Chapter 42


    Jan’s gaze was as icy as a winter storm when he turned to ra. “There will be no debate. here.


    Apologize to her,” hemanded with an air of finality.


    ra met his frosty stare with an equal chill in her eyes.n, without so much as a question, was


    demanding an apology from her. How blindly he trusted Heldi’s words.


    ra had felt the sting ofn’s partiality before. Once, his bias would have wounded her deeply.


    Now, all she felt was a numbing cold in her heart.


    “You want me to apologize for something I didn’t do? Are you trying to bully a confession out of me,


    Mr. Hayes?” ra retorted, her voice steady and unflinching.


    “ra, one minute. Apologize or you’ll regret it,” he warned.


    A scoff escaped her lips. ra sneered, “Mr. Hayes, haven’t I done enough of that at my own


    peril?”


    He dragged her to donate blood to Heidi, causing her to nearly pass out in the hospital.


    He had falsely used her father, forcing her into this unsavory liaison with him.


    If it weren’t for his constant favoritism towards Heidi in her presence, Heidi wouldn’t have the


    audacity to torment her like this.


    ra red atn defiantly, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Yes, she had hit Heidi, but she


    would never admit it. Heidi could taste the bitterness of being used without evidence herself.


    Their standoff was interrupted as the office door swung open. Rose sauntered in with a beaming


    smile. “Ms. ra, you said you’d make me a coffee. What took you so long?”


    Rose walked over to ra, took her hand, and began to lead her away.


    Leonora was taken aback at Rose’s affection towards ra. “Mom, how do you know


    her?”


    Rose looked surprised at the question. “And why can’t I know her?”


    She nced around at the tense faces and asked, puzzled, “What’s all this ruckus about? You all


    look like you’re in a witch hunt.”


    “Mom, ra just hit Heidi. We’re making her apologize. Please don’t interfere,” Leonora said.


    Rose examined Heidi’s swollen face and feigned concern, “Oh dear, that must hurt a lot. When did


    ra hit you?”


    Tears brimming in her eyes, Heidi replied, “About half an hour ago, in the restroom.


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    11:13


    Rose let out a cold chuckle. “Oh, Heidi, you should pick your moments better to use someone.


    Half an hour ago, Ms. ra was with me in the rec room watching a movie. How could she have


    hit you?”


    Heidi was stunned, her voice tinged with hurt as she said, “Grandma Rose, do you think I’m lying


    with my face all swollen like this?”


    Rose smiled knowingly. “What if, out of jealousy seeingn and ra together, you concocted this


    story and hurt yourself?”


    “If I did it to myself, why would I be so harsh?” Heidi protested.


    “Goodness! Thest time you hurt your arm, wasn’t it worse than this? If not for Ms. ra’s blood


    donation, you would have been a goner.”


    Heidi tried to exin through her sobs, but Rose cut her off with a scoff. “I may be old, but I’m not


    blind. Some people, though, seem to have trouble seeing clearly at a young age. If I’d known it


    woulde to this, I would have thought twice about curing his blindness back in the day.” With


    that, Rose took ra by the hand and left the office.


    Heidi, unustomed to such treatment, burst into tears and copsed into Leonora’s arms. “You


    must stand up for me. I can’t go on if this isn’t cleared up.”


    Leonoraforted her. “Don’t worry, dear. I’ll have the security footage reviewed right away. Let’s


    see what ra has to say then.”