Chapter 47

Rylie shifted her eyes to Tessa's legs. The signs of deformity were becoming harder to miss. She spoke with quiet caution.

"You should stop using whatever Stacey gave you.Keep that up, and you might end up like Nicolas."

Stacey flinched. Her voice turned meek. "I never mishandled Mom's medicine. It was you who cut it off.Her pain never eased after that. I only asked Marsha to help her feel better."

Rylie narrowed her eyes. Was she supposed to carry the blame again?

Rylie didn't waste another word. Turning on her heel,she walked away. Tessa, realizing that she still needed Rylie's treatment, swallowed her frustration. Her tone softened. "Rylie, I know how skilled you are. Aetheris Pharmacy even recognizes your ability. You wouldn't be able to afford those high-end prescriptions otherwise. Though you're not my biological daughter,I've raised you for nearly twenty years, and I do care about you. I don't want to see your talent wasted here."

Rylie stopped mid-step and looked back. "Wasted?"

Tessa nodded with a rehearsed smile. "I'll make a new announcement. You and your mother will live with us.From now on, you'll be my private medical adviser.You'll handle my prescriptions and give me massages.Isn't that better than playing servant in this house?"

Rylie's lips twitched. Tessa always managed to sound generous while being selfish.

She let out a short laugh. "The Kirk family fell apart because of foolish people like you. You keep stirring messes no one wants."

Stacey sprang up, defensive. "Rylie! Mom always meant well. Why do you keep turning on her?"

Octavia had kept quiet until now, but the shift in the servants' faces caught her attention.

She reached for Tessa's arm to keep her from saying more. But Tessa, too full of pride to listen, pressed on Her voice aimed at the servant beside Rylie. "That girl was adopted into our family. I did everything I could to raise her, but she turned out wrong. Always wild.Never proper. And you let her and her mother stay here, like nothing's wrong. Do you even realize the kind of trouble they might bring?"

The servant who was mistaken for Rylie's mother stiffened. Her eyes were filled with disbelief and fury."Mrs. Kirk, Miss Kirk, what are you talking about? I am Before she could finish, a new voice rang out. "What's all this noise?"

Marcus, just returning from a visit to the music association, spotted the commotion. His eyes narrowed as he made his way toward them.

Stacey's entire face lit up at the sight of him.

Tessa, recognizing the cut of his suit and the quality of his watch, immediately toned down her attitude.

Octavia, quick to adjust, stepped forward with a polished smile. "Good afternoon, Mr. Owen. I'm Octavia Dury."

Marcus returned a slight nod, then looked at Rylie."There's a package at the entrance waiting for your signature. It's been sitting there for some time."

The moment she heard his warm and familiar tone directed at Rylie, Octavia's stomach turned. A sense of dread settled over her.

Rylie cast a glance at Tessa, then looked to Marcus with deliberate calm. "The Kirks tried to stop me from working for the Owen family. They wanted me to go back and serve as Mrs. Kirk's private masseuse instead."

Not a single person spoke. The air hung heavy with silence.

Tessa, unaware of how dire the moment had become,rushed to speak. "Mr. Owen, you probably don't know,but this girl used to be part of our household. I'm just trying to help her avoid a life of drudgery. I don't want her trapped in a seivant's role like her mother. My intentions are kind-"

The servant beside Rylie had finally heard enough.Her voice rang out sharp with fury. "What sort of nonsense is that? How could Miss Owen be my daughter?"

Tessa's fawning smile slipped away in an instant.

Marcus turned to her. His voice remained polite, but the chill in his words made the warning unmistakable."Is that how you speak of the Owen family's daughter?You dare say she's a maid? A masseuse?"

His words landed hard. Tessa felt the shock ripple through her.

Her knees gave slightly under her. "What...What did you say?"

Octavia looked as if lightning had cracked through a calm sky. She froze, eyes wide. Rylie? The long-lost daughter of the Owen family? If that were true, then her son had nearly married into the Owen family-without even knowng it.

The realization struck with brutal force. In a blink,everything made sense-the way Fred had gained that three-hundred-million-project-the way it had been yanked away just as quickly. It had all been because of Rylie. Had they left the engagement untouched,their family could've broken into the elite class of society.

Regret burned through Octavia, leaving her face tight with remorse.

Stacey,unwilling to accept it, blurted out loud, "Rylie?That girl from nowhere? You're saying she's an Owen?That's impossible!"

Before anyone could respond, a reprimanding voice echoed nearby. "Why so much noise? Mr. Kendrick Owen is trying to rest!"

An old butler trailed behind Kendrick as he made his way forward.

Rylie, whose expression was usually unreadable,now wore a faint smile as she stepped toward the old man."Grandpa."

She approached with ease and added softly, "I hope we didn't disturb your rest."

"Age steals sleep from us. Don't worry about it."Kendrick placed a gentle hand on her head. His eyes were warm with affection. "What's all this ruckus?" He paused briefly, noticing her attire. "Why aren't you dressed yet? Didn't you plan to meet Paola at six for the charity gala?"

Rylie kept her tone light as she answered, "Yes, I just bumped into a few familiar faces."

Kendrick turned to Tessa and asked Rylie plainly,"What were you discussing?"

Marcus answered before she could speak, "Not much,really. They were just saying Rylie should go back to being Mrs. Kirk's personal masseuse. A live-in servant,essentially.What do you think of that,Grandpa?"

Kendrick's expression changed in an instant. The warmth in his eyes faded. "So you think the daughter of the Owen family should be sent back as someone's household help? After how you treated her?"

Tessa's complexion turned ghostly. "That's not what meant. I had no idea Rylie was from the Owen bloodline."

Kendrick gave a cold, bitter laugh. He cast a hard look at Octavia and snapped, "Do you really believe all those business opportunities landed in your hands by coincidence? And then you come here and speak so proudly?"

"No,no,no, I didn't mean it! I never said a thing about this!" Octavia, overcome by panic, nearly dropped to her knees. "I never insulted Rylie. This is all Tessa's fault. She's the one who caused this. Our family has always thought highly of Rylie. It's Stacey who ruíned everything by chasing after Fred. If not for her, Rylie would have been part of our family by now!"

Desperate to save face, Octavia scrambled to recover the situation, adding, "Once we return, we'll break off all ties with the Kirks. I swear it. Please, Mr. Owen,show us some mercy. The Dury family can't survive without your support!"