A moment ago, Poppy’s little stumble would have easily convinced anyone that Evangeline had pushed her. 

Sure enough, when Evangeline turned around, she found Soren standing behind her, half-shrouded in the darkness.. 

His expression was cold, his whole presence radiating a chill, and the anger and confusion in his eyes as he looked at her were impossible to miss. 

Before Evangeline could get a word out, Poppy’s plaintive voice piped up, “Soren, don’t blame Evangeline. It really was my fault tonight–I shouldn’t have come over.” 

Soren strode forward in silence, his tone frigid. “You’re here because I brought you. Whether you should be here or not isn’t for her to decide.” 

With that, he walked over and helped Poppy up from the ground. 

As he passed by, Evangeline felt his shoulder slam hard into hers. 

The backyard was spacious–she wasn’t blocking his way. He’d done that on purpose, venting Poppy’s grievance for her. 

She didn’t even get the chance to explain. Soren had already found her guilty on Poppy’s word alone. 

Evangeline told herself she should be used to this by now, but her throat still tightened, and a familiar ache pressed at her chest. 

“Poppy, are you alright?” Flora hurried over, her voice anxious. 

Poppy glanced at Evangeline, then smiled up at Flora with wide, innocent eyes. “I’m fine–just slipped and fell, that’s all.” 

“Poppy, don’t cover for her. I saw it–she pushed you.” Flora shot Evangeline a scathing glare. 

Brother and sister–both cut from the same cloth, both so quick to distrust her. 

Evangeline said nothing, but Flora seemed to take her silence as guilt–caught red–handed and left speechless. 

Everything Evangeline had done that day had left Flora deeply dissatisfied. In her mind, Evangeline was only so brazen because Grandma favored her, and Poppy was all alone in this city. That was the only reason she dared lay a hand on Poppy. 

But Evangeline seemed to have conveniently forgotten that she and Soren were still 

Chapter 43 

here. They could stand up for Poppy anytime. 

Thinking this, Flora passed by Evangeline. Seeing her unrepentant expression only 

made Flora angrier. She lifted her foot and stomped down hard on Evangeline’s 

A jolt of pain shot up through Evangeline’s already injured toe, sharp as if a drill were boring straight through bone, radiating up her leg and setting her heart pounding in agony. 

The pain made her crumple to the ground, cold sweat breaking out across her forehead. The urge to cry out was overwhelming, but all she could manage was a strangled gasp. 

Flora had only meant to give her a warning, not expecting such a dramatic reaction. For a moment, she froze. 

“Come on, I just stepped on your foot–do you have to make such a scene? Evangeline, quit the act.” 

She turned to Soren. “You saw it, didn’t you? I barely used any force. There’s no way it hurt that much.” 

Worried that their grandmother might hear and get upset, Flora instinctively looked to Soren for backup. 

He frowned, noticing how pale Evangeline’s face had turned and how sweat dripped down her temple. She looked like she was actually in pain. 

If she was faking, she’d never done it so convincingly. But could anyone fake that kind of pallor and the cold sweat running down her face? 

Or… was she really hurt? 

Soren hesitated, a hint of concern flickering in his eyes as he started toward Evangeline. Flora grabbed his arm. “Don’t bother with her. She just pushed Poppy and now she’s putting on a show, hoping you’ll pity her instead of punishing her.” 

“She’s just copying Poppy. If you go to her now, she’ll get exactly what she wants.” He stopped in his tracks, Flora’s words making a certain kind of sense. 

He was about to look back at Evangeline when Flora chimed in again, “You should take Poppy to see the family doctor. She’s so delicate, and that fall looked nasty–who knows if she’s hurt herself… Wait, Poppy–your hand is bleeding!” 

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