178 Keira, Don’t Go
Mrs. Olsen’s pupils contracted. ”
She stared at Keira from behind, saying, “…Keira!”
Keira, who was walking away, halted in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Mrs. Olsen with
confusion.
Mrs. Olsen’s mouth trembled as she looked at her.
Her mind was filled with memories of the young Keira hiding in a corner, secretly watching her.
She had seen her every time…
But because of Isla, and because of Keira’s special identity, she had never approached the little girl.
She had witnessed Poppy beating Keira countless times, and each time she stopped herself from intervening, only stepping in to help when Keira’s life. was in danger and she couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
She had always held an inexplicable fondness for Keira, thinking it was because Taylor was good to Isla, so she wanted to be good to Taylors daughter…
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But she had always suppressed this fondness, afraid of making Isla jealous or sad.
But as it turned out, Keira was her daughter!
At this moment, all the scenes of Poppy abusing Keira flashed through her mind like a passing glance…
She thought of how the newborn Keira nearly starved to death in the room, and it was she who found her in time and fed her a few mouthfuls of milk…
The tiny infant had grasped her finger, her softness instantly melting Mrs. Olsen’s heart.
From then on, she couldn’t harbor any resentment
toward the child.
Poppy had hung her head low, playing the obedient part, claiming she couldn’t produce enough milk and the baby was allergic to formula.
Mrs. Olsen had believed it to be true and even bought
goat milk formula.
Later on, Keira had always been skinny and weak, rummaging through the trash for food. When Taylor told her to ignore this illegitimate daughter, she couldn’t stand it and gave Keira the leftover cake that
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178 Keira, Don’t Go
was bought for Isla.
She began leaving snacks regularly on the stone table in the park behind their house.
Keira grew up on those snacks!
When Isla was three years old, as she took her to the international bilingual kindergarten, she could always feel a pair of longing eyes from the half-window of the basement watching them.
But she had paid them no heed…
It wasn’t until Isla started elementary school that Mrs. Olsen casually helped Keira enroll.
From then on, Poppy began instructing Keira daily to follow Isla around as a little attendant, saying it was repay the Olsen family’s kindness.
Mrs. Olsen had never thought about any repayment; when she helped Keira, it was just because she felt the child was pitiable.
She had always felt that she had done her duty by
Keira.
Each time, outside of the time she spent educating Isla, she would speak a few more words to Keira and
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found the child exceptionally intelligent.
She remembered when Keira was in first grade, she came first in the entire grade and returned home with her report card, not daring to say a word.
Isla had seen it and was so jealous that she started to
cry.
The little girl didn’t know how to hide her feelings. Isla cried so sadly and asked her, “Mommy, am I not even as good as an illegitimate daughter?”
At the time, Mrs. Olsen had only urged her to work
harder.
So later, when she saw Poppy hitting Keira and forbade the girl to come first anymore, Mrs. Olsen saw it and even wanted to intervene, but remembering Isla’s tearful face, like that of a crying kitten, she ultimatel swallowed her words.
And then…
When Keira needed to move out for middle school, Mrs. Olsen was actually in favor of it.
She didn’t want Keira to continue staying there, caught between heartache and helplessness, their
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natural status opposition leaving her unsure of how to
face Keira.
And then what?
After Keira left, Mrs. Olsen found herself with an
added worry.
She didn’t understand why the girl’s departure stirred her emotions so much; all she thought about was the day Keira might come back to see her.
She had even dreamt over those years, dreaming that Keira was calling her “Mommy”…
Over the years, she had had no news from Keira.
She wanted to send someone to inquire about her but feared that Isla would be jealous and create a commotion, so she had been restraining herself…
Every time she asked Poppy, her response was always! “Why should you care about that ungrateful wretch?”
Mrs. Olsen had always been baffled as to why Poppy was so unkind to Keira.
Keira was once kidnapped by human traffickers when she was four years old; at that time, Poppy said, “It’s just a girl; if she’s gone, she’s gone. She’s not worth
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anything.”
She was cold-blooded and selfish!
But now she finally understood, how could there
possibly be a mother in the world who really hated her own child?!
The reason Poppy was unkind to her was because Poppy wasn’t her mother!
She was!
Mrs. Olsen thought of this, and her eyes filled with
tears!
Keira noticed her agitated emotions, came over, and asked, “Mrs. Olsen, what’s wrong? Is there something you’d like to tell me?”
Is there something she wanted to say?
Mrs. Olsen felt like she had so much to say, to apologize, to acknowledge that she’d ignored her pas suffering, to admit that her negligence led to Keira enduring many years of hardship…
But all the words ultimately got stuck in her throat.
Just then, there was noise at the door.
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PP
entered, and as usual, she was meek, but upon seeing Keira, her expression turned to disgust. “Little slut, who allowed you to come to the Olsen’s? Are you here to pester Jake again? Let me tell you, Miss Isla is the true Miss Olsen, and you’re an illegitimate daughter. You’re nothing! Don’t think just because you married into the Horton family you can do whatever you please! You owe the Olsen family for raising you, and you’ll never be able to repay that debt in your lifetime!”
These words from Poppy caused Mrs. Olsen to tremble with rage.
All she could hear was the scolding Poppy had directed at Keira over the past few years, which she had
occasionally overheard.
“You are an illegitimate daughter, know your plac Miss Isla is your benefactor, and you must always your head before her!
“Little bitch, you dare glare at Miss Isla? You are nothing compared to her!
“Miss Isla was born a lofty fairy, while you only deserve to live in the basement! The gutter!”
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Mrs. Olsen felt a surge of anger welling up inside her, and her gaze toward Poppy was murderous!
Poppy had switched their daughters.
And she had pampered and adored Isla, placing her on a pedestal from a young age.
But what about her Keira?!
Her Keira had been thrust into hell, a hell that she and Poppy had together created! A hell from which her
Keira could never escape!
Mrs. Olsen closed her eyes.
She tried hard to calm her breathing…
Keira, seeing her strange behavior, asked, “Mrs. Olse what on earth is the matter?
Taylor shouted angrily, “Poppy, who let you in? You’ve agitated Shirley, and I’ll never let you off the hook for this! Take your troublesome daughter and get out! Shirley, how are you feeling?”
Poppy lowered her head, went over to Keira, and tugged at her, “What are you doing here again? You’ve
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made your father furious, and now I’m going to get thrown out because of you… You ungrateful wretch, you’re of no help at all, only causing me trouble day!”
Keira’s face tensed.
She gave a bitter smile.
Indeed, what right did she have to come here?
every
She turned around quietly, intending to leave with Poppy, but as soon as she turned, her arm was grasped by someone.
Keira paused slightly, turned her head, and saw that it was Mrs. Olsen.
Mrs. Olsen had by then already opened her eyes, with tears falling before words could follow…
Two lines of uncontrollable tears slowly trailed down her cheeks, and she gripped Keira’s hand tightly, trembling. “Keira, don’t go!…