CHAPTER 481

Peachlyn parted her lips but couldn't utter a word, not expecting the harsh rejection.

Suddenly, an epiphany struck her—she had been living in delusion nearly her whole life.

She had always had an issue with how the Clarkes treated Milana much better than how they treated her though they were both their daughters. Thus, she would constantly compare herself with Milana.

She believed Milana and her should be treated equally. In fact, she hoped that the Clarkes would treat her much better than they treated Milana. But alas, it never happened despite all the efforts she had made over the years.

No matter how much she tried to please her parents and Jericho, the one they loved ultimately was still Milana.

She could never sit with it in the past, but after hearing Jericho's words, she was suddenly enlightened. Milana was a Clarke—her parents' progeny and Jericho's sibling. She, on the other hand, was a Lewis; she was just the Clarkes' foster child, a friend's daughter her foster mother had taken in out of pity.

She and Milana's springboard was already different in the first place, so no matter how hard she tried, she would never be as important as Milana to the Clarkes.

Ironically, she could never accept the fact, always persistently trying and hoping that one day, the Clarkes would finally think she was much better than Milana and that she would overthrow Milana in becoming the Clarkes' favorite.

Alas, it was only at this moment that she realized it was nothing but a naive, ridiculous pipe dream.

Just because the Clarkes' blood didn't run in her veins, they would never like her more than their kind, no matter what she did, and once she made a mistake, they would unhesitatingly chuck her out like trash.

It was only then she realized she was as good as done for.

The Clarkes had disowned her, and Zachariah wouldn't marry her anymore. She couldn't return to the Clarkes nor marry into the Soulsby Family either. She was now an outcast through and through, having no other choice but to live the rest of her life in hardship as she wandered on the streets with Hugo.

Fear and panic overwhelmed her as the notion struck her head. What should I do?!

She had grown up spoiled, and since she could remember, she knew she would marry into a rich family when she grew up. However, it was all in the past, for she was now a pauper who couldn't go back to her wealthy family or marry a rich man.

From then on, she could only work arduously like all the children of the poor she ridiculed in the past to support herself. She'd have to spend her days working her a*s off and yet dare not overspend on daily necessities, let alone splurge on luxury goods.

How has it come to this?! This shouldn't be my life! I don't want to be a hobo! I don't want to live a hard life!

Freaked out, she threw herself at Jericho and bawled, "I've learned my lesson, Jeric, I really have! Please take me home. I won't do it ever again. I'll be good from now on. I'll do everything you guys say.

I'll marry whomever you guys want me to! I'll really do it!"

Jericho frowned with annoyance in response. "The damaging effect you've caused us is irreversible, so we will never welcome you back just to have people ridicule us for having a daughter who eloped ever again. You should stop dreaming. Going back with us is no longer an option. Now, hand over the jade emblem."

"No! Please, don't!" Peachlyn shook her head like a rattle. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

The jade emblem signified her station in the Clarke Family, and if she gave it back to Jericho, she was no longer a Clarke for good.

She would really lose everything if she was no longer a Clarke, and she didn't want that.

However, Jericho was done wasting time with her. "Search the place," he ordered the bodyguards behind him, who obliged and barged into the unit.

"What are you doing? Stop right there!" Peachlyn wanted to stop them, but how could a defenseless woman like her do anything to a few burly men?! They shoved her aside at that and headed to the bedroom behind her.

Peachlyn and Hugo had rented a pretty shabby two-bedroom apartment.

The four bodyguards split into pairs to search each bedroom and found one empty but the other occupied.

The pair that searched the occupied bedroom had assumed Peachlyn was the only one in the

apartment the whole time and thus were stumped when they barged in, only to find a man sitting silently by the bed.

They recognized him in no time. However, one ignored him and searched the room immediately like he wasn't there, while the other went to the main door and reported, "Mr. Jericho, Mr. Hugo Sanburne is inside."

The news stumped Peachlyn and her originally blanched face turned crimson in response. Hugo's in his room?! Hasn't he gone out to look for a job? No way he's in his room! Won't that mean he heard my pleas to Jericho?!

She felt absolutely mortified at the thought of what she had said to Jericho.

Though Hugo was penniless now, he had still treated her well this past month. As he thought he had wronged her, he tried his best to cater to her, give her whatever goodies he had, and even patiently coaxed her.

She knew Hugo's feelings for her were genuine, but they couldn't survive solely on it, could they?!

Now that the Sanburnes had kicked Hugo out of their family and even froze his bank account, he was now a legit pauper. So, her days were still insufferable even if he gave her the best he could provide.

Of course, she'd start developing feelings for Hugo when he treated her so nicely. Thus, she didn't want him to know what she had said to Jericho.

She had only said so much to Jericho so boldly because, the whole time, she assumed Hugo had gone out to look for a job.

If she had known he was in his room, she'd still beg Jericho to take her home, only to be softer in her approach.

Having been discovered, Hugo got up wordlessly and made his way to the living room.

On the other hand, Jericho stared icily at him and had nothing to say to him either.

Hugo hadn't abducted Peachlyn; she eloped with him willingly. Sure, Hugo was at fault as well, but the Sanburnes would punish him themselves, and Jericho couldn't be bothered to lecture him for them.

Meanwhile, Hugo went up to Jericho and apologized, "I'm sorry…"

"It's not me you should say it to but your parents," Jericho said plainly. "Because of you, your father lost his right of succession and can't hold his head up in front of his friends and relatives. Your mother, on the other hand, fell seriously ill and is still bedridden to this day. I feel truly bad for them."

Huh, they might be better off raising a dog than raising a son like you.

Hugo clenched his fists tightly, face bright red as his heart twinged. Oh, how he hated this day.

Peachlyn had always acted like a sweet, benign girl in front of him, so he believed she was innocent and wonderful. But after hearing all that she had said when he was hiding in his bedroom, he finally realized she was nothing but an ungrateful, selfish woman.

Alas, I was f*cking wrong! Yet, everything was too late for poor Hugo.