Chapter 1006:

“Anyone would be envious to have a daughter like yours,” Leda said as she collected the documents and, after offering a courteous goodbye, made her exit.

Nicole stayed rooted to the spot, her expression unreadable as she watched Leda leave, making it impossible for anyone to figure out what she was really thinking.

Noticing Nicole’s lack of reaction, the housekeeper studied her quietly, still unable to spot the slightest change in her attitude. The housekeeper had observed the whole thing and quietly let out a deep, helpless sigh.

Without saying another word, Nicole walked away and caught a shuttle back home. When she passed by the main residence where Millie and Myron stayed, she barely glanced at the building before moving on.

Upstairs in the main building, Millie was in the middle of wiping off her makeup. Her eyes stayed fixed on the mirror, and what looked back at her carried the same features Nicole might have had years ago.

Even though they looked so much alike, there was always a wall between them. Just like now.

When her new company first launched, Millie had tried to get Nicole’s thoughts on it.

“Don’t drag me into this. I want nothing to do with him,” Nicole answered bluntly.

So Millie had simply offered her mother shares, saying she could just collect whatever dividends came her way. Nicole accepted this proposal without hesitation.

Old memories started surfacing in Millie’s mind.

Life shifted the moment her father died, and from that day on, everything felt unbearably harsh.

Nicole’s relatives acted like she didn’t exist, and once living in comfort, she suddenly had to shoulder endless chores and backbreaking work, caught in a never-ending cycle just to keep a roof over their heads and food on their table.

𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕: ⲅⲁⳑ⧈𝗇𝗈⧈ν𝖊⧈𝗅𝘀⧈ⅽ⧈𝗈𝗆

That was how Hayden entered their lives.

Nicole, exhausted and desperate for stability, chose to make do with what she had and stayed with Hayden.

But then Hayden landed in jail, and it was all because of Millie.

Millie could still picture that wild, stormy night when they clashed.

“You and your father wrecked my life!” Nicole had yelled at her. “I barely got a glimpse of happiness before he died and everything fell apart! If I’d just left you back then, maybe I’d have found a better life for myself! But no, I stayed, for you! You and your father turned my whole life upside down! All these years, keeping you around has only dragged me down. Who knows where you would’ve ended up if I hadn’t stayed!”

Rain dripped steadily as Millie waited in silence, facing Nicole with quiet determination.

“I’ll make sure you’re taken care of, Mom. You have my word. I’ll give you the life you deserve, I promise. I just need some time.”

Nicole paid no mind to Millie’s promises, pushing them aside while offering nothing but praise for Hayden.

“But he hurt me,” Millie argued, her voice trembling, eyes glistening with tears.

Nicole shot her a furious look. “You left, didn’t you? You’re standing here just fine, aren’t you?”

“He took everything out on me. There were days he nearly killed me. If… if help hadn’t come, I might not be here now. He even—” Millie’s voice broke off, unable to say the rest. All she could do was whisper, “Mom…”

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