The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 381

A violent shudder ran through Tiana.

She instinctively took a step back, her eyes brimming with tears and her gaze fearful. "Felly… Mommy, I… I like my baby brother and sister. I like you…"

"Get away from me!" Felicity Shepherd hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare touch my children!"

Tears spilled down Tiana's cheeks as she asked in a small, choked voice, "Is it because you have a new baby, Miss Felly? Don't you like Tiana anymore?"

The question snapped Felicity out of her rage, and her heart skipped a beat. She'd lost her composure.

This was Julian Nicholson's villa. While there were cameras outside, there were none in the main hall. However, there were four housekeepers. They were always deferential, privately calling her Mrs. Nicholson, but what if one of them was malicious? If word of her outburst got back to Julian, it would inevitably cause a misunderstanding.

"I'm so sorry, Tiana," she said, her voice softening as she carefully apologized. "Mommy was wrong. Lately, so many outsiders have been trying to convince me to get rid of the babies, and it's made me so anxious. I didn't realize it was you leaning against me just now. You startled me, that's why I shouted."

Tiana immediately wiped her tears away, her face breaking into a smile. "I knew you loved me the most! A hundred times more than my mom… than my dad's ex-wife. Mommy, I can finally call you that, and you can finally live in my house. We're a family of three now, right?"

"Oh, no, wait," Tiana corrected herself, her large, innocent eyes blinking at Felicity. "We're a family of five, aren't we?"

Felicity smirked.

"Little bitch, you sure know how to suck up," she said.

At only five years old, Tiana didn't know what "little bitch" meant, but hearing it from Felicity felt strange, almost insulting. She was too scared to say anything, and her fear only made her more eager to please.

Watching the small child kneel before her, massaging her feet and legs, she felt a sudden, satisfying rush of vindication. She knew it was wrong, but she allowed it to continue.

"Well, look at this. The little brat is like a puppy, doing whatever you say. Looks like you've tamed her," Henrietta remarked with a smirk as she came down the stairs and saw the scene.

Tiana's head snapped up, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at Henrietta.

"Mom, she's five years old, she understands everything! Don't talk about her like that," Felicity chided, shooting her mother a warning glance. "Besides, the staff might see."

Henrietta sniffed dismissively. "The four of them are upstairs helping your brother set up a temporary desk. They won't be down for a while. I just can't stand the sight of her. She's the daughter of that bitch, after all."