Chapter 517: Backed by Her Maiden Family
"What do you think you’re doing!"
One of Verna Golding’s cousins gave Linden’s mother a hard shove, nearly sending her flying. A dozen or so large men glared down at her menacingly. Terrified and frantic, she plopped onto the ground and started wailing, but no one paid her any attention.
Meanwhile, Preston Thorne was still trying to reason with her, but Verna Golding remained wooden, frozen in the same position. Perhaps because her strength was waning, Phoenix Golding’s complexion had improved slightly, though Verna’s hands were still clamped around her throat.
"Mom..."
Clayton Xavier’s urgent voice drifted in from outside, and a moment later, he burst in. Everyone instinctively cleared a path, their hearts going out to him in pity.
"Mom, let’s go home together."
Clayton Xavier’s face was covered in sweat, and he looked disheveled, which only made him seem more pitiable. Such was the charm of an author’s darling: when he was successful, no one grew jealous, and when he was at his lowest, people could only feel sorry for him.
Verna Golding’s eyes shifted, and her body trembled. She slowly turned to look at Clayton Xavier, finally showing a reaction.
"Mom, I’ve come to take you home."
His eyes red and his voice choked with emotion, Clayton Xavier gently helped Verna Golding to her feet. Preston Thorne let out a sigh of relief. After checking for breath under Phoenix Golding’s nose, he felt even more at ease.
’She’s still breathing. The bitch is tough; she’s not going to die.’
"You must be hungry. Mom will go home and make dinner right now."
Verna Golding’s gaze finally found its focus, zeroing in entirely on her son. It was as if the people around them were thin air; she didn’t see them at all.
Clayton Xavier nodded, his heart heavy with a sour, bitter feeling. "Okay," he said, his voice hoarse. "I’ll help you with the fire."
Verna Golding smiled. She patted her pocket again, feeling the hard lump of money inside, which finally set her mind at ease. Her spirits restored, she looked around at the crowd. Verna felt a little embarrassed, but also a warmth spreading through her heart.
She hadn’t expected her father to stand up for her. Returning to her family for help had been a last resort; she couldn’t think of a better solution, so she had come back to try her luck. But the moment she asked, her father had gathered several of his brothers and her cousins and rushed over to back her up. That was what had given Verna Golding the courage to finally confront Phoenix Golding.
A woman with her family at her back is always much braver.
"If you’re in trouble, come home and tell us. It’s not like you don’t have family here," Magnus Golding said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on his daughter with a complex expression.
He felt he had wronged his eldest daughter. She had lived a hard life for so many years, and he, too, had spent countless sleepless nights filled with anxiety. But his daughter kept her distance, and he had been too ashamed to visit her unprompted. Now that she had finally reached out, Magnus Golding was truly happy and felt a sense of relief. He could finally do something for her.
"Sis, if you need anything, just ask. My brother and I are here for you!"
The one who spoke was a young man about Goldie Thorne’s age—one of Verna Golding’s half-brothers. Standing with him was a quiet, taciturn man who was a bit older, but whose eyes shone with emotion. He was her other half-brother. Because of their mother—Verna’s stepmother—Verna was not close with her two younger brothers, and they rarely interacted.
In truth, however, both brothers had always wanted to do something for their older sister. Back then, their mother had not treated Verna well. While it wasn’t outright abuse, it was far from kind. For the sake of the betrothal gift from the Xavier family, she had even pushed her stepdaughter into a pit of fire.
It had been hard on them to see their sister suffer all these years. But she was exceptionally stubborn; anything they sent her was returned untouched, making it clear that she wanted to draw a line between them.
The two of them hadn’t dared to step in forcefully for fear of upsetting Verna, but today, they had finally gotten their chance.