Deborah pointed at Rylee’s direction and continued to speak to Manfred, “This girl grew up alongside
that kind of woman; just what kind of upbringing do you expect her to have? Her mother is a vamp, so
how much better could her child be? That bitch’s blood flows inside her as well! Don’t you hang out
around her anymore! Do you hear me, Manfred? Or do you intend to piss me off?”
While they were arguing, Rylee slowly stood up, blood dripping down the corner of her lips. She panted
and had a fearsome look in her eyes. She walked towards Deborah and then choked her neck with
both hands. “Don’t you dare speak about my mother like that! Don’t you slander her name! My mother’s
not a vamp! I’ll kill whoever badmouths her! No one can bully us! No one!”
Rylee screamed hysterically; she gritted her teeth, and was bent on choking Deborah to death.
“Aah… Help! Let go of me! Stupid bitch, let go of me now! Manfred, help me!”
Deborah cried out in panic. She grabbed Rylee’s hands; her eyes looked like they were going to pop
out .
Manfred hurried over to pry open Rylee’s fingers, which were fixed tightly around Deborah’s neck. He
began to dissuade her, “Rylee, calm down, you gotta calm down, come on, let go.”
Still sitting on the sofa, Brook Carroll was appalled by the scene taking place before his eyes that he
didn’t know what to do.
Rylee stared at Deborah with bloodshot eyes and snarled through gritted teeth, “How dare you hit me!
Not even my mother ever hit me, how dare you! And you insulted my mother, you’re full of shit! I’m
going to kill you!”
“Help! Manfred, quick, help me, save me!”
Daphne and Andrea were all dumbfounded.
However, Caroline had on a blank expression. She quietly picked up a wooden chair, walked behind
Rylee, and raised the chair into the air.
Manfred happened to see her actions from the corner of his eyes and shouted out, “No! Don’t do it,
Caroline!”
Caroline threw the chair out with a vicious force.
Before he could think, Manfred rushed over to use his body to protect Rylee.
A loud crack rang out.
Manfred let out a grunt.
“Ah? Manfred? Manfred! Manfred!” Caroline screamed in horror and rushed to Manfred’s side. Her
shaking hands reached out in an attempt to touch Manfred’s back.
To think that Manfred would go so far as to use his own body to protect that bitch!
Rylee! This was all that bitch’s fault!
Caroline would never forgive her!
Caroline thought to herself as tears streamed down her eyes.
She never expected Manfred to care this much for Rylee.
The room suddenly fell silent. Even Deborah, who was fearing for her life just before this, didn’t say a
thing. She looked at Manfred and cried out, “Manfred! Are you alright? Manfred?”
Even the manic Rylee suddenly calmed down.
Did something happen to Manfred?
Rylee let go of Deborah and turned to look for Manfred.
But she didn’t see him.
“Manfred?” Rylee asked in a shaky voice.
“Uh, I’m here.” Manfred hugged Rylee tightly, but his head rested on her shoulders. Rylee could feel
the hot breath he exhaled right by her earlobe.
“What happened to you? Why’s everyone asking you if you’re alright?”
“Hey, I’m fine; I’m a man, what could possibly go wrong…”
Sobbing and bawling broke out in the room.
Caroline was crying, and so was Deborah.
Brook began to bark out orders, “Get a doctor! Right now! Get a doctor!”
The crowd slowly brought Manfred to the sofa and began to ask how he felt.
It was as though they all suddenly forgot about Rylee’s existence in the room.
She stood in the distance, alone and looking at Manfred.
Brook passed by Rylee and cursed her in a low voice, “You troublesome brat! Can’t you just behave a
bit? You just can’t stand to watch me live a happy life, can you? If only I wasn’t so soft-hearted, I’d
definitely throw a bastard child like you out into the streets! Geez, just what did I do to deserve this.”
Brook shook his head and let out a sigh, then rushed over to take care of Manfred.
Rylee was still frozen in place; she had a bitter smile on her face, while she felt incredibly cold and in
despair.
Even her own father didn’t believe her…
She didn’t steal Deborah’s jewelries! She didn’t!
Why does no one believe her?
How could her own mother tell her to live with such a father; isn’t this some kind of punishment?
Rylee felt like she was going to suffocate to death in this family!
What should she do? What could she do?
A teardrop finally fell from her face in silence.
You couldn't see her wounds, because they were all hidden inside her.
Rylee stood there like a statue for a long, long time.
The doctor arrived and examined Manfred’s back. He said that it wasn’t a big deal, and prescribed
some medication.
