Chapter 381 Enemies Meet Again
Elizabeth lay curled up on the floor, blood flowing steadily from her mouth after Tate's kick.
She couldn't understand what had upset Tate and Xanthe. Hadn't she been behaving well?
"Get out! You worthless girl! Get out of my house right now!" Late that night, the Hill family threw Elizabeth out onto the street.
Elizabeth walked all the way home from town on foot.
It was midnight by the time she reached home.
Nico, lying sick in bed, and Quiana, still working despite the late hour, were horrified to see Elizabeth return with a pale face and bloodied lips.
Nico tumbled out of bed in distress.
"Elizabeth! Who has hurt you?" Fallen to the ground, Nico pounded his fists against the floor until his skin broke and bled.
Elizabeth looked at them calmly. "Isn't Kismet staying with us?"
Quiana shook her head tearfully. "She's a city child—how could she endure such hardship? She just pretended during the day and stayed at a hotel in town every night."
She continued, "Never mind Kismet. Tell me what happened to you. Who hit you? Why are you hunched over holding your stomach? Your lip is bleeding. Tell me, what happened?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "It's nothing, Mom. Kismet's father just kicked me once. My chest hurts a bit, but I managed to walk home. I'm fine, really. Let's help Dad back to bed."
When Elizabeth bent down to help Nico up, she felt a piercing pain in her chest and cried out.
Only then did Quiana and Nico realize the severity of the situation.
That night, Quiana borrowed a cart from Bodhi and took Elizabeth to the town clinic, where they discovered that Tate had broken three of Elizabeth's ribs.
The doctor recommended hospitalization, but Quiana couldn't afford it.
Fortunately, the sympathetic doctor treated Elizabeth's injuries without charging them, advising her to rest at home.
The incident worsened Nico's condition.
Elizabeth needed two months of recovery before returning to school, falling behind in her previously excellent academic performance.
To make matters worse, Kismet began bullying Elizabeth at her elementary school.
When Elizabeth had been kicked out of the Hills' house, she was still wearing one of Kismet's old dresses—one Kismet never wore anyway.
Elizabeth hadn't wanted to keep it, as she never coveted others' possessions, no matter how nice. But her only decent outfit had been left at Kismet's home, leaving her no choice but to wear the dress to school.
This gave Kismet a pretext to harass Elizabeth, accusing her of theft.
Kismet gathered her friends to beat Elizabeth and smear excrement on her.
After they had finished mocking and beating her, Kismet stepped on Elizabeth's face, saying, "You trash! You stayed at our house for a week and infested it with lice. My bedroom still stinks of you. You stole my dress and damaged my piano. "
Elizabeth remained silent.
Being beaten, stepped on, and insulted, she didn't shed a single tear.
She just wanted them to leave so she could wash herself in the stream before Nico found out. His illness was too severe—knowledge of her suffering would destroy him.
Though Elizabeth wanted to keep it from Nico, someone else told him.
After washing the filth from her face and hair in the stream, Elizabeth returned home to hear Quiana wailing.
Alarmed, she ran inside to find Nico barely breathing.
Seeing Elizabeth enter, Nico opened his eyes and whispered weakly, "Elizabeth, I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better life. I've been a burden to you and your mother. Listen to me—after I'm gone, have your mother take you to the city. You're beautiful, smart, and talented at piano. You shouldn't be wasted here. Promise me you'll go with your mother to Sunwillow City after I'm gone."
Elizabeth shook her head. "Dad, please don't die. You can't die. I'll quit school and work to pay for your medicine, just please don't die. I can't lose you."
For a twelve-year-old, losing a father meant the sky falling in.
Even with Nico bedridden, having him there meant everything. As long as the three of them were together, that was enough.
But what Elizabeth feared most happened that night.
Nico died, taking with him a lifetime of humiliation and endless longing for his wife and daughter. He passed away the same night Elizabeth was beaten by Kismet.
The depth of his hatred died with him, but Elizabeth and Quiana could see that Nico died without peace.
After burying Nico, Elizabeth and Quiana were more alone than ever.
Elizabeth seemed to mature overnight, bravely telling Quiana, "Let's report the Hills! Let's take them to court!"
Quiana shook her head. "We're just a widow and orphan with no money. How could we sue them? Your father is gone, and I can't risk anything happening to you now, Elizabeth. Your father was right—I should send you to the city. You shouldn't live here anymore. I'll start making arrangements."
This was why Elizabeth was eventually sent to Oliver's home in Sunwillow City.
Elizabeth had never met Oliver. She didn't know Quiana's relationship with him, only that Quiana first left her in Bodhi's care for a month before returning from Sunwillow City to take Elizabeth away.
At the bus station in town, Elizabeth saw Kismet one last time.
She and Quiana were taking a long-distance bus to the city and then on to Sunwillow City, while the Hill family was leaving for vacation.
The contrast was stark—the well-dressed Hill family versus Elizabeth and Quiana in their shabby clothes. The Hills continued their verbal abuse at the station, "Thieves! We kindly hosted you for a week, and you showed no manners or decency! No class, no breeding!"
Elizabeth wanted to fight back but was restrained by Quiana.
They didn't take the same transportation, as the Hills traveled in a private car.
After that day, Elizabeth moved to Sunwillow City to live with Oliver, never seeing Kismet again.
Fifteen years had passed, and Kismet would be about thirty now.
Elizabeth gave her a cold smile. "Kismet. It's been a long time."
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