"Linda was about to be released, and now she's been sentenced to another ten years. Was this your doing?"
Julian's face was cold as he reprimanded her.
Audrey suddenly laughed. "Her sentence was extended because a new witness came forward. What does that have to do with me?"
"Who else would do something like this if not you?" Julian shot back, his voice tight with urgency. "First you trashed Lillian's shop, then you nearly got me killed. You've always been this aggressive, this unreasonable!"
"Go withdraw the testimony. Now." His tone left no room for argument. "Just say you arranged false testimony. At worst, you'll pay a fine. Nothing will happen to you..."
"That's enough!" Audrey snapped, unable to listen any longer. "And you have the nerve to question me? Did you forget that Linda is a child trafficker? If you hadn't forged my signature and submitted that letter of forgiveness, would she have been getting out this soon? As for withdrawing the testimony? Not a chance. She committed a crime. She deserves to be punished."
"You...!"
Seeing Audrey refuse to budge, Beatrice snapped, "Why waste your breath on her? Lock her in the confinement room. Let her out when she agrees to withdraw the testimony."
"What?" Audrey froze in place.
She couldn't believe it. Her own mother was willing to side with the woman who had trafficked her—to lock her up, all just to comfort Lillian.
"Heh..."
A faint laugh slipped from Audrey's lips, but as she laughed, tears began to fall.
"Mom... in your heart, isn't Lillian the one you see as your real daughter?"
Beatrice stiffened, something flickering uneasily in her chest. At that moment, Lillian suddenly rushed in from outside.
"Audrey! It's all my fault! Please don't argue with Mom!"
She ran up to Audrey and dropped to her knees. "I know... my mother wronged you. She did terrible things and made you suffer so much. I hate that she gave birth to me. If you won't forgive her, then I'll pay you back with my life!"
With that, she slammed her head into the wall. Blood immediately streamed down from her forehead.
"Lillian—!"
Julian panicked. He shoved Audrey aside and rushed forward, pulling Lillian into his arms.
Caught off guard, Audrey stumbled back, her back slamming into the edge of the table. Pain flared sharply.
Beatrice looked at Lillian with aching concern. "Silly child, this isn't your fault. She's just cold-hearted!"
Then she turned to Audrey, fury blazing in her voice. "Are you really going to push Lillian to her death? Guards, take Audrey away. Lock her in the confinement room until she learns her lesson!"
The next second, Audrey was shoved into a cold, dark confinement room.
The pain in her back made it hard to even stand. It felt like she had been dragged back to that tiny dark room from when she was trafficked.
Filthy rats and insects crawled over her, gnawing at her flesh.
Fear and despair spread through her as she curled into herself, barely able to tell memory from reality.
"Let me out! What right do you have to lock me in here..."
She pounded on the door again and again, her hands raw and bloodied, her voice turning hoarse—but no one came.
She was like a broken doll drained of all color, completely abandoned.
Only after her voice gave out completely did Julian finally storm in, shoving the door open.
"Lillian lost too much blood because of you. She still hasn't woken up! Since this is your fault, you're going to pay for it!"
