Josephine patted Clara, who was on the phone. "It’s fine. You keep going."
She stood up, beckoned the two bodyguards over, and gave them a whispered instruction. Judging from the racket of the door being pounded, Josephine didn’t even need to look to know who it was. She rolled her shoulders and followed behind the two bodyguards to open the door.
The moment the door opened, Liam Sterling roared, "Josephine, you’ve got some real nerve! Who gave you permission to live with the Sinclair Family? Do you have a death wish?
"Hurry up, pack your things, and come with me. Otherwise, I’ll break your—"
Liam’s sentence was cut off as a bodyguard kicked him squarely, sending him flying into the courtyard.
He hadn’t expected the bodyguard to get physical without warning. The agonizing pain tore through him, and though he struggled to stand, his repeated attempts failed.
Stella White shrieked in terror. "Liam!" She trotted forward and reached out to help him up. "Are... are you okay?"
Just as the two steadied themselves, Josephine stepped up to them.
"What was that you just said? ’Otherwise’ what?" She looked at Liam with sheer mockery, completely dismissing him.
He wondered how this could be happening. She had always been terrified of him. She wouldn’t even dare breathe too loudly in his presence. If he told her to jump, she would ask how high. Whenever he appeared, she used to run up to him like a docile cat. Since when did she dare to look at him with such mockery? And say such provocative things?
Liam was so utterly stunned that he forgot to speak.
"Liam!" Stella shook his arm. "Josephine, do you have any idea how worried Liam has been about you? He came looking for you the moment he got back.
"And yet you actually had someone hurt him. How could you do this to him?"
Stella’s words finally snapped Liam out of his daze.
He had just been assaulted by Josephine’s bodyguards. He hadn’t expected Clara to be so protective of Josephine that she would even provide her with bodyguards. That treacherous dog! Clara had tossed her a bone and she went running. Had she completely forgotten that she was a Sterling? Just wait until she returned to the Sterling Family—he would show her who was boss!
Liam glared at her furiously. "Your last name is Sterling! Have you no shame, mooching off the Sinclair Family? Pack your bags and come back with me right now."
Josephine knew they were misunderstanding the situation. Their contempt for her was deeply rooted; they probably believed she couldn’t survive on her own without leeching off someone else.
This realization made Josephine chuckle coldly. "Who told you this was the Sinclair Family’s residence?"
"Stop putting up a brave front, Josephine." Stella gave her a look that practically screamed: Where else could you possibly go after leaving the Sterling Family? "I know Clara is your only friend in Aethelgard, but you know full well that Liam doesn’t get along with the Sinclair Family. Even if you’re trying to spite Mom, Dad, and our brothers, you shouldn’t have come to the Sinclairs.
"Before Mom and Dad find out about this, you need to come home with Liam!
"With Liam here to put in a good word for you, I’m sure our parents won’t hold the whole ’cutting ties’ thing against you. We can still be a family from now on, okay?"
Josephine responded with a vicious backhand slap, striking Stella hard across the face. Ever since she had been reborn, she had wanted to do this but hadn’t found the opportunity. Now, seeing the visible, angry red welt swelling on that pale little face, she felt utterly satisfied.
"Your last name is White, and mine is Sterling. I am not your sister, so stop calling me that!
"You wanted to be one big happy family with the Sterlings, so I cut ties to grant your wish. Why are you still complaining?"
Josephine raised her hand and gently patted Stella’s cheek. "Tell me, why are you so greedy? You want to have your cake and eat it too. Do you really think everyone else is an idiot?"
Her actions completely enraged Liam. He furiously wondered how this lunatic could hit Stella. He wanted to strike back on Stella’s behalf; he wanted to protect her. He wanted nothing more than to snap Josephine’s arm in two.
But he was held down firmly by the bodyguard, entirely unable to move.
"Josephine, who gave you the right to hit Stella? She only has your best interests at heart! How can you be so heartless?"
