Chapter 19
Linda, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly spoke, cutting off Eleanor before she could explain.
She didn’t care how harshly Edith scolded her. As a public figure, she was used to being dragged online every other day. She’d heard every cruel word in the book. A few insults wouldn’t kill her.
But now, Edith was turning on Eleanor. That, she couldn’t tolerate. No one was allowed to bully her mom and dad. Not even her grandmother.
Edith froze, her eyes bulging. “What did you just call me?”
Linda’s face was expressionless. “You don’t treat me like your granddaughter, so why should I call you Grandma?”
When she’d just returned to this world, even though Edith had clearly favored Elaine, she still called her Grandma. After all, she was Charles’s
mother.
But now? She dared to go after her mom? Well then–this grandma, she could live without.
Calling her Mrs. Preston was already more respect than she deserved.
Edith, fuming, pointed a shaking finger at Linda, but she didn’t even speak to her. She turned to Eleanor instead.
“Look at her! Look at your precious daughter! No manners whatsoever. And she wants to marry into the Vaughn family?” she snapped. “Compete with Elaine? I guarantee you–she’ll be kicked out the very day she sets foot in that house!”
Linda shot right back, unflinching. “Whether I have manners or whether the Vaughn family kicks me out is none of your business.”
“Linda,” Eleanor gently tugged at her sleeve.
Edith was still her elder. If word got out that Linda had spoken so sharply, she’d be accused of disrespecting her elders. Her reputation mattered.
Linda gave her mother’s hand a reassuring squeeze.
If she couldn’t hit back at Edith directly, then she’d deal with her favorite Elaine instead.
She didn’t waste words. Her voice was icy and direct as a knife.
الله الا الله الله الله الله او
“That room was meant for me. Mom and Dad prepared it for me. Elaine, after squatting in it for twenty years, how much longer are you planning to shamelessly cling to what isn’t yours?”
الله الله الله الا الله
Elaine’s heart skipped a beat under her piercing gaze. She looked wounded and helpless. “Fine. I’ll move. I’ll move out right now.”
She stood up, but Edith yanked her right back down.
“You’re not going anywhere!” Edith roared, “Cling to what isn’t yours‘? Elaine is my granddaughter too! She has every right to stay in any room in the Preston family house! Why should she move out just because you came back?”
“Linda, we’re not moving. What can you do about it?” Edith crossed her arms, all arrogance and defiance.
Linda let out a cold laugh. “Mrs. Preston, before you go throwing your weight around, maybe get your facts straight first?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Edith narrowed her eyes.
“Your darling granddaughter was the one who came to me begging first,” replied Linda.
Elaine clenched her jaw so hard it felt like her teeth would snap.
What was Linda trying to pull? Elaine was panicked.
She cursed herself for being so stupid at the start. Seeing her parents siding with Linda, and hearing that Linda wanted to break off the engagement, she thought she could trap her by playing the victim.
So she’d tried to act pitiful and weak. But really, she hadn’t needed to back down at all.
As long as Jaden came back and kicked Linda out, everything would go back to the way it was.
Now, though, she’d handed Linda a weapon to use against her.
Still, it didn’t matter. She told herself. Their agreement was just verbal. As long as she refused to admit it, there was nothing Linda could do.
“Elaine?” Edith glanced toward her with doubt in her eyes. Linda looked far too confident, and it made her uneasy.
