Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Chapter 453

Marcia had been fuming the whole ride over, muttering under her breath about how she was going to give Fidelia a stern talking-to the moment she saw her.

But when Fidelia appeared in front of her, eyes wide with fear and lips trembling with hurt, Marcia's resolve melted away. All thoughts of scolding her daughter vanished in an instant.

She knelt down, her voice gentle as she soothed Fidelia. "Sweetheart, where's Effie? How could she just leave you on your own and let you wander off like this? It's dangerous-she should've known better."

At the mention of Effie, Fidelia's expression shifted.

"No, Mom, it's not like that," Fidelia blurted out, shaking her head.

Marcia stared at her in disbelief. "Fidelia, what are you saying?"

Fidelia bit her lip, hesitating, clearly struggling with her words.

“What's going on? I thought you didn't even like Effie. Why are you sticking up for her?"

Marcia's confusion showed plainly on her face.

Fidelia had intended to keep quiet-she still held a grudge against Effie, after all— but after what happened today, she realized maybe Effie wasn't as bad as she'd always believed. So, swallowing her pride, Fidelia recounted the events that had just unfolded.

Isabel there, but she didn't help you?" Marcia

her for help-loud enough for anyone to hear. She just glanced back at me and then stood there, watching as that man

would

so harsh, but

the only one. Even Lindy

Isabel had once been the only woman-besides family- to be close to

but she'd been watching Marcia and

into fists so tightly her nails dug

was a stain she could never wash

be the Foster family's daughter,

family had ever acknowledged

tolerated her because she was

her openly, but behind her back, the whispers

had been a

of control. Her mother insisted she was innocent, but the gossip was

that's how Isabel came

grown up

ignored,