Chapter 977: Guilty

“Be good, Essie. Let me carry you. Don’t cry,” Sonya comforted patiently. However, her consolation only intensified Estella’s crying; the child was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

Seeing the situation escalate, Sonya reluctantly handed Estella to Lucian. The wails subsided, gradually softening into whimpers in Lucian’s embrace. The moment Lucian saw Estella’s distress, he understood. He wondered what drastic measures his mother had taken to remove Essie from Roxanne’s care.

“You’ve spoiled her,” Sonya complained. “Don’t you remember how heartless that woman was? Why do you still want Essie near her? I’ve told you countless times to stay away! Why won’t you listen? Are you happy now? Essie doesn’t even want to come home!”

Estella didn’t understand the nuances of Sonya’s words, but sensed her mother was disparaging Roxanne to Lucian. Tugging at Lucian’s shirt, she whined, “I want Ms. Jarvis…”

Sonya’s anger flared. “Why would you want her? She didn’t even—”

Lucian cut her off. “Catalina, take Essie upstairs.”

Catalina quickly approached and offered Estella her arms. Unsure whether Estella, still shaken from her earlier crying fit, would cooperate, Catalina was relieved when Estella, weary of Sonya’s accusations, readily accepted her embrace.

Catalina felt a pang of helplessness and sorrow as she held the silently weeping child. This was clearly an adult dispute; why involve Estella?

Sonya, momentarily stunned by Lucian’s demeanor, recovered only after Catalina had taken Estella away. It was obvious Lucian didn’t want Essie to hear their argument.

Sonya’s expression darkened. “Shouldn’t Essie know? Why did you send her upstairs? Are you going to hide the truth forever? She’ll find out eventually. Do you think she’ll accept that the woman she loves abandoned her at birth?”

Sonya’s stubbornness was infuriating. “As I said, there are misunderstandings. I haven’t figured them out yet.”

His mother’s biased pronouncements followed. “What misunderstandings? The truth is before our eyes! Unlike Roxanne, Aubree—”

“I’ll judge Aubree myself,” Lucian interrupted coldly. He knew letting her continue would only result in a recitation of Aubree’s virtues.

Sonya frowned, wanting to retort, but Lucian’s changed demeanor stopped her. He stared at her grimly. “And you? You knew Essie’s condition, yet used extreme measures to take her from Roxanne. Did you consider that her condition could deteriorate at any time?”

Sonya had heard similar concerns from Roxanne, but dismissed them. Perhaps she simply refused to acknowledge Roxanne’s care for Estella. Only now, confronted by Lucian's words, did she seem to grasp the gravity of her actions and feel the weight of her guilt.