Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 1264

*Hiss—*

The moment the door clicked shut, the tough exterior Luella had projected instantly crumbled.

She touched her right cheek. It burned like fire.

The old bastard really hit hard.

But she was smarter now. She knew how to angle her head when taking a hit so her good ear wouldn't be damaged.

Thinking of this, she reached up and touched her numb left ear, the gemstone cold against her fingers.

For the sake of revenge, she could endure anything.

*Mom. Please keep watching over me.*

After a few seconds of silence, Luella gathered herself, pulled out her phone, and texted Juniper to let her know she was safe.

[I'm home.]

Almost immediately, Juniper initiated a video call.

Luella: [Decline]

Juniper: [Try declining me one more time.]

Luella scratched her head and reluctantly hit answer.

"What happened to your face?"

The moment the video connected, Juniper zeroed in on the injury. Five distinct finger marks were swollen and red across her cheek, and there was dried blood at the corner of her mouth.

"It's nothing."

Luella flashed an easy smile, waving it off casually. "The old man called you a shady influence, and I couldn't resist talking back."

Juniper pressed her lips together, saying nothing, but a thick, murderous intent pooled in her eyes.

"I might have taken a slap, but the old man didn't exactly win," Luella said, brushing her hair back with a bright grin. "I called myself a dog, which indirectly meant he's a dog too."

"You're so ruthless you'll even insult yourself?"

Juniper stared at her, her heart aching. "I'm not there with you. Don't go head-to-head with him."

"So it's fine as long as you're here?" Luella countered.

"Obviously."

Just then, a crisp, childlike voice rang out from nearby.

"Bro!"

Luella turned around to see Jared, dressed in a tiny, aristocratic vest, running happily toward her.

Oh. Her five-year-old half-brother. The one her stepmother gave birth to.

Luella stood rooted to the spot, staring at him expressionlessly. "What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"Luella, where have you been all this time?" Jared threw himself at her legs, hugging them tight. Looking up with his soft, pale face, he beamed, "I missed you so much!"

"Let go!" Luella had zero affection for her stepmother's offspring. She usually treated him with nothing but icy indifference.

But for some inexplicable reason, this kid was obsessed with her. Maybe he was dropped on his head at birth. His mother and sister hated her to the core, so why did he cling to her like this?!

"Luella, are you hungry?" Jared grabbed Luella's fingers, grinning widely. "Megan made some sweet rice balls! Let's go eat!"

"I'm not eating." Luella looked down at the boy's innocent, beaming face, her brows knitting tightly together.

"Come on, let's go!" Jared swung her hand, sounding entirely earnest. "I've already mastered that game you taught me last time!"