She thought, "For my own good? How laughable. For my own good, so she instigated you to come after me? For my own good, so she used you to drag me back to the Sterling Family, just so I can be her stepping stone again?"
If that was the case, she would definitely have to give Stella a proper "thank you" for all this goodwill.
"What’s the rush, President Sterling? It’ll be your turn soon enough." Josephine waved her hand, gesturing for the bodyguards to throw Stella out of the courtyard.
She found Stella’s presence to be an absolute eyesore. That slap just now was merely interest. She would claw back everything Stella owed her, piece by piece!
Poor Stella barely had time to react before the bodyguards scooped her up by the collar like a baby chick and tossed her out of the courtyard.
"AHHH! Josephine, you can’t treat me like this! Clara! Clara Sinclair, get out here!
"I am the eldest daughter of the White Family! Aren’t you afraid my family will come after the Sinclairs for treating me this way?
"Is it really worth offending the White Family for someone like Josephine? Come out here, Clara! Aren’t you worried your parents and your brother will blame you?"
"..."
The courtyard gates slammed shut, cutting off Stella’s shrieks.
Josephine dragged a chair over and sat down in front of Liam.
"What’s wrong? Does President Sterling feel sorry for her?" Josephine wore a wide smile, but the amusement never reached her eyes. Her gaze was cold and unhinged, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue at its prey.
Liam had dealt with all sorts of people, yet in that split second, he couldn’t help but shudder. Was he actually afraid? How could that be? Why would he ever be scared of Josephine? She was nothing but a timid, incompetent, and unloved pathetic worm! He certainly wasn’t afraid of her.
He struggled even harder. "Josephine, I think you’ve completely lost your mind! Have you even considered the consequences of what you’re doing?
"Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have the Sinclair Family’s bodyguards backing you up. Once the Sinclairs find out what you just did, they’ll be the first to kick you to the curb.
"Before this blows out of proportion, I highly advise you to invite Stella back inside, apologize to her, and then come back to the Sterling Family with us to beg forgiveness from Mom, Dad, and our third brother.
"Otherwise, you’re dead meat!"
"Oh my!" Josephine reached out and patted Liam’s cheek. "As expected of Sterling. Even while pinned to the dirt, you still have the gall to make threats.
"Don’t tell me you secured all those business projects through extortion too?"
Josephine’s face was dripping with sarcasm. In the past, Liam had loved to pat her face exactly like this and tell her:
"Look at this hideous face of yours. You’re not even a tenth as pretty as Stella! Stop coming out here and embarrassing us. Just stay out of sight in your laboratory and do your little experiments!"
Hearing those words over and over again had chipped away at Josephine’s confidence, to the point where she actually started envying Stella’s looks. In her past life, she had even considered getting plastic surgery to look exactly like Stella, foolishly wondering if Liam would finally think she was pretty if she did.
Thinking back on it now, she realized she had truly been out of her mind! Who the hell was Liam Sterling, anyway? Why did she ever care about his opinion?
She pulled her hand back, raised it high, and swung it down with brutal force.
SMACK! Liam’s face snapped to the side from the impact.
"Josephine, how dare you!" Liam roared in sheer shock and fury. He had never imagined she would actually dare lay a hand on him.
Josephine stood up with a scornful look. "What don’t I dare to do?" She had already died once—what was left for her to fear?
"Pierce, Ken, show Sterling a good time. Beat him until he admits his mistakes."
"Understood." The two bodyguards shot Josephine a look of deep respect before turning and dragging Liam off to a corner.
"Josephine, you’re out of your mind! Do you really never want to return to the Sterling Family? We will absolutely never forgive you for this!
"I’m calling the cops! I’m calling the cops! AHHH! You’re finished, Josephine! I’m putting you behind bars, and you’ll never see the light of day again! AHHH!
"You bitch, Josephine! I’m going to kill you!
"Get out here, Clara! Clara... If you don’t show your face right now, I swear I will bankrupt your brother’s company! I’ll make the Sinclair Family regret everything that happened today!
"..."