Chapter 68 What Right Does She Have?
Selena stood there, not moving an inch, her face blank as she listened to the conversation.
She always tried to convince herself that James hadn't been unfair to her. Since Barbara passed away, James had been decent enough.
But that bit of kindness was nothing compared to how he treated Nick and Alice.
Thinking about how she was scraping together a down payment while James handed Nick a mansion worth millions, Selena found it almost funny.
James and Beatrice soon noticed her.
Beatrice frowned. "What are you doing here?"
James looked over too. When he saw a real estate agent in the same uniform standing next to Selena, he felt a pang of guilt.
"Selena, are you looking to buy a house?" James asked.
Selena, already disappointed, kept her face blank. "Yeah, my apartment got broken into, so I thought I'd find a place with better security."
James mumbled a few words, feeling guilty about her living alone all these years. "Well..."
Before he could finish, Beatrice tugged at his sleeve, sneering, "Stop acting pitiful in front of James. I heard William gave you a wedding house worth millions. If you really have nowhere to live, just go there. It would also help you get closer to Raymond. You two are married; take care of him, and things will be easier with James."
"Beatrice." Selena shot her a cold look, "Even if I am acting pitiful in front of my dad, it's none of your business. If he can give Nick, who isn't even his biological son, a mansion worth millions, are you going to stop him from buying me a house? Besides, my dad hasn't even said he'd buy me one yet. Why are you so eager to discourage him?"
Beatrice felt extremely embarrassed by Selena's words.
James didn't know how to ease the tension and thought Selena's words were a bit much, especially in front of the two agents. After all, Beatrice was her stepmother.
"Beatrice is just impatient. Don't hold it against her. Which house do you like? I'll buy it for you," James tried to smooth things over with money.
Selena pulled at her lips and looked down. "No need, Dad. You two keep at it. I'm gonna check out some other places."
She didn't want to live in the same neighborhood as Nick.
James felt helpless after being turned down, and Beatrice frowned, "What do you mean? I don't think you've ever considered us family. And rightfully so, if it weren't for you, Alice wouldn't still be in the hospital."
Selena shot back, "Beatrice, I thought I made it clear. We're all adults; no need to make it awkward. I don't want to live with Nick, which is why I moved out. Now, because he wants to live here, I'm looking elsewhere. Do I really need to spell out that I don't want him around?"
"You! I think Barbara was angered to death by you! Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson on her behalf!" Beatrice raised her hand to slap Selena, but Selena's eyes turned icy. She grabbed Beatrice's hand and slapped her without hesitation.
The slap caught everyone off guard, shattering the peaceful facade Selena had maintained for years.
Beatrice was stunned, cupping her face in disbelief.
"I told you last time, Beatrice, if you lay a hand on me again, I won't tolerate it," Selena said indifferently.
As soon as she finished speaking, James shouted angrily, "Selena!"
James raised his hand in anger, his whole body trembling.
James was Selena's father, so she couldn't possibly hit back. But from the moment James raised his hand, even though she had anticipated this outcome, her heart still ached uncontrollably.
James didn't slap her in the end. His hand hovered in the air for a long time before he looked at her with a face full of disappointment.
"You used to be so sensible. How did you become like this?" James said, his voice full of disappointment.
James tried to comfort Beatrice, but she had never been treated like this, especially not by Selena.
Her chest was trembling, and Beatrice screamed as she lunged forward.
"Enough!" James's tone was unusually stern, "Selena, apologize to Beatrice. She is your stepmother, after all. Your behavior is exceedingly disrespectful!"
Selena turned to the real estate agent, "Sorry, please show me around other places."
"Selena Fair!" For the first time, James was this furious, calling her by her full name. His lips had lost some color. He didn't know when it started, but Selena no longer listened to him.
"Dad, my mom is dead." Selena stopped and looked at James without flinching.
"What right does Beatrice have to try to hit me repeatedly? You worry about Alice being in danger alone, but why don't you worry about what I've encountered all these years? Nick isn't your biological son, yet you keep him by your side, while you let your own daughter marry a stranger. Who's being unreasonable, me or Beatrice? What right does she have to replace my mom and discipline me? What right does she have?"
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