I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 478

As Kate stood at the back of the crowd, her unease began to fade.

The past few days of careful manipulation of these women had worked. Gisselle had taken the lead in shielding her, and with Sawyer’s backing, even if Eden found out, she was confident that nothing would happen to her.

But Rhea had already sparked public outrage.

Kate had calmed down at this point. “Rhea, that’s enough. No matter what, you’ll always think it’s my fault. I can’t take the blame anymore. My mom jumped because of your people, and you’re still going to keep pushing me?”

The moment she finished speaking, Lauren erupted. “Kate, you’re talking bullshit!”

Everyone froze, startled by the sheer volume of her scream.

Immediately, a stir of commotion broke out. The project team staff members all drew in a sharp breath.

What? Rhea’s people drove Kate’s mother to death? That was over the line.

Gisselle and the others couldn’t help but feel a surge of sympathy for Kate.

Having stirred a wave of sympathy, Kate smiled faintly.

Rhea frowned, her eyes showing clear disgust. “How did Mrs. Pearson end up giving birth to someone like you?”

Kate’s eyelids twitched.

“She’s already dead, and you’re still exploiting her.” Rhea sneered.

Lauren’s rage flared. She jabbed a finger at Kate, wild and uncontrollable. “Your mother jumped because she couldn’t bear the shame! Because you poisoned my two kids! You even forced me to keep poisoning them to pin it on Rhea! And now you’re acting innocent?”

What a shocking twist.

Kate had poisoned the two children. She had even forced their birth mother to keep poisoning them to frame their stepmother.

Kate felt her blood rushing backward through her body, moving so fast that she grew dizzy and lightheaded.

Seizing that momentum, she collapsed with a thud.

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Chapter 478

+25 BONUS

“Kate!”

“What’s going on?”

“Stop talking! Please leave!” someone shouted at Lauren.

Lauren’s wide eyes locked on Kate, who had collapsed in a faint. It was such a familiar scene.

Just as Gisselle moved to check on Kate, a glass of water came crashing down from above.

With her eyes closed, Kate felt the water drench her instantly. She forced herself not to let even her

lashes twitch.

Lauren went completely berserk. She grabbed the last third of water from the dispenser and splashed it straight at Kate’s face.

“Quit acting! I know you’re just pretending!”

Several female colleagues were splashed too. They stumbled back instinctively, keeping their distance from the raging woman.

Even Kate, with all her endurance, couldn’t withstand that much water. It rushed into her nose, making her cough violently.

Lauren sneered. “Awake now, huh? Couldn’t keep up the act? Couldn’t win the argument, so you pretended to faint? You might as well just die and join your mother!”

She thought that she had already hit rock bottom, but she hadn’t expected Kate to stoop even lower.

Gisselle and the others helped Kate to her feet. She looked even more fragile now. “What do you want

Lauren’s eyes blazed. “I want you dead!”

Teaming up with Kate had been risky, but Lauren had had no other choice.

Now that she realized that Kate had been lying to her the whole time, Lauren felt as if Kate was out to annihilate her. All of Lauren’s patience and fury toward Kate came spilling out at once.

“Lauren!” A sharp, commanding voice rang out.

This voice…

Lauren turned at once.

Carter? Why was he here?