Revenge Of The Jilted Bride

Jilted Bride 57

Chapter 57

Harry's fists clenched in anger, mirroring Nathan's trademark scowl. The family resemblance was undeniable.

Seizing the moment when no one else was around, Harry leaned in, his voice dripping with venom. "Mom was right about you. You're nothing but a curse. Grandma died the day you were born. Dumping you was the smart move."

This was the first time Ophelia had heard these words in either of her lives. The smile faded from her face, replaced by a glacial stare. Her suspicions were true. She wasn't switched at birth - she was an abandoned baby, discarded by the Hastings. Even when they'd reclaimed her years later, it was just to use her as a pawn in a marriage of convenience. Their eyes didn't lie. The contempt and disgust they felt for her was as real as it gets.

Ophelia didn't believe she deserved to be thrown away or left to die. She quickly regained her composure, her smile never faltering.

"You'd better keep your distance from now on," she said sweetly, or you might find yourself in deep trouble. Oh, and congratulations! Dropping over 70 million dollars on a piece of land - that's certainly Hastings Group style. And here I thought you could only afford a measly two million dollars."

"You..." Harry glared at her, his face turning red with anger.

Ophelia's smile grew even brighter as she watched Harry's frustration. She turned and walked away with effortless grace.

Christopher, following close behind, couldn't resist twisting the knife. "Congratulations, Mr. Hastings." The seemingly polite phrase stung Harry's ears like an insult.

Now Christopher finally understood why Ophelia held such deep animosity towards the Hastings family. It was hard to believe that someone could willingly abandon their own flesh and blood. No doubt, Hastings Group's business practices were equally ruthless and devoid of humanity. Christopher felt grateful that he had met Ophelia. Otherwise, he might have, ended up working for the Hastings family.

Ophelia slipped into the car, her face still a mask of indifference. But her tightly clenched fists betrayed her true emotions. She couldn't help but scoff at how foolish she was in her previous life. She had actually believed she was switched at birth. "Miss Spencer, where would you like to go? I can drive you," Christopher asked.

"No need. Just drop me off at the next intersection," Ophelia replied with a shake of her head. She wanted to walk alone for a while.

Christopher furrowed his brow, concern evident in his voice. "It's not easy to get a cab around here. If you want to check out the area, I'd be happy to show you around. Then I could drop you off wherever you need to go next." Ophelia shot Christopher a sidelong glance. "Have you finished all your work? Or perhaps you've already taken care of your sick mother? You seem to have a lot of free time on your hands."

caught in his throat. He wisely chose to stay quiet. Despite her youthful appearance, there

over, and Ophelia got out

to risk another verbal lashing. Glancing around, he noticed a few taxis passing by and decided against saying anything more, so he simply drove away. Fall had arrived, and a cool breeze blew in from the sea. Ophelia walked

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A janitor in her

grabbed the janitor and

shoes, enduring

scum from the slums should stay in your filthy gutters where you belong. How dare

was uttered, the surrounding patrons' gazes turned discriminatory. The prejudice in

a man at a nearby table muttered, loud enough for

should be locked up there. Keep them out of the city center,"

more venomous with

the janitor were a pile of garbage. Head bowed, the janitor silently continued cleaning the woman's shoes, seemingly accustomed to such treatment. Only after offering a series

just beyond the small hill lay a slum cobbled together from shipping containers and tattered cloth. They were living in the same city, but those in the slums were considered inferior. However, prejudice ran deep, an immovable force that seemed to resist all

now, it would only be a mere band-aid on a gaping wound. The root

breeze gave way to a

out, its waves carrying a mosaic of plastic waste to the shore. A child in tattered clothes trailed behind an elderly person, both picking up discarded

in the lowest-paying jobs. They earned half of what

might as well have been a scarlet letter, marking them as

young men snatched a bag of plastic bottles from an old lady who had

skin leathered by the sun and his hair a thatch of sun-bleached straw, swaggered over. "Hand it over," he growled. "Did you

child next to the old lady burst into terrified sobs. "Bad guy! Give back the