Chapter 446 Why?

Slowly she turned and looked at where the voice was coming from.

Joanna looked to her right and then to her left thinking that maybe her stepmother was addressing someone else.

She returned her gaze to the lady standing some distance away when she didn't see anyone close by.

"Are you perhaps talking to me?" Joanna pointed her index finger at herself. Her widened eyes made her thoughts very obvious.

"Yes, of course, or do you see anyone around?" Adhara replied in a soft tone. She walked closer to where Joanna stood.

The gentleness in her tone coupled with how nice she acted made Joanna find the woman strange.

"I have spared a chair for you at the dining so come join us for breakfast," Adhara smiled at Joanna for the first time in her eighteenth year of existence.

"Did you take drugs so early in the morning or is this your scheme to take revenge on me for poisoning all of you?" Joanna asked, her fierce glares settled on Adhara's face.

"If that is your plan then let me tell you that it won't work. I am not that gullible to fall into the schemes of the enemy...,"

"But I am not scheming anything so what are you talking about?" Adhara tried to plead her innocence but Joanna didn't believe her.

"I am not a fool like you think so quit with the pretence," Joanna retorted.

"Also, shouldn't you put your husband's feelings into consideration while scheming against me?" Joanna quizzed.

"After what happened earlier I bet he wouldn't want to see me so why would you risk getting him furious just to deal with me; a plan that would never succeed?".

[I just wanted to thank her for saving Tony with a proper meal since I hate feeling indebted to her but she misunderstood. I guess her worries are justified judging from how badly I treated her all these years]

Adhara was at a loss for words to say to prove her innocence so she just remained quiet as Joanna talked.

Joanna turned to leave after she had given Adhara a piece of her mind. She didn't move a step away when she spun and gazed at Adhara.

"I am sure little rice ball will throw tantrums if he discovers that I had left without bidding him goodbye so please kindly relay my greetings to him ok," Joanna said and turned to leave.

She swivelled and shot the woman a stern glare when she felt a hand grab her.

"Are you unhappy with my request?" Joanna asked. "If that is the case then forget I ever said anything...,"

"Take this as your allowance money," Adhara muttered and shovelled some dollar notes into Joanna's palms.

At first, Joanna thought she was dreaming or imagining things until it dawned on her that this was a reality.

Joanna shook Adhara's hands off causing the notes to fall off her hand.

"Why?" Joanna asked. "Did you go as far as poisoning the notes in case your plan to poison me with food didn't work...,"

"T-that is not true," Adhara shook her head negatively.

"If that is not the case then tell me, are you terminally ill or did you get struck by lightning in your sleep?" Joanna snapped.

"Tell me which of these is true because I heard people don't change easily except they are dying...,"

"Joanna...,"

"If you don't want me to keep disrespecting or suspecting you then act as you have always done and stop giving me the chills," Joanna hissed and stomped out of the house.

"Our hatred sure runs deep. I guess it was just my wishful thinking that she will accept my kindness," Adhara muttered, her gaze glued on the door Joanna walked out of not long ago.

"I kept wondering why you prepared breakfast and didn't join us at the dining so this was the reason. And here I thought you didn't feel fine," A lady's resentful voice made Adhara tilt her head to look behind her.

Laura came out from where she was hiding and strolled towards Adhara.

"When she poisoned us the first time and you vouched to put an end to her life, I believed you. And when she almost exploded us with the strange fire and you promised to make her pay, I trusted your words but what did you do huh?" Laura spoke bitterly, her right hand clutching her chest.

"A few days to the happiest day of my life, my birthday, I became the biggest laughing stock of the century and all because of her and here you are kissing up to that bitch...,"

"Laura...,"

"You are my mother and grandmother is your mother. If not for yourself, shouldn't you take revenge on her for messing with those you love?" Laura poured out her heart to her mother.

"Are you so scared of her that you would resort to doing everything to make her happy...,"

"Laura, hear me out," Adhara pleaded. She reached out and held Laura's hand but the angry girl pushed her hand away.

"I have always known my mother to be a heartless woman who knows what she wants at all times. I expected a lot from you but you have let me down," Laura expressed emotionally.

"If someone had told me that you would one day love your stepdaughter and choose her over me, I wouldn't have hesitated to rip that person's mouth apart....,"

"How could I ever love the daughter of the woman who almost ruined everything I worked hard for over the years?" Adhara retorted.

She raised her hands and grabbed Laura's shoulders.

​ "You are the apple of my eye. My one and only princess, so how could I ever bring myself to choose the daughter of the woman who made me the laughingstock of the entire Kingdom over you?" Adhara quizzed, her eyeballs locked with Laura's.

"Our hatred runs deeper than you think Laura. In fact, we are irreconcilable so how could I ever love her huh?" Adhara gave a gentle squeeze to Laura's shoulders.

...

A/N:

Hello lovely readers, so first of all I want to apologise for being away for three days without notifying you guys.

It was bad of me to do that so I apologized.

One more thing there is something on my mind and judging from the kind of person your beloved author is, I won't have peace of mind if I don't tell you guys about it.

Like I informed you guys, my birthday was on the 18th of March, and will you believe it if I told you that out of all the amazing readers I have that it was only two readers who wished me on that special day?

I was so goddamn disappointed if you may know.

Let's drop aside the fact that I got no gifts from all of you, but why didn't any of you wish me on that day?

It was my birthday after all and I informed all of you about it beforehand just to prevent this from happening so why...?

I will be a liar if I say I wasn't hurt and heartbroken by your actions. And I am still hurting from this even as I speak.

I really thought you guys would always have my back in everything. I believed in your love for me so much but...