Chapter 52

The sting of Alec's earlier words lingered, and Laura and Kaia sat stiff with anger.

When he spoke, their eyes drifted toward him,curiosity momentarily breaking through their own thoughts.

"So,what exactly are you thinking, Dad?" asked Luka.

After drawing in a steady breath, Alec looked straight at Laura. "You need to bring Verena home and give her a proper apology," he said firmly.

Laura shot to her feet, her voice sharp with disbelief."Did I hear you right? Why should I be the one going after her? I'm her mother, and she ought to apologize to me. Who gave that girl the right to turn things upside down?"

In that moment, Alec couldn't stop himself from recalling how the wives of other powerful families always carried themselves with composure and grace.

"Why are you making this harder than it is?" said Alec,his voice edged with frustration. "You're the one who hurt her. What's so impossible about going after Verena and setting things right?"

The calm certainty in his tone only fueled Laura's temper. To her, Verena's running away wasn't all on her shoulders, so why should she be forced to clean up the mess alone?

Her frustration grew heavier with every thought, until she shouted, "Listen to me, Alec. I will never bend to that girl. Not now, not ever!"

Noticing her fury spiraling out of control, Luka tugged her gently back to her seat. "Mom, please. Tae a breath and let's at least hear Dad out."

Kaia steadied her mother with one hand and tapped her chest in a soothing rhythm. "Momm, Luka's right. We don't have a clear solution yet, so let's hear what Dad has in mind."

Every word of Luka's earlier reasoning had already sunk deep into Kaia's mind.

Even though Kaia's heart burned with dislike for Verena and she longed to see her cast aside, the idea of losing everything terrified her more.

Since Verena mattered deeply to lsaac,crossing her meant challenging the Bennett family itself-a risk that promised disastrous consequences.

Much as she despised the thought, Kaia knew Isaac's warning had been right all along. Destroying the Willis family would take lsaac little effort, and Kaia knew it.

Her place in society meant everything to her, and she would cling to it at any cost. From the start,she had been sheltered like a delicate flower, never knowing the weight of the outside world. Poverty was a fate she could never imagine enduring.

Anyway, she wasn't the one to swallow her pride and apologize to Verena.

Only after her children pleaded with her did Laura's temper ease slightly.

Settling back onto the sofa, she crossed one leg over the other and raised her chin high before cutting her gaze toward Alec. "You know Verena. That girl has a mind of her own. Even if I show up at her door, I can't promise she'll agree to come back."

Regret gnawed at her for ever dragging Verena into the city, since all it had done was stir up chaos in her life.

Recognizing the seriousness of the moment, Alec brushed aside her cold attitude. "Yes, Verena's stubborn. But don't forget-it was you who cast her out. That's the reason she bolted. Arguments between mothers and daughters never last forever. If you swallow your pride and speak from the heart, she'll come back with you."

No sense of maternal warmth stirred in her chest,since Verena had never once felt like a daughter she could call her own.

Laura kept her silence, and Alec's voice turned sharp."You made this mess, so you're the one who fixes it.Isaac already warned us. If the Bennett family steps in,we'll be ruined in no time. Go and face Verena, or stay here enjoying your luxuries until you're shoved back into a life of dirt and fields."

He spelled out the threat in plain terms, aware that nothing frightened Laura more than being dragged back into poverty. He was certain she grasped the weight of his warning.

As his words sank in, Laura's face shifted, the bravado slipping from her features.

In moments, the glamor she wore like armor crumbled,leaving her looking worn and fragile.

A heavy fear pressed into her chest as Alec's warning echoed in her mind.

The thought of Isaac exacting revenge for Verena's sake filled her with dread.

Never again would she allow herself to live in some crumbling, shabby house. The memory of living in poverty had worn her down long ago, and the fear of reiving it haunted her still.

Losing her status and prestige felt more unbearable to her than death itself.

Death seemed kinder than being forced back into that harsh,meager existence.

At last, reality struck her down, and she felt utterly defeated.

Only a short while earlier, she swore she'd never bow to Verena, yet now reality left her with no choice but to think again.

"Fine. If it means keeping this family afloat, I'll swallow my pride," she said through gritted teeth.

The moment Laura gave in, a collective sigh of relief slipped from the others.

In the end, the person who created the problem had to be the one to undo it.

"But where exactly is Verena? How am I supposed to track her down if I don't even know where she's hiding?"Laura snapped.

"That part isn't your concern," said Alec. "I'll have Larry handle the search." Her brows pinched together before she mumbled,"Alright then."

Once he finished delegating, Alec checked the time on his watch.

Isaac's sudden appearance had already thrown his entire schedule off balance.

"It's late already," said Alec, rising to leave."I'll head to the office. Stay alert for Larry's updates."

···

By the time midday rolled around, Larry Marsh finally sent Laura a message, revealing Verena's location along with a room number.

When she saw the name of the luxury hotel, doubt and unease twisted in her stomach.

How on earth could Verena possibly afford a place like this?

The memory of the picture on Kaia's phone came rushing back, and Laura's cheeks burned with shame.

How could she ended up with a daughter bold enough to act so shamelessly?

If word of this ever spread, she'd be the center of ridicule. Still, this wasn't the moment to dwell on shame.Laura ordered the driver to ready the car without delay.

When the car pulled up to the hotel, Laura stepped out by herself and headed straight for the elevator.

Reaching the door to Verena's room, she lingered,her thoughts colliding in a storm of doubt and pride.

The idea of lowering herself before Verena left a bitter taste, made worse by the cruel words she had used to cast her out.

Laura's fingers curled into tight fists as she forced her lungs to steady with slow, deliberate breaths.

Surely Verena would gloat at the thought of being begged to return, wouldn't she?

In her mind, there wouldn't even be a need for persuasion-Verena would fall in line and come back without protest.

Laura convinced herself Verena had run crying to Isaac,hoping he'd send them to fetch her. Riding on that certainty, she jabbed the doorbell.

Across the room, Verena leaned over her desk,grinding herbs she'd picked up earlier, mixing them into ointment meant to ease Isaac's injury. The sound of the bell brought back her promise to Isaac that morning-he was always welcome to drop by.

Thinking of Isaac's shy yet serious look, Verena let a smile spread and hurried to answer whoever was at the door.

A playful comment slipped out as she imagined Isaac behind the door. "You really do as you're told,Isaac..."

But as soon as she opened the door, Verena's smile disappeared completely.

Verena froze for a second, but then she quickly pulled herself together. "What are you doing here?"

"You already know why I came," said Laura, folding her arms as her voice stayed flat. "I shouldn't have said those things to you. You've made your point.Don't you think it's time to come back home?Wandering around like this-what kind of example is that?"

"Back home? Oh, that's funny," said Verena, her tone light as if she had just heard a joke. "Mrs. Willis, you've got the wrong idea. That isn't my home, and you're not my mother."

Laura instantly recognized how she was throwing her earlier words back at her. The stubborn look on Verena's face made Laura's chest tighten. How could the two daughters she gave birth to be so opposite?

Kaia had always been bright and obedient. But this one was useless, lost in her own fantasies.

If it weren't for Isaac, Laura wouldn't care if she ever saw Verena again.

She forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes "Verena, I was only angry when I said that. You shouldn't take it to heart. I've been worried sick about you. You can't be resting well in some hotel. Be a good girl and come back with me. The whole family's waiting for you."