"Briar, please calm down. There's no need to cry." Ella said,rushing to comfort the older woman who was sobbing uncontrollably.

Briar wept as she recounted the years of mistreatment she'd suffered at John's hands, and how desperately she missed Joseph and Ember Brooks.Ella's grandparents.

As Briar recalled these painful memories, tears streamed down her weathered face.

Ella held Briar's outstretched hand firmly, unable to remain unmoved.

It seemed John had grown increasingly ruthless over the years.

"Briar. I promise I'lI make things right for you." Ella assured her.

She recalled Austin's suggestion about hiring a new housekeeper.

Her gaze gradually settled on Briar's face, and Ella patted the back of her hand reassuringly before stepping into the living room.

"You worthless ingrate! How dare you come here? If Judith hadn't told us.I wouldn't have known that you were carrying on with another man!"John shouted.

As he spoke, he hurled an antique cup at Ella.

She recognized it as a 12th-century artifact that her grandfather Joseph had cherished and spent a fortune acquiring at auction.

After her grandparents had moved out. John had seized control of the house, carelessly destroying even Joseph's most treasured possessions.

Her hevrt turned cold as she watched the scene unfold in silence.

"I heand you've started working at Quantum Tech. What are you trying to prove with your ordinary bachelor's degree compared to Judith's? You're a married woman-you should be at home supporting your husband instead of ahways trying to compete with Judith. She has a master's degree from abroad. What do you have?" Carol interjected,using her lecturing tone to belittle Ella.

Just then, Briar entered, interrupting the tension, "Dinner's ready. Let's eat."

"Where's Judith?" John asked, casting a cold glance at the silent Ella before turning to Carol with a warm, fatherly smile.

"Judith!" Carol called upstairs.

Judith came downstairs wearing bunny slippers.

Ella noticed she was emerging from what had once been her own bedroom.

With a look of undisguised contempt, Judith maintained her facade of sisterly affection in front of their parents. "Ella. you're back."

Ella didn't respond. She simply lowered her eyes and took a seat at the table,mnechanically beginning to eat.

"Where are your manners!" John exploded, his temper flaring.

During dinner, John cleared his throat. "Why didn't Austin come with you?”

Surprisingly, he directed his question not at Ella but at Judith.

Judith glanced meaningfully at Ella before answering with a sweet smile."Hte wanted to come with me to visit you both, but he had an urgent matter

today. He did send some expensive supplements for you, saying they'd be good for your health."

"Look how thoughtful Judith is. Meanwhile, Austin hasn't even bothered to visit since he married you. Judith mentioned you're pushing for a divorce? Don't you realize that after a divorce, you'll be damaged goods?Who would want you then?"

He continued ranting, then suddenly had another thought and cleared his throat. "I've noticed Austin seems quite fond of Judith. Perhaps you should step aside and let Judith take your place-she'd be much more suitable."

Carol choked slightly on her food and feigned concern. "Don't pressure Ella. She loves Austin so much."

"Love? What good is that? Time heals all wounds!" John hadn't finished speaking when Ella abruptly flipped the table.

Food was scattered across the floor.

"If Austin doesn't want a divorce, why don't you try telling him that to his face?" Ella's voice was cold with barely contained fury.

John stared at the food stains on his clothes, his expression hardening as he turned to Ella. "So now you're throwing tantrums, breaking dishes?

This house isn't yours to wreck as you please!"

"Just stop," Carol said,trying to sound reasonable.

"Look what she's become out in the world." John replied,playing the role of the strict father.

The coordinated performance-one playing good cop, the other bad-was

transparent.

Ella couldn't help but laugh bitterly, her eyes rimmed with red as she glared at them both in silence.

"Dad,you've got food all over you. Go change your clothes. Mom, try to calm Ella down. Don't let this escalate further." Judith orchestrated smoothly,leading the still-furious John upstairs.

Ella lowered her eyes, her fists clenched tight with restraint.

"Ella, if you want to stop standing in Judith's way, you'd have to kill me first. I'm not just going to take your husband-I'm going to take your life and your home too," Carol said, her lips curving into a triumphant smile.

"Carol, don't push your luck. Otherwise,you'll pay for what you did back then!" Ella warned.

"Pay? For what? You mean your pathetic mother who died in misery?"she continued to provoke.

Ella smiled coldly. "Do you think I'm the same helpless little girl you could bully at will? Those tactics don't work anymore!"

Just as Carol moved to strike her, Ella dodged, causing Carol to fall to the floor.

The scene was witnessed by John, who had just returned after changing.

"Ella, I just wanted you and your father to reconcile. Why did you push me?" Carol cried from the floor, feigning victimhood.

Judith, supporting John, added tearfully, "Ella has never welcomed us.

Mother and I should move out rather than continue to offend her."

John trembled with rage, giving Ella a venomous look. "I've raised an ungrateful child. After all Carol has done for you, you dare to push her?From today forward, you are no longer my daughter!"

Ella laughed softly, surprisingly calm.

She had long accepted that John didn't love her, so his words carried no weight.

Her eyes grew increasingly cold as she replied. "Fine. Please remember to block my contact information and never bother me again. Don't think about using me to borrow money to cover your financial holes,either.Starting today,we're done!"

With that, she turned and walked toward the door.

After slamming the door behind her, Ella saw Briar hurrying after her.

Briar wiped away tears, seething with anger. "I saw everything. Carol was the one who tried to hit you! Why didn't you defend yourself?"

"What's the point? Would John believe a single word I said? If he had any faith in me at a11, this family wouldn't be what it is today." Ella scoffed.her heart aching.

Her life had been missing a mother and, effectively, a father as well.

She might as well consider herself an orphan.

"Ella, I quit. There's nothing left for me at the Brooks house-it belongs to Carol now." Briar said, stepping forward to embrace her.

Ella felt like she had finally found a place to belong after feeling so lost for so long. She rested her head on Briar's shoulder,tears welling in her eyes

but refusing to fall.

"As it happens. I need a housekeeper. Come work for me-I'll pay you well,"she offered.

"Ella,did you go home just to throw your weight around and bully Judith?Her eyes are swollen from crying."

It seemed Judith had been busy complaining again.

Ella crossed her arms and regarded Austin coldly. "Good. She deserves to suffer."

"What did you say? What's happened to you?"