He felt that touching her was dirty. She held the pendant and looked down. Arjan abruptly left the room. She collapsed onto the bed.
Despite her mother-in-law taking care of her, Taylah couldn't find happiness. Ethan tried to speak to Taylah, but she always avoided him.
Even in the old mansion, Arjan and Dia remained close. Dia was always by Arjan's side. Although her mother-in-law warned them, they ignored her words because Mrs Davier favored Taylah.
When Dia noticed the pendant around Taylah's neck, she became furious. Why hadn't her mother-in-law given her one as well? It was a rare treasure, a token of significance for them.
Arjan and Dia were unaware that another pendant existed and was with Taylah. His mother had never mentioned her friendship with Taylah's mother. Dia desperately wanted to take it from Taylah and used Arjan as a pawn in her schemes. However, despite all her tricks, she failed to obtain the pendant in the end.
They left the house in the evening. Arjan didn't stay long—he left even before properly entering. Taylah watched the car until it disappeared from her sight, then turned back and walked inside. The butler welcomed her in, and despite everything, a small hope still flickered in her heart.
"Do you need anything, Miss Taylah?" the butler asked humbly.
"No, I'm just a bit tired. I'm going to rest, Butler Uncle. Thank you for asking," she replied with a warm smile.
Her smile was warm, yet her fate felt like hell. The butler was deeply concerned for her, but he could do nothing to comfort her.
Taylah rushed to her room, frantically searching through her belongings until she found the pendant her mother had given her. Clutching both pendants close to her heart, tears streamed down her face.
"Why didn't you ever tell me about your friend, Mom? Would it have made things easier for me? It hurts so much... The way he treats me, the way he treats Dia... I envy her, Mom..."
Whimpering, Taylah collapsed onto the cold floor, curling into herself as silent sobs wracked her body.
Her eyelids felt heavy, and slowly, she closed her eyes. She didn't understand why Arjan hated her so much. What had Dia told him to make him despise her when she had never even crossed paths with them before? That night with him—it had been nothing more than an accident.
It felt like hours had passed when she woke up with a pounding headache. Yet, it hadn't even been thirty minutes. She couldn't even find peace in sleep.
After freshening up, she made her way downstairs, only to be stopped by the butler.
"Mrs. Davier, what can I do for you?" he asked, bowing respectfully.
"Uncle… I'm leaving the mansion for a while. Please don't tell him," Taylah pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation.
"But… Mrs. Davier… He will be furious if he finds out. What if he does something to you?" The butler hesitated, his heart aching at the thought of her suffering any longer.
"I'll handle him, even if he finds out. Just tell him I'm at my grandparents' house if he asks," she said firmly before stepping out of the mansion.
With only a small amount of money in her hands, Taylah traveled to her grandparents' house. By the time she arrived, it was already 7 PM.
As soon as she stepped inside, she was welcomed by the warm smiles of her grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. Russell were overjoyed to see their granddaughter again.
"Grandpa, Grandma..." Taylah cried out as she leaped into their arms, hugging them tightly.
She had only been able to visit her grandparents when her mother was still alive. After her mother's passing, she was forbidden from seeing them—Mr. Edwards had strictly restricted her from meeting them.
There were times she managed to sneak out to visit, but each time, Dia would inform her father, and Taylah would end up being punished.
"Aww… my baby," Mr. Russell murmured, gently caressing her hair.
It had been a decade since she had felt this kind of warmth and love. Although Dicentra had cared for her, the comfort she felt now was something she had never experienced from anyone else.
"Why… why didn't you come to see me? Why didn't you come to my wedding? Why didn't you give me your blessings? I waited for you…" Taylah sobbed, clutching their clothes tightly.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell exchanged a sorrowful glance. They didn't know how to comfort their precious granddaughter.
"Little pearl," Mrs. Russell murmured, gently stroking Taylah's hair. "We know we were wrong. We didn't visit you, and we didn't attend your wedding… but never doubt that our blessings have always been with you. We just didn't want to face your father. Because of him, we lost our pearl… If we had come, it would have only made things harder for you, both in the Edwards and Davier families."
She broke down, crying even harder.
They had known she was suffering, yet their hands had been tied. What could they have done without proof? And now, they were old, powerless against the people who controlled her life.
They broke the hug, though the warmth lingered between them.
"So, how did you get here? Did your husband drop you off?" Mr. Russell asked.
Taylah gave a tight-lipped smile. How could he? She shook her head.
"No, Grandpa… I came by myself. He was busy with work, and I didn't want to disturb him," she said, forcing a smile.
Her grandparents exchanged a glance before offering her a smile of their own—one just as forced as hers.
The Russell couple led her inside, where dinner was already prepared. They guided her to the dining hall and served her food with care. Taylah felt overwhelmed.
It had been so long since someone had made sure she ate properly. Her grandparents didn't let her stop until she had finished her meal, watching over her lovingly before allowing her to wash her hands.
"I asked the maid to clean Pearl's room for you," Mrs. Russell said. "You can stay there. But if you don't like it, we can arrange another room for you."
"No, Grandma… I'll stay in my mother's room," Taylah said with a soft smile, making her way toward it.
As she stepped inside, she was mesmerized. Everything remained the same—a pink-themed teenage girl's room, untouched by time. Her grandparents had never seen their daughter as a grown woman; to them, she was still their little girl.
Tears streamed down Taylah's face. If only her mother hadn't chosen to love a man like Mr. Edwards, she might still be alive today.
With a heavy heart, Taylah lay down to sleep. For the first time in years, she drifted off without disturbance or worry, finally embracing a moment of peace.