Rural Belle & Three Heirs

"The evidence is right here. Chloe can't just weasel out of this. Just 'cause she's from a rich family, does that mean she can do whatever she wants? Does that mean she can get away with murder?"

"My niece is lying in the hospital, and we don't even know if she'll pull through. Is it really too much to ask for justice?"

"You all need to stand with me. I want to fight. I want to say no to the powerful... I want justice for my niece."

Sophia's words painted her as a helpless victim, rallying everyone around her.

Meanwhile, the supposed victim, Kathy, was already in Chloe's hospital room. She was receiving medical care, enjoying Chloe's company, and most of all, basking in Adelaide's awkward but genuine motherly affection.

Adelaide seemed to have taken a liking to Kathy. She had toys and treats brought in for her, placing them all in front of Kathy.

Despite never having taken care of anyone before, Adelaide even brought in a basin of water to wash Kathy's feet and trim her toenails.noveldrama

Kathy was deeply moved by Adelaide's care. She whispered to Adelaide, "Adelaide, you smell so nice. I really like you. Can I secretly call you mom?"

Adelaide's heart was a mix of emotions upon hearing this. How could she refuse such a request from this poor child?

She nodded, "Alright, you can call me mom..."

Kathy was thrilled. She leaned in close to Adelaide's ear and sweetly whispered, "Mom."

Adelaide, who had never been called mom before, was overjoyed. She held Kathy in her arms as if she were a precious treasure.

At the same time, Quentin returned to the Martin Mansion after a long absence. As soon as he stepped into the living room, he saw Anissa sitting on the couch with a scowl on her face.

Anissa was still fuming from the slap Quentin had given her. So she didn't even try to hide her anger when she saw him.

They came together for the sake of mutual benefits. Over the years, their relationship was rocky-they rarely spent time together and often argued within minutes of speaking. As they grew older, they stopped fighting and decided to live apart. It had been three years since they last saw each other.

Anissa's cold demeanor was far from what one would expect between a husband and wife. In contrast, Isidora couldn't hide her excitement at Quentin's return. Their brief encounter at the hospital had left a good impression on her.

Quentin was thin but dressed in designer clothes, giving him an air of sophistication. Isidora couldn't understand why Anissa treated him so poorly. Eager to make a good impression, Isidora hurried over to Quentin. "Quentin, you're back..."

She greeted him warmly, as if they were old friends.

At the hospital, Quentin had been too busy dealing with Anissa to notice Isidora. Now, seeing her in his home, he casually asked, "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"

Isidora quickly introduced herself. "Quentin, I'm Grantie's classmate and I work at the Martin Group. Ms. Rodriguez asked me to stay with Anissa and help out since she doesn't have anyone else."

"Oh," Quentin replied, barely interested. He didn't care who was looking after Anissa.

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"Quentin, you must be thirsty after your trip. Let me get you some water," Isidora offered eagerly. If Anissa weren't there, she might have thrown herself at Quentin.

Quentin ignored her, but Anissa shot her a disapproving look.

Isidora quickly tried to smooth things over. "Quentin, it's not easy for you to come home. Anissa's had a tough time. Maybe you two should talk things out."

She added, "Anissa has done a lot for this family..."

Anissa's suspicious look softened slightly at Isidora's words.

Quentin glanced at Isidora and said, "I understand. You can go now."

Isidora wisely retreated, but not before letting her gaze linger on Quentin for a few seconds. She hoped he would pick up on her feelings.

With Isidora gone, Quentin sat next to Anissa. He felt a twinge of guilt as he looked at his wife, whom he hadn't seen in years.

"Anissa, I think we need to talk." he sighed.

Anissa's temper flared at his words. "Talk? When you slapped me in front of Adelaide, did you think about talking then?"

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"Slapping you was wrong, but you insulted my father first. If I hadn't slapped you, who knows what else you would have said?" Quentin was exasperated.

The Martin family had strict values. While Anissa might have her disagreements with Louis, the way she publicly bashed him in the hospital lobby-using disrespectful and offensive language crossed Quentin's line.

Anissa scoffed. "Insult your father? You slapped me to impress Adelaide and the Davis family."

"I didn't. Anissa, you're being unreasonable." Quentin stood up, frustrated.

He had wanted to have a calm conversation, but Anissa's attitude made it impossible.

"Unreasonable? You suck up to Adelaide and the Davis family, and now you call me unreasonable? I gave you three sons. What has Adelaide done?" Anissa brought up old grievances.

Quentin suppressed his anger. "Anissa, we're married. You should know I don't need to impress Adelaide. I'm just trying to support my father and maintain the alliance with the Davis family."

He continued, "And our kids are grown. Our issues are between us. Don't drag them into this. You know how those three were born."

However, Quentin's words did nothing to calm Anissa. Instead, she laughed bitterly. "I knew it. You never wanted those kids. And you say you don't care about Adelaide? Then why are you pushing our son to marry a Davis girl? To make up for not marrying Adelaide yourself?"

Anissa's anger grew, and she nearly pointed at Quentin's face.

Quentin was furious. "Anissa, you're impossible. I just wanted to talk..."