She pulled it out and tried to pick up the pace, but she bwas /ba step toote. Fay’s men were on her, tackling her to the ground.

One of the men in ck gave Fay something to swallow, and the signs of poisoning began to subside. Meanwhile, her own condition worsened. Her breathing becamebored. b‘/bbAm /bI going to die hereb? /bshe wondered.

She couldn’t. She bhad /bto get home. She hadn’t even told Sienna she was leaving.

“Bring her to me.” Fay ordered.

“Yes, sir!”

Fay’s beyes /bwere cold as he ripped the bmask /bfrom her face, revealing her features. He knew that face instantly.

He took ba /bdeep breath. “Give her the antidote. Take her inside”

“Yes, sirb.” /b

Why was Winifred bhere/bb? /bFay picked up the photo from the ground. She must have be suspicious after seeing him with bher /bsister’s picture and decided to track him down.

“So this is your family? he thought.

He tore the photograph to pieces. Maybe this was his chance to get bback /bto her.

b“/bDon’t hurt her. Just keep her unconscious,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

Rowena couldn’t reach Winifred and was starting to panic. Just bas /bbshe /bwas about to bhead /bto the Hart residence, she received a reply.

[I’m fine. Everything’s okay.

Rowena sighed in relief. She turned around to find her mother, Yvonne, standing right behind her, walking into the house with a nk expression.

“What are you doing here?”

Yvonne surveyed therge, empty vi. “When are you going to stop this nonsense, Rowena? Do I need to remind you who byou /bare?”

bRowena /bretorted, “My name is Rowena re. I’m a human being. That’s my identity.”

b“/bYou!” Rowena’s words were like bthorns/b, catching in Yvonne’s throat

“You are a re. Do you have any idea what kind of gossip you’re creating for the family? The disgrace you’re bringing on us? To see you parading yourself in front of a camera… it’s a p bin /bmy face. I bdidn’t /bspend all that money on your education just for you to be some cheap actress. Do you know what they’re saying about me? That my well–bred daughter ran off to be in the movies.”

Yvonne’s voice was a torrent of fury, her words sharp and cruel.

Rowena bwas /bused to her bmother’s /bbelittling, but no matter how many times it happened, it still hurt. Her heart ached with ba /bfamiliar sense of injustice.

“And! Did their words break your legs? Did they kill you?”

“Rowenal” Yvonne shrieked, braising /ba hand to strike her.

Rowena backed away. “My bface /bis my livelihood now. Don’t even think about it. Please leave, or I’ll have security show you out.”

“Howena! I am your mother! How dare you speak to me like bthat/bb? /bIt’s utterly disrespectful, absolutely shameless!”

Yvonne trembled with rage, her eyes bred/b. Then she added, “It seems you’re not just living off your face, but your body, too. You left home without a penny, yet you’re living in a ce like this. Your sponsor must be very wealthy.”

Rowena’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t imagine those wordsing from her own mother’s mouth.

Is that… is that really what you bthink /bof me?” Rowena demanded.

Seeing the hope in Rowena’s eyes fade and give way to crushing disappointment, Yvonne felt a jolt of panic.

“…. “For a moment, Yvonne was at a loss for words.

“Get out!” Rowena suddenly exploded. “Get out of here, now!”

Rowena shoved her mother away and bran /bupstairs.

Yvonne opened her mouth to call after her, but the words wouldn’te.

When Winifred woke up, she found herself bound hand and foot to a bed. The restraints were tight; she couldn’t bmove/b. She struggled, but they were locked solid.

“Let me go!” Winifred yelled.

-Hearing her bvoice/b, Fay walked into the room.

bAD /b