Keira saw the ssage and replied, “Driving from Clance should take at least six hours, right? What ti will your brother arrive?”
Rebecca’s ssage ca back quickly, “Around noon! After my brother got the photo this morning, he sent it to our parents. They were so excited when they saw it and said they needed to talk to you in person.”
Keira was slightly startled.
With the advancent of mobile networks, much communication happened over the phone now, and personal contact had lessened.
What could they possibly need to discuss in person?
And it seed the photo was related to Lady South…
Lady South was Mrs. Olsen’s mother…
This matter must be very important!
Keira responded to the ssage. “Okay.”
But just as she finished getting ready and stepped out, she heard a piece of news that surprised her.
“To the horse ranch?”
Keira was slightly taken aback.
Standing before her, lissa said with a smirk, “Yes, there’s a business eting taking place at the horse. ranch today. Lewis, as the head of the Horton family, is definitely going to attend, and as his wife, you should be there with him.”
After that, lissa cheerfully took Isla’s hand. “Of course, Jake and Isla will also be there. Isla, you can ride horses, can’t you?”
Isla nodded with a smile. “Of course, I used to go horseback riding with Dad as a child, and I even raised a little pony… Keira has seen it too. I was scared to ride
back then, so it was Keira who led the horse around
the ranch for .”
Keira’s expression darkened
Horse riding has always been a trend among the wealthy elites.
When Isla was seven years old, she finally got her own little pony. Wearing her riding outfit, she looked handso and adorable as she circled her pony, every
nour and then avoitedly reaching out to tough it
And little Keira could only help by holding the leash.
Isla would ride and berate her at the sa ti. “Hurry up, run faster! You’re so slow. Did you not eat breakfast this morning?”
Keira really hadn’t eaten breakfast.
Since waking up, seven-year-old Keira had to serve Isla, carrying her schoolbag behind her, with Poppy never allotting her ti for breakfast.
Her most hated activity was Isla’s horseback riding lesson every Saturday.
Isla felt like a little princess, while Keira herself was…
Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, Isla spoke again. “Keira, today we’ll go together. I’ll need your help getting on the horse. You have no idea how uncomfortable it’s been getting on a horse these past years without being at the Olsen family.”
Upon hearing this, Keira clenched her fists abruptly.
lissa already asked, “Can Keira still help you mount the horse?”
Isla nodded. “Yeah, when I first learned to ride and couldn’t get on it was Keira who knelt down and
served as my mounting block…”
Keira turned sharply toward her, a sharp look flashing
in her eyes.
That was her humiliating past.
It wasn’t out of her own will that she knelt down. It was Poppy pushing down on her head, letting Isla trample on her pride ti and ti again, grinding the
defiance in her bones underfoot…
She tensed her jaw, about to speak, but Isla had already lowered her head. “When I think about it, I was young and naive back then, Keira, I hope you won’t
mind it…”
Keira scoffed.
Young?
Indeed, Isla was young then, but she had been a bad apple right from the start!
She was very aware of what Poppy’s sore spot was and understood precisely how to make Keira’s life more difficult.
Just like now, while Isla was apologizing, her eyes seed poisoned with hatred for Keira, which was
why she would say such things.
Keira looked at her sharply. “You misspoke, didn’t you?”
Isla bowed her head imdiately. “Keira, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have poked at your childhood pain. It wasn’t
intentional. It just reminded of when we were
kids…”
lissa imdiately said, “Keira, Isla didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t be so aggressive! Besides, as a child, you were an illegitimate daughter, so wasn’t it natural for her to despise and bully you?”
These words made old Mrs. Horton smack the table hard. “From now on, in this family, I forbid anyone from uttering the words ‘illegitimate daughter’ again! My granddaughter-in-law isn’t an illegitimate daughter!”
lissa pouted. “The state doesn’t care what I say. Does the Horton family no longer have freedom of speech? Or does it an that Lewis’s wife is so
precious that we ordinary people can’t even utter the words ‘illegitimate daughter”?”
This left old Mrs. Horton at a loss for words.
But Keira suddenly laughed. “Sister-in-law, I didn’t an to stop you from using those three words.”
lissa scoffed. “Then when you said Isla misspoke, wasn’t it because she ntioned your childhood? Isn’t
that the sa as not allowing her to say it?”
Isla imdiately said, “Keira, I’ve apologized. and it
wasn’t intentional. You…”
“Slap!”
Suddenly, Keira raised her hand and landed a forceful slap on Isla’s face, leaving the latter imdiately covering her face in shock.
lissa was the first to react, her voice rising sharply. “Keira, what are you doing? The Horton residence isn’t a place where you can act recklessly!”
Isla, too, teared up. “Keira, was it necessary to hit just because I said sothing wrong? You…”
Keira scoffed. “You said sothing wrong? Every sentence you’ve spoken is wrong. Isla, the Horton family values manners above all. Calling by my na so directly, is this how you show respect to your elders?!”
Isla was suddenly speechless at her words.
Keira then turned to lissa. “Sister-in-law, it’s fine for you to defend your daughter-in-law, but even I, the ‘illegitimate daughter, know not to call elders by their nas. As a lady of your standing, you should be clearer about that, right? So, as the elder, I was right to discipline the youngster to give her a lesson, to prevent her from making mistakes in front of outsiders. You shouldn’t take issue with that, should
you?”
lissa was left speechless as well.
Keira sneered again and looked at Isla. “What were you trying to say? Say it again, correctly!”
Isla was so furious that her chest heaved, but Keira ha the upper hand. Although reluctant, Isla could only say spitefully through gritted teeth, “…Auntie Keira, at the riding club today, please help onto the horse again!”
After she finished, a deep voice ca from upstairs. “Since you know she’s your auntie, you should
understand even more that there is no reason for a senior mber of the family to help a junior onto a
horse!”
Lewis looked somberly at Isla, a hint of nace
flashing in his eyes.
Isla stepped back in fright.
Only then did Lewis turn to Keira. “You don’t have to go to the event if you don’t want to.”
lissa imdiately said, “That wouldn’t be good, would it? You only revealed her identity last night, and if she’s absent from such an important event today, those who don’t know any better might think Mrs. Horton isn’t presentable, which could embarrass you!”
Lewis said sternly, “Apparently, my brother’s
reputation depends on my sister-in-law. That’s your business. At least, my reputation doesn’t depend on my
wife!”
He looked again at Keira. “Do you want to go?”
Keira was about to speak when her phone vibrated.
Opening it, she discovered a ssage from Rebecca. “How infuriating! After my brother arrived in
Oceanion, he didn’t co ho. Instead, he said that a bunch of young masters from Clance had co, and
he went to the riding club! He also said he arranged to et you in the evening, and it would be the sa if he returned later tonight, which is too much!”
Keira narrowed her eyes.
She hadn’t expected Frankie Allen to attend this gathering at the riding club.
She thought of the photo the Allens had ntioned several tis, and taking into account Rebecca’s ssage that insisted she must see that photo…
Keira suddenly curled her lips into a smile. “Then let’s
go.”
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