2
By the time Jada returned from the funeral home to the villa, it was already late at night.
The moment she stepped inside, she saw Daisybelle sitting comfortably on the couch while Kenton half-knelt on the floor, gently massaging her foot.
When he noticed her, he lifted his gaze, sweeping her with a cold look. His voice was equally frigid.
“Where have you been? Why are you only coming back now?”
As he spoke, he carefully finished wrapping Daisybelle’s ankle, then rose to his feet and walked over to Jada.
“You didn’t say a word before you left. You me worry about you all this time. You never used to be like this, Jada.”
He frowned slightly as he said it.
His words dragged Jada’s thoughts back to the past—the days when the two of them shared everything… when nothing was kept from each other.
But ever since Daisybelle came into the picture, Kenton never told her where he was going anymore.
And now… he dared to scold her for disappearing without a word?
When Jada stayed silent, Kenton reached out and tucked her rain-damp hair behind her ear, his tone laced with reproach.
“It’s pouring outside. Why didn’t you bring an umbrella? If you catch a cold, it’ll hurt me to see you suffer.”
His voice was soft, even tender. But it no longer stirred a single ripple in her heart.
She lifted her eyes to him, instinctively taking a step back.
“I forgot to bring one.”
With that, she turned to go upstairs, but Kenton grabbed her wrist from behind.
“Where are you going now?”
He frowned, and before she could answer, he dragged her firmly over to the dining table and pressed her into a chair.
“Jada, about Jodie’s matter, Dapper already knows he was wrong. I punished him already, so don’t stay mad.”
At that moment, Daisybelle rose from the couch, limping slightly as she walked over.
“Punished?” The sight of Daisybelle’s faintly flushed cheeks made Jada’s chest tighten with suffocating rage. She asked, “How exactly was he punished?”
Caught off guard by the question, Daisybelle froze, clearly not expecting her to press further.
Jada then turned to Kenton, enunciating each word. “How was he punished?”
“I… I grounded him. He’s not allowed to leave the house for three days.”
“That’s all?”
Jada’s eyes locked onto the two of them with an icy glare.
Her sister was dead. And the murderer’s punishment… was merely three days of not being allowed to go out?
“Jada, maybe you don’t understand Dapper.”
Daisybelle stepped closer, pouring Jada a glass of liquor.
“He’s the lively sort who loves crowds. Forcing him to stay home for three days is as good as killing him. It’s already a very harsh punishment.”
She looked around the room, then asked lightly, “By the way, where’s Jodie? Since Dapper was punished, as his sister, I should apologize to her personally on his behalf.”
At the mention of Jodie, Jada’s heart clenched painfully.
Her sister… would never come back.
“She’s not coming back,” Jada replied, her fists clenching so tightly at her side that her nails dug deep into her palm.
“Is that so…”
Daisybelle lowered her head, feigning sadness. And then, she quickly lifted her gaze with a smile, raising the brimming glass toward Jada.
“Since Jodie won’t come, then Jada, I’ll have to trouble you to drink on her behalf.”
She placed the poured liquor before her and continued softly,
“This time, Dapper really went too far. I’ve already scolded him harshly. On his behalf, I’m apologizing to you—and to Jodie.”
She was about to drink when Kenton stopped her in time.
“Your foot is still injured. You can’t drink.”
He snatched the glass from her hand and drained it himself.
Daisybelle’s eyes lit with a smile as she watched him drink for her, then she turned to Jada. But seeing no response, her eyes welled up instantly.
“Jada… you still can’t forgive us?”
Her voice was choked with tears, pitiful as she looked up at Kenton.
Kenton frowned at the sight of her tears, then picked up another glass from the table and held it out to Jada.
“Jada, Daisybelle has already apologized. Don’t go too far.”
His voice was cold, threaded with suppressed anger.
Staring at the liquor trembling slightly in his hand, Jada felt her chest constrict.
Had he already forgotten?
Once, for the sake of securing him an important contract, she drank herself into stomach bleeding, nearly losing her life. That night, he had held her hand, eyes red, swearing she was never to touch alcohol again in this lifetime.
And yet now… for Daisybelle’s sake, he was the one forcing a glass into Jada’s hands.
“I won’t drink it.”
Jada brushed away his hand and rose to leave.
But in the very next moment, Kenton yanked her back into the chair, pinched her cheeks tight, and before she could react… he forced the entire glass of white liquor down her throat.
