Chapter 102
Caught off guard, Rebekah was hit by several of Shawn’s blocks. Her skin was delicate, and small bruises quickly began to form on her arms.
By the time she managed to dodge, Hortensia had lunged forward, grabbing a fistful of her hair and dragging her inside. “You are going to get on your knees and apologize to Candice right now p>
“That’s right! Apologize to Miss Candice!” Shawn echoed. “You’re a bad woman! You went too far this time p>
Rebekah felt as if her scalp was being torn from her head. Her mother-in-law didn’t release her until she’d been dragged all the way to Candice’s room. By then, tears of pain were welling in her eyes.
“Well? Apologize to her!” Hortensia snarled.
Thrown to the floor, Rebekah looked up to see Candice propped up against the headboard, with Benjamin perched on the edge of the bed, glaring down at her with undisguised hatred.
When Rebekah remained silent, her mother-in-law raised a foot to kick her. This time, however, Rebekah was ready. As the foot swung toward her, she scrambled backward. The kick missed, and the older woman’s momentum sent her stumbling forward. With a cry of, “Oof!” she lost her balance and collapsed onto the floor.
“Grandma p>
“Mom p>
Both Benjamin and Shawn rushed to help her up. Rebekah, meanwhile, pushed herself to her feet and watched the three of them with a cold, detached stare.
“Rebekah! Have you lost your mind? Now you’re attacking my mother?” Benjamin snapped after checking that his mother was unharmed, his eyes blazing with fury. “Your mother was trying to kick me. All I did was move,” Rebekah replied, her voice glacial. She looked at Benjamin as if he were a complete stranger.
Her gaze sent a strange jolt through him, followed by a wave of irritation. “You were the one in the wrong! Can’t Mom discipline you? You’re a Forrester daughter-in-law, you p>
“And what does that mean?” Rebekah cut him off. “That a Forrester daughter-in- law is supposed to just stand here and let you all abuse her p>
The red mark from the slap was still visible on her cheek, and her hair was a mess from being pulled. She looked disheveled, but the
unwavering strengedel.ne
eyes belled her appearance.
Benjamin stared at her, his mouth slightly agape, rendered speechless for a long moment.
But Shawn, determined to defend his grandmother, charged at Rebekah, trying to shove her. “You bullied Grandma! You’re a horrible woman p>
Rebekah sidestepped him without a change in expression. Shawn, unable to stop, ran straight into the wall behind her. A loud *thump* was followed by a wail of pain.
“Rebekah!” Hortensia forgot her own fall and rushed to scoop Shawn into her arms, cooing, “Oh, my sweet boy, my precious grandson p>
After making sure Shawn wasn’t seriously hurt, Benjamin turned to Rebekah, his face dark. “He’s your son. How could you do that to him p>
“So what if he’s my son? He was trying to attack me. Am I not allowed to defend myself?” Rebekah’s voice was like ice. “If I could do it all over again, I would never have given birth to such a heartless child p>
Her frigid words left both Benjamin and Shawn stunned. They had never, ever heard her speak with such
venom hit Shawn part net
hard. He’d often declared he didn’ want her as a mother, but he had never imagined a day when she would say she didn’t want him—that she regretted even having him.
He forgot about the bump on his head and looked up at his mother, only to be met with a gaze he’d
never seen before-as if she weret
looking at a stranger. Panic seized him, but he was young and proud. Even if he was terrified she might actually abandon him, he refused to show it.