’’Corrine.’’

The strange woman called her as tears flowed down her cheeks like a broken dam. Regret written all over her face as the tears smeared her makeup and made so much mess of her face.

But Corrine kept walking towards her office. She really has so much to do and that with a limited time on her hands. It will be so unfair to her and Ruby to spend her last moments giving the woman that neglected her for two decades a chance to make it right with her.

Well, that is if she even had the conscience to do so.

’’Anais, please,’’ the woman sobbed out, breaking down completely as she watched her daughter leave to embrace death. Neal said she has someone very powerful protecting her but she didn’t see anyone worthwhile enough to get that monster far away from her daughter.

The daughter she failed to protect and keep under her motherly wings. The bond between her daughter she exchanged for a lifetime of wealth and recklessness.

The daughter she traded to be popular and treated like a goddess in this world.

Now, no one was here trying to save her daughter. None of those expensive gold jewelry or diamonds can convince her daughter to choose life and be under their wings again.

This time, she was ready to do everything in her power to support and protect her baby this time. The child who clung to her desperately for love and affection. The same love and affection she spoiled on her gold and designer clothes.

’’Anais please, have mercy on me...’’ She cried again, feeling the weight of her sins and years of ill treatment crash all on her in waves. Like a tsunami and threatened to break her heart into pieces that could never be put back together. The woman doubled over in pain, her eyes so red they matched her lipstick as her veins popped out on the sides of her face.

Her baby had been struck down by a disease.

And she was going to die soon.

But her husband’s brother has a cure for it but Anais is already too consumed by resentment for them to even care about it.

’’Stop being stubborn and come with me for the treatment!’’

Corrine paused. Her dark green gaze flickering about slowly as she refused to face that strange woman calling out to her.

She guessed right.

They will never feel guilty for all they did to her and Ruby.

In their eyes, they were never their kids but tools. Tools for more power and dominion over a world that was never theirs in the first place.

She finally summoned enough courage to face the woman. Tears clouded her vision but they dared not fall.

Catherine Ashworth moved close enough to her daughter and raised a trembling finger to touch her face.

Corrine took a step back to stop those filthy hands from touching any part of her skin.

It was an act that ruined Catherine the more and she wanted so much to be run over by something this instant.

’’What is the high and mighty, Catherine Ashworth doing in a place not worthy of her presence?’’

She was indeed her daughter. She knows how to hurt where it pains the most. Catherine closed her eyes slowly as more tears tumbled down her cheek, parting her lips slightly at the pain.

’’Corrine, I am so sorry for—’’

Corrine averted her eyes from her mother and said without flinching.

’’It’s too late to be sorry Mrs. Ashworth.’’

It’s too late to regret.

They had already done their worst and drove her right at death’s door. They had already walked her through all kinds of pain and horror enough for a lifetime. The damage has already been done. The hurt lingered and the scar remained on her heart.

Ruby’s death was their fault too.

And now they were going to lose her too.

For a slight moment, it made her happy to see that they had failed to control and take over her life. That these past twenty-five years, she had spent it well living for herself, rejecting all their values and views about life.

Hell, they even succeeded in making her feel guilty for a grave sin she was sure she didn’t commit.

She could just respectfully pick up her designer handbag on the floor and she could go make another baby with that monster to control and ruin.

’’No, baby. It is not too late. Listen to me, your uncle has a secret cure to whatever is happening to you. Your father is even ready to forgive everything you’ve ever done and all your inheritance remains intact.’’

Corrine...smiled. A tear trickled down the side of her face.

’’Listen to me, sweetie. I secured all that money and power with my life. My flesh and blood and protected it until the day you would return to your senses and claim it all as yours.’’

Corrine wanted to burst into tears but she held it back, staring down in shame, feeling overwhelmed by everything.

Catherine thought she was feeling grateful and relieved that she brought her hope and came close enough to gently hold her hands as her daughter shed real tears right in front of her.

’’I can take you home right now and you will forget all about this place and everything you’ve gone through these three years of being separated. We will even forget how we were never close as mother and daughter—I–I-I am even ready to make up for all those times I distanced myself from you.’’

Catherine beat on her chest repeatedly to show that it was a promise.

’’I will take you home with me and do my best to right all the wrongs and push forward for the things that are necessary. We will go visit your uncle Lyzer together, we don’t even have to let dad know about it...’’

’’Stop it...’’

’’Listen to me,’’ her grip around Corrine tightened, forcing her to look at her as her eyes widened, no longer feeling humane. ’’We will beg him for the cure and after you get treated, we will meet with your dad and you will apologise for once being an ungrateful, selfish daughter to him...’’

’’Stop it...please...’’ She begged. This woman was hurting her again. Her sharp, polished red nails dug painfully on her hand, cutting through the thick leather gloves she wore.

’’And he will forgive you. Forgive us. And let us enjoy whatever he owns for the rest of our lives.’’

’’No...’’

’’You will get to have everything you have ever dreamed of and we will be right by your side, giving you all the love and attention you’ve always craved from us.’’

God...when will all this end?

’’And you will never be alone. Ever again.’’

’’I promise.’’

Was this what Ruby meant by our parents being soulless and vain?

That they weren’t even human.

’’When Ruby died, did you ever mourn or try to save her life like this?’’

Catherine’s hold around her daughter loosened and Corrine was finally able to withdraw her hands and take a few steps back.

Catherine blinked, staring down at her daughter in a very strange way.

’’What...?’’ She breathed out.

’’Ruby, mother. Your elder daughter. Did you ever cry for her when she passed away?’’

It was Catherine’s turn to fall back as her world did a thousand spin all at once.

Then the woman said in a disbelieving voice down at her insane daughter.

’’Oh my god, Anais. I can’t believe you haven’t gotten over that imaginary friend of yours.’’

Corrine blinked once.

What?