Chapter 190

At the Vanderbilt mansion…

A clear, loud slap fell on Leila’s face, putting her in a state of shock.

When Stephen found out that Leila was behind Maisie’s abduction, he shook in anger while he barked,”
You horrible woman! I’ve never treated either of you badly all these years, but you! How could you do this
t o Maisie while I’m still breathing!?”

Leila trembled with her hand on her cheek. She never expected the plan with Nelson to fail. It was all
because of Nolan!

There was no point for Leila to explain herself, but she realized that Stephen was furious. “Listen to me,
dear,”

“What else do you have to say?” Stephen was utterly disappointed in her. “I’ve always thought that you
were sincerely nice to Maisie, that you’re a good stepmother, but now I know that I had been too naive.”

He finally understood why Maisie wouldn’t accept this mother-and-daughter duo. They were such cruel
women, but he…

He had sent Maisie away because of them!

He had almost caused the end of his daughter!

Stephen slammed the divorce papers on the desk. “I wanted to give you another chance, but there’s no
need for that now.”

“You, You want a divorce?” Looking at the divorce papers, she lost her cool.



“Yes, I want a divorce,” Stephen said with full sincerity.

He couldn’t care about the years they had spent together anymore. He had made up his mind.

Leila crawled to his feet and held on. “Stephen, please don’t do this to me, … I’ve been by your side for
so many years and gave you a daughter. You can’t do this to me!”



Stephen paused. Leila had called him ‘Stephen’, bringing him back to the time when they had first met.
Leila had been a pure and gentle woman at that time, but now it seemed that everything was a facade.

Seeing that he was responding, she continued. “Steph, I know what I’ve done. I only did it because I’ve
lost my mind, but I… I never thought of putting Maisie in danger. I just wanted to threaten her. It was all
for Willow!

“I only have Willow, and all these years, she was labeled a child out of wedlock. Do you think I feel good
about that? She loved Mr. Goldmann so much and stayed with him for six years, but she was pushed
aside because of Maisie. Yes, Maisie had a better namesake, and she’s capable and smart. Sometimes I
wished m y daughter was like her.

“But had Maisie not done anything to hurt my daughter? How do you think Willie got those designs? It
was all because Zee worked with Freddy to frame her. What did Willie do wrong?”

Leila complained on behalf of her daughter.

Stephen took a deep breath and looked at her. “When you and Willie framed her six years ago, did you
imagine it would come back to haunt you now

“I’ve done my daughter wrong all these years because I’ve loved Willie too much. But Zee, she never got
the love she deserved from me. While she blamed me, did she do anything to the both of you?” 2



Stephen stared at her, squaring his jaw. “If I hadn’t done you wrong, I wouldn’t have brought you back
home. I never wanted Willie to be the child out of wedlock. But were my actions fair to Maisie? It wasn’t
fair, but in the end, you still chose to hurt her.”


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