Rylee slowly staggered over to Manfred’s room and wanted to check on Manfred.
Deborah happened to exit from the room; she was sighing, but when she saw Rylee, it was as though
she saw a ghost. She muttered with a frown, “How unlucky! Stupid bitch!”
As she passed by Rylee, she deliberately bumped into Rylee and almost knocked her off balance.
Deborah then made her way back, and hissed in a low voice, “Please, you stupid girl, leave Manfred
alone! Stop trying to seduce him, I would never let you two be together! So you can just give up any
fantasies! Just look at yourself, a bastard child of a problematic mother. And you think you could
possibly be a match for Manfred? Hah, dream on!”
After she was done cursing, Deborah left.
Rylee bit her lips and clenched her fists tightly. She took a few deep breaths.
No matter how hard she tried to restrain herself, she couldn’t stop her body from shaking.
Having her dignity trampled hurt more than any physical injury.
Manfred treated her quite well, and even got hurt trying to protect her today. For the sake of Manfred,
she couldn’t fight with Deborah anymore.
Rylee had an internal dialogue with herself, then she quietly walked over to Manfred’s door. Just as she
was about to enter, she heard Manfred speaking from inside.
“Caroline, don’t treat Rylee like that. If anything, she’s still your sister, you both have your father’s blood
running through you. Nothing can change that. You’re the older sister, so you have to be more forgiving
towards Rylee. I hope that you will be friendlier towards her in the future.”
Manfred’s words were soft and kind, much like his character.
Caroline had her head down and whimpered, “Manfred, do you like Rylee? How are you always looking
out for her? Have you ever thought about how we feel? Back then, her mother came and snatched
away father; my mum was really sick in the hospital, trying to give birth to Daphne, but father never
even went to check on her. And then, she just died there in the hospital. If Rylee’s mother didn’t steal
father away, mum would have never died at such a young age! She died from anger! Manfred, tell me,
how could I possibly get along with Rylee. Her mother killed my mum!”
Rylee’s body was trembling all over. She took a deep breath, and grasped her arms tightly.
In the end, she didn't enter Manfred’s room. Weighed down by pain and despair, she returned to her
own room with her head drooping.
It was pouring rain outside, and the rain beat hard against the windows.
Rylee stood at the window, watching the night sky.
The cellphone rang on her bed. She spaced out for a long time, before she realized and went to
answer it.
“Rylee? Rylee! Are you home now? What happened to you? I couldn't catch up to you! Why didn't you
pick up my calls?”
Joseph’s concerned voice burst out through the phone.
Rylee’s nose suddenly began to sour, and the tears began to fall. She couldn’t utter a word, but just
quietly sobbed.
“Rylee, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? Did something happen? I’ll tell you what, don’t
be upset over the notice board. Gossips and strange events happen from time to time in our school, so
it’ll blow over soon. Don’t even worry about it. Do you hear me, Rylee? Well, say something, Rylee?
Are you even listening to me, hello?”
“I’m listening…” Rylee finally forced out a few words. She balanced herself against the window and sat
down.
“What’s wrong with your voice? You sound a bit weird? Rylee, are you alright?”
“Joseph…” Rylee said with teary eyes.
“Hm? I’m listening, go ahead.”
“Why was I ever born?” Rylee held onto her body, feeling cold all over.
Joseph was silent.
After a while, he finally spoke out in a raspy voice, “You silly girl, what are you talking about? If you
weren’t born, then my life would be dull and boring.”
After Rylee heard Joseph say “I’ll drive over and pick you up to school tomorrow”, she hung up the
phone.
She looked at the rain outside the window, and whispered to herself.
Rylee, you have to quickly grow up!
No matter how painful things are now, you have to remain strong. You’ll get through this!
Work hard, and when you grow up, you have to be better than everyone here!
Let them all see that even the daughter of a prostitute can become somebody!
Work hard, Rylee!
Manfred propped a hand on his waist and made his way slowly to Rylee’s room.
From the dim light in the room, he noted a tiny figure scrunched up on the floor by the window.
“Geez, this girl, how could she just sleep on the floor? She’s sure to catch a cold.”
Manfred walked over, bent down to pick her up, but reeled in pain from his hurt muscle.
But with that adorably warm, tender girl in his arms, he endured the pain and brought Rylee to her bed.
Even in her sleep, she had a frown on her forehead; who knew how much anguish she had to put up
with to end up like this.
Manfred reached over and smoothed out her forehead.
Just as he was about to cover a blanket over her, he spotted her white bosom. Which was exposed due
to the pajama’s oversized collar.
Huff, huff…
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