies were uniformly directed at Leilani. Milford had never imagined they could be so cruel to Leilani.

His thoughts had never been clearer. Clear enough to make him shiver. Milford’s gaze gradually became firm, and he mentally apologized to Leilani. He was about to drag her into this muddy water again.

Milford looked straight at Gloria and enunciated every word, “I love Leilani.”

Gloria’s pupils constricted as if she had been struck by lightning, her voice trembling. “Are you crazy? She’s the one who hurt Yvonne!”

Milford countered. “If she really were the culprit, why would she go to such lengths to cure Yvonne?”

“That… that’s just her guilty conscience! She wants to atone!”

“Atone?” Since clearing his mind, Milford’s logic was sharp, and he refuted Gloria point by point. “Then why does Yvonne lately keep saying she seems to recall fragments that don’t match the testimony from back then?”

Gloria’s face instantly turned pale. “Are… are you suspecting Tamara?”

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Cedella

Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.