Return of the Crowned Heiress

Chapter 251

The following morning, Carmen was shoved out of her home with a grocery list in hand, courtesy of her stepmother's shrill commands.

"We can't even leave the house because of you!" the woman yelled from the doorway. "Everywhere we go, people point and whisper, all thanks to your shameless ways!" Carmen froze on the front steps, already bracing for the worst.

Her stepmother wasn't done. "If you had an ounce of self-respect, you'd disappear! Better yet, just die and spare this family the disgrace!"

"I didn't do it!" Carmen shouted back, her voice raw. "Those pictures and videos are fake! None of them is real!"

But the words fell flat, drowned out by years of the same accusations. Carmen could recite the next part by heart. No one believed her. Lies told often enough became the truth.

She trudged out onto the street, her stepmother's yells still echoing in her ears. But when she looked up, Carmen froze.

The walls in the hallway, which had been covered with those damning photos just the night before, were bare. Every last one of those photos had been torn down. Only faint adhesive stains remained.

For a moment, Carmen wondered if it had all been some fever dream. She stood there, stunned, until she heard the sound of a door opening across the hall.

Out stepped Felicia, carrying a small duffel bag. She caught sight of Carmen and gave her an easy, natural smile.

Carmen," Felicia greeted her as though they were casual neighbors, and nothing about the situation was out

no judgment or ridicule. It

her head away without

under her breath and

with tenants heading out for errands or work. Carmen remained stoic, staring at the floor. Then, as they neared the lobby, a balding middle-aged

ripple of laughter rose from a few bystanders while some older women clucked their tongues in disgust, their glares heavy with scorn. Carmen's face turned pale, then bright red with fury. Without a word, she swung

bleeding mouth. The other passengers practically sprinted out of the

"accidentally" stomped on his hand with the heel of her shoe. She twisted it slightly before walking off, her tone as

let out a high-pitched yelp and cursed after her, but Felicia paid

the only one with

her new business venture. The transaction was complete,

second stop was the local herbal market. Felicia was determined to expand her arsenal of medicinal concoctions, from salves to antidotes.

if her physical

she ever found herself in danger, it would be a trump card-one she could count on

grocery store was just as

her. One butcher barely concealed his grimace as he handed her change, as