Howard grabbed his wife’s hand. "Did Stella really pass out from the pain?"
"She sure did. She couldn’t sleep at all last night and passed out several times. If this keeps up, I’m really afraid something terrible will happen to her!" Mrs. Sterling said, tears streaming down her face.
Those who knew the truth understood Stella was her adopted daughter. Those who didn’t would have thought something had happened to her biological flesh and blood! Then again, Stella was her biological daughter!
"If you don’t agree to my conditions, I won’t go to the Whites’ villa. You can just give up," Josephine Sterling said coldly, shaking off Mrs. Sterling’s hand.
Grace Hayes looked shocked and found it hard to believe. This girl had always been close to her and loved to stick by her side. When had she ever been so cold?
"Josie, what’s wrong with you? I’m your mother. How can you treat me like this?" Grace reached out to grab Josephine’s hand. After Josephine dodged her touch again, she looked at the girl with a heartbroken expression and continued, "Do you hate me too just because your father locked you up?
"But he only did it for your own good. After all, Stella is his student and the adopted daughter of the Sterling family.
"If word gets out that you left her to die and threw a tantrum at your own father over her, your reputation will be ruined.
"Besides, if your father shows favoritism toward you, how will he ever command respect from his students?
"Josie, I know you’ve been wronged. Later, I’ll help you beat up Caleb. If you’re still angry, I’ll take you shopping after we visit the Whites’ villa, okay?
"I’ll buy you whatever you want. Be a good girl and stop throwing a tantrum, alright?"
Compared to Howard’s constant suppression and belittlement, Grace was much more patient with her. Look at how sweet those words sounded. She claimed she was doing it for her own good, considering her feelings, understanding her, helping her vent her anger, and even buying her gifts to coax her!
In her previous life, Josephine had failed to realize that this was a soft blade that killed without drawing blood. She had truly believed that Mrs. Sterling understood and loved her. Touched by this great maternal love and warmth, she had compromised time and time again, agreeing to every unreasonable demand. Only later did she realize that this was nothing more than Grace and Howard playing good cop and bad cop to control her! Now, Grace’s so-called understanding and warmth only made Josephine feel disgusted.
"It’s just a headache; she’s not going to die. Ms. Hayes, your claim that I’m leaving her to die is a bit of an exaggeration!
"Whoever wants a good reputation can have it. I certainly don’t care!
"I’ll beat up Caleb myself, so I won’t trouble you with that. As for the gifts?
"Are you talking about those worthless dresses and trinkets? If I remember correctly, everything you’ve given me over the past twenty years combined isn’t even worth as much as one of Stella’s hair clips."
Josephine’s face was full of sarcasm. She continued, "I’ve been a ’good girl’ for over twenty years, and I’m sick of it!
"Today, you either sign the breakup letter and I’ll go to the Whites’ villa, or I leave right now."
Josephine didn’t care in the slightest about Howard’s threat to break her legs. Since they hadn’t finished using her yet, they would never bear to actually do it. Furthermore, they were still waiting for her to treat Stella’s headache. They wouldn’t lay a finger on her at a critical time like this. She was going to leave the Sterling family and completely break free from their control.
However, she had ultimately underestimated the sheer shamelessness of Howard.
"No. You are a daughter of the Sterling family, and I will never sever ties with you," Howard said, wearing an expression that suggested he could never do something so heartless. "I would rather bear the infamy myself than abandon you. If you refuse to listen and won’t go to the Whites’ villa, then let Stella suffer!
"At the end of the day, she is just my student, while you are my daughter. I would never truly cut ties with you over her!"
In the past, if he had said such things, Josephine would have been moved to tears and stopped her fussing immediately. Now, having seen right through his schemes, there was no way she would fall for it again.
"Josie, look at how much your father loves you. Even when you disobey him like this, he can’t bear to let you leave the Sterling family. What more could you possibly want? Listen to me and stop making your father angry, okay?" Grace said.
Josephine found it absolutely laughable. "So my refusing to go to the Whites’ villa is making him angry? What, are the Whites more important than his own biological daughter?
"He has so many students, yet he never treats anyone else special. Only Stella is different. Could it be that she’s actually his real daughter?"
"What nonsense are you sprouting?" Grace choked, nearly unable to catch her breath.
The fact that Stella was the true daughter of the Sterling family was a secret known only to her and Howard. Until the Sterling family fully replaced the White family, this secret could not be exposed, or else the Sterlings would be doomed. Whether Josephine had said it unintentionally or actually knew something, they could not let her stay any longer. It seemed that after this matter was settled, she would have to find a way to lock Josephine up to prevent her from running her mouth and making the Whites suspicious!
What an idiot, actually using the severance of ties to threaten them. The more she acted like this, the more they would despise her. If it weren’t for the fact that she was still useful, did she really think they would keep her around? Just wait! Once this was over, they would show her who was boss!
"Stella is the adopted daughter of the Sterling family, which makes her your sister. As her older sister, shouldn’t you go treat her?" Grace asked.
Josephine cast a cold glance at Grace. "But I just don’t want to!
"If you’re willing to let Stella suffer in pain, we don’t have to cut ties.
"However, I won’t be going to The Sterling Family Research Lab anymore."
With that said, she turned to leave the Sterlings’ home without looking back.
Seeing that she was actually leaving, the three members of the Sterling family panicked. Stella had been in pain all night. If it continued, she might suffer permanent damage. How could the Sterling parents bear to watch their daughter suffer? In that moment, they harbored a venomous hatred for Josephine. But what could they do? Josephine’s Acupuncture Technique was masterful. In all of Aethelgard, she was the only one who could alleviate Stella’s pain.
Howard shot his son a meaningful glance.
"Josephine, you know perfectly well that Mom and Dad are soft-hearted. They can’t bear to let go of you, nor can they bear to let go of Stella. What you’re doing is forcing them to be the villains!
"You’re truly vicious. To think Mom and Dad love you so much and always consider your feelings.
"Dad, since she thinks her wings are fully grown and wants to leave the Sterling family, let’s just grant her wish!
"I’d like to see where she can possibly go once she leaves the Sterling family!" Caleb scolded, angrily pointing his finger at Josephine’s nose.
By severing ties and leaving The Sterling Family Research Lab, Josephine was practically digging her own grave. As long as the Sterling and White families gave the word, who in all of Aethelgard would dare to hire her? Since she was so arrogant, it would be good to let her suffer a bit. Once she suffered, she would learn her place.
Howard clutched his chest with a heartbroken expression. "Josie, have you truly thought this through?
"Do you really want to leave The Sterling Family Research Lab and sever ties with us?"
"Cut the crap. The breakup letter is right here. You just need to sign it," Josephine retorted, eager to leave the Sterlings’ home as soon as possible. Staying with them for even a second longer felt like a sin, a betrayal of her past self!
Caleb snatched the breakup letter and was the first to sign his name. "You’d better not regret this!
"Mom, Dad, hurry up and sign it too. Stella can’t wait any longer!"