Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Chapter 1266

After Leona left, Emma turned to face Peyton.

"Mom, what got into you today? How come you suddenly stood up for yourself?"

Peyton's cheeks turned crimson, her lips quivering a bit, still a little shaken by her own boldness. The fear of Leona's revenge loomed over her, given Leona's wealth. Money meant power, unlike them, who came from the boondocks.

"Emma, I just couldn't stand her always putting you down. You were right the other day; we work hard and earn honest money. We don't have to feel inferior to her."

Even though she said that, Emma noticed Peyton's fingers trembling slightly as she held her fork. She was still probably a bit scared from standing up to Leona.

Peyton was like countless mothers around the world, having spent their lives in rural seclusion, never exposed to the broader world. They held onto outdated beliefs, but when they saw their children being bullied, they found the courage to stand up. Emma's eyes welled up. Seeing this change in Peyton was incredibly rare. In Peyton's mind, being poor meant deserving to be bullied, so when Leona first strutted around, Peyton only felt shame. But now, she had begun to learn to resist, even if faintly. Emma took a deep breath and held Peyton's hand.

do anything to us. If something goes wrong, we'll

of police officers in uniform bringing her some

the

to bring Peyton along to Beaconsfield, though not without some resentment. But after arriving in Beaconsfield, getting exposed to a broader world and its cultures, she felt a sudden expansion of

Perhaps, growing up meant

parents. They

make her life miserable. They, too, fought their own battles with negativity, bearing the weight of life, and had thought about changing their situation, but her father couldn't change their family's circumstances. Emma had been angry with Peyton, but now she felt sympathy.

bedroom, showing half her bed, Peyton dared not sleep on it, fearing she might dirty it or her sleeping

still flooded with Leona's fans, making snarky comments. Leona, also

lit up with eager affirmations. A glint of mischief in her