Chapter 1088: Consequences of Being Unappreciative

After leaving Lucian's study, Aubree headed straight for Estella's room, carefully controlling her expression. She wished Estella would disappear, but she was currently under evaluation. Lucian would only accept her as his woman after she gained Estella's favor. As long as she succeeded, she was willing to continue the charade. She's just a child, she thought, I'm sure she'll fall for it.

With that in mind, Aubree knocked, a faint smile on her face. Estella, mistaking her for Lucian or Catalina, rushed to open the door.

"It's been a while, Essie," Aubree said, bending down with what she hoped was a friendly smile.

The sight of Aubree instantly reminded Estella of past incidents. Noticing she was alone in the corridor, Estella recoiled, hiding behind the door, her eyes wide with apprehension.

Aubree, understanding Estella's fear, remained unfazed. "Don't be scared," she said. "I know I've done wrong. Don't worry, Essie. I promise to be nice to you from now on. I'll treat you like my own daughter." Worried Estella might not believe her, she added with a grin, "Your daddy already scolded me. I know you get scared easily, so I won't scare you anymore." The implication was clear: she had Lucian's permission to be there.

Estella, remembering Lucian's words before he left the room—Ms. Pearson will be coming to spend time with you—began to fret. Daddy used to keep me away from Ms. Pearson because I don't like her. Even when we met, Daddy stayed by my side. But now, Daddy asked her to come to me alone. Does this mean he's really not planning to pursue Ms. Jarvis anymore? Panic filled her eyes. What should I do so Daddy can change his mind?

Seeing Estella frozen in place, Aubree assumed she was still scared. Suddenly remembering Roxanne's actions towards Estella, she reached out to stroke the girl's head, attempting to mimic Roxanne's behavior.

Estella reacted instantly, dodging in terror, her past experiences causing her to instinctively fear a blow. Aubree's hand froze. Rage surged through her at the stark contrast between Estella's attitudes toward her and Roxanne.

Before, she would have made Estella face the consequences of her unappreciation, taking advantage of their privacy. However, her recent conversation with Lucian changed things. Aubree suppressed her anger, flashing a smile.

"Essie, I know I scared you before. Don't worry. I won't do anything to you again."

As she spoke, she heard a sound from the study door. Realizing Lucian had emerged, she adopted an even more sincere expression.

"If you still hate me for what I did, you can hit me back. How about that?"