The Bound Between Us

Chapter 952

Layna sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming down her cheeks. Judging by the state of her, she definitely looked worse off than Pattie.

Her crying made it look like Pattie was the troublemaker, as if she'd picked on Layna for no reason at all.

Juliana, standing tall behind the Stranz family's reputation—and with Layna looking like the picture of innocence-felt completely justified as she spoke up. "Mrs. Salstrom, we came here to celebrate your daughter's birthday out of kindness, and now my Layna ends up attacked. Just look at these bruises! Layna's a girl-what if she's left with scars?"

The message was clear: she wanted Anastasia to do something about it.

Pattie, red-faced and furious, waved her arms frantically, desperate to explain: Layna tried to steal my drawing, I caught her, and she tore it up!

There was no way Pattie was going to let Layna play the victim. If Juliana wanted to paint Pattie as some bratty, out-of-control bully, Pattie was just as determined to make everyone see Layna as a thief.

Only problem was, Juliana and the other society ladies had no idea what Pattie's wild gestures meant. She might as well have been speaking Martian-all she got were confused stares.

Juliana, flustered and still upset for Layna, lost her patience. "What are you even doing, Pattie? Who can understand you waving your arms around like that? You look ridiculous! And look at what you did to my Layna-honestly, where are your manners?"

Anastasia's face turned stone cold. She shot to her feet. "Mrs. Stranz, are you calling my daughter ill-mannered? Maybe you should take Layna home and teach her some respect. She sneaks into the gift room and tries to steal something, and you call that polite? Pattie told me Layna was after the birthday presents, that's how this all started. The gifts are for Pattie, from our guests. If Layna wasn't up to something, what was she doing in there?"

with a hard stare. "After all these years, you still haven't changed—always picking fights with

trouble?"

hot-tempered, always scheming. She even remembered that time Layna had led Pattie off just to ditch her. Of all the

She already regretted what she'd blurted out, and her regret

felt like wringing Juliana's neck. Spoiling Layna was one thing, but picking now to shoot her mouth off? She was practically

the room, the other ladies quickly

everyone was thinking the same thing: this is the kind of kid she is. The gossip would spread, and from now on, Layna would be outcast from their

on the verge

completely after

after all-words like that were more than she could take.

to Pattie's side. After

there were

glare like ice. "Are you saying, Mrs. Stranz,

fell silent. No one

face went white as she threw a desperate look at her

all up. If this got out, the Stranz and Salstrom families would be at odds, and their business-and their reputations-would