Serena's lips curled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
She tightened her grip on Hailey's hair and jerked it downward.
The sharp pain made Hailey scream and sob uncontrollably.
Just as Marianne lunged forward, Serena lifted her foot and viciously kicked Hailey in the stomach.
*THUD!*
Hailey couldn't even scream. Her body flew backward, landing hard several feet away.
She curled up on the ground, clutching her stomach, writhing in agony and unable to straighten up.
Only pained whimpers escaped her lips.
Marianne's lunge missed, and she nearly stumbled to the ground.
"Hailey! My daughter!" She scrambled over to Hailey. Seeing her daughter's miserable state, she was both furious and terrified. The hand she pointed at Serena was trembling. "Serena, you bitch, do you really think some man will protect you forever? Believe it or not, I can destroy your family-"
"Mrs. Wynn." Serena's gaze turned icy, her oppressive presence utterly intimidating. "Say one more filthy word, and I'll take it out on your precious daughter. Go on, give it a try. Let's see which of us enjoys it more you running your mouth, or me putting her in her place."
Marianne's voice died in her throat.
Serena's eyes were so cold they seemed to pierce right through her.
All the curses she was about to hurl felt as if they were being choked off by an invisible hand.
Not another word could escape, only ragged, heavy breaths.
Benedict narrowed his eyes, studying the girl before him who was both familiar and strangely foreign.
It was... the same face.
But the aura she projected, her expression-it was all completely different from the Serena he remembered.
In his memory... this younger sister, raised by her grandmother in the countryside, had been nothing but timid and meek ever since she was brought back to the Wynn family
He had taken over the Wynn Group in recent years and was rarely home.
He only recalled that whenever he returned, Serena would carefully present him with a steaming bowl of soup and timidly call him Benedict
To be honest, Benedict didn't have much of an impression of this sister.
Her only value, perhaps, was to use her face to secure a marriage alliance with the Cole family and elevate the Wynns status among the elite
He never expected that after leaving the family, his little sister would become so rebellious.
He frowned, his expression turning cold as he adopted the tone of an elder brother and berated her.
"Serena, who gave you permission to speak to Mom like that? Who told you to lay a hand on Hailey? Is this how you were raised?"
"You attack Hailey just because you're jealous, because you envy how well we treat her? Is that what the Wynn family taught you?!"
Ever since Hailey had been found, she had been the apple of the family's eye.
After all, Hailey had suffered so much out there; it was only right for them to dote on
her.
It was Serena who had stolen so many years of Hailey's life.
What right did Serena have to be jealous of Hailey?
Benedict's face was grim. "Serena, I've decided. You will apologize to Hailey immediately, and we'll consider this matter closed."
Serena's cold eyes flickered toward him as she scoffed, "Apologize?"
She held up her hand, her slender, fair fingers curled into a fist. "I can continue apologizing to all of you with my fist. Want to try?"