Chapter 7

“Don’t you dare!” Charlie yelled furiously.

“If you don’t clear the air with Tyler, you can forget ever coming home again.”

Kelsey could care less about being part of the family anymore.

Still, now that she was given a fresh start in life, she needed to sort out the adversaries in the family.

“Alright. I’ll take your advice and meet with Tyler.” Kelsey made a resigned face and shrugged.

“But…” She paused.

Charlie pressed, “But what?”

“But who am I to see Tyler?” Kelsey asked.

Charlie replied without hesitation, “You’re the heiress of the Youngs, Tyler’s fiancée.”

Kelsey could forget about breaking off the marriage alliance with the Langs on Charlie’s watch.

She batted her eyelashes innocently. “The heiress of the Youngs? I thought you wanted to disown me.”

“You…” Charlie was rendered speechless.

That was talk in the heat of the moment.

Charlie’s intention was to make her go through the wedding with Tyler instead of frolicking around with Cooper.

Kelsey hung her head low. “But I’ve been living in the attic. Do I look like an heiress to you?”

Charlie was surprised. “Attic? When did you start living in the attic?”

He had no idea.

Since Megan and Josephine moved into the villa, Charlie found himself swept off his feet by Megan’s charm. Where his daughter slept was the last thing on his mind.

Nevertheless, Charlie was shocked when he had to take Tyler up to the attic to find his daughter.

He initially thought Kelsey had her secret date with Cooper there. To his surprise, Kelsey mentioned that her room was in the attic.

“You should ask your darling Megan,” Kelsey sneered.

She opened her father’s eyes to one point. “After what happened today, Tyler might get the impression you’re not fully committed to the marriage if you’re giving away a daughter who lives in the attic and whom you’re planning to disown.”

Upset, Charlie made his way back into the villa and called Megan over to get answers.

“What’s going on? Why is Kels living in the attic?”

Megan froze before shooting an angry look at Kelsey.

The bitch had the nerve to tattle to her father.

Megan made her live in the attic, and Kelsey had not once complained, even after more than a year.

Kelsey’s upcoming marriage to Tyler might have emboldened her to finally stand up to Megan, something Megan had not anticipated.

“Charlie, it’s quiet and serene in the attic. I noticed Kels prefers a peaceful environment without interruptions, so I allowed her to switch rooms.” Megan gave an excuse.

Mockery filled Kelsey’s eyes. “If the attic’s so great, why don’t you let your daughter stay there?”

Megan explained, “Josephine’s exams are coming up. I moved her into Kelsey’s previous room to keep a close eye on her studies.”

Kelsey said, “You said it, Megan. It’s quiet in the attic. Since Josephine’s exams are around the corner, why don’t you move in there with her? She can get ready for her exams, and you can keep an eye on her too. I’m sure there will be no interruptions.”

“You!” Megan glared at her menacingly.

If it was before, Kelsey would have reservations. However, Megan’s dirty looks had no effect on her now.

Despite Kelsey’s dismissive behavior, Megan felt restrained from retaliating in Charlie’s presence.

So Megan had to turn to Charlie with pleading eyes.

“Charlie…”

Charlie was deep in thought.

He glanced at Kelsey and said to Megan, “Since Josephine’s exams are coming up, you should spend more time with her. You can move into the attic with her, and we’ll revisit this after her exams.”

Megan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She wondered what had gotten into Charlie.

All of a sudden, Charlie was on the bitch’s side.

Charlie often turned a blind eye to Megan’s mistreatment of Kelsey before. Now, he expected Megan and his daughter to live in the attic after what the bitch said.

“The attic’s small, Charlie. How are Josephine and I supposed to live there? Besides, it’s too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter in the attic. How is Josephine supposed to concentrate on her studies in such horrible conditions?”

Kelsey looked at Megan in disdain. “Didn’t you say the attic is quiet and serene? Why are you calling it horrible now that you’re going to live there? I guess you and Josephine are more delicate and fragile than me. Even though I was born into privilege, I stayed there for a year. You can’t even last just a few months.”

“I…” Megan was lost for words, her face ashen.

She pleaded with Charlie once more, hoping he would change his mind.

However, Charlie stood his ground like never before.

“So that’s decided.”

“Charlie…”

It was a hard pill for Megan to swallow.

Pulling a long face, Charlie would not even look at her.

“Don’t forget to go to Tyler tomorrow,” he urged. “I don’t care if you have to admit fault in tears or beg him on your knees. You need to get him to forgive you.”

He then walked off.

“Got it, Dad!”

Kelsey watched cynically as her father left.

Charlie’s stance was clear.

His desire to secure his daughter’s marriage to the Langs took precedence over his beloved mistress for now.

That was the top priority for the entire family.

However, given Charlie’s history of enabling Megan’s bullying, it came as a complete shock to Megan when he stood up for Kelsey.

Megan looked daggers at Kelsey, her gaze laced with venom.

“This isn’t over, bitch,” Megan hissed through clenched teeth before running after Charlie.

Kelsey smirked at Megan’s receding back.

The whole thing was not over, for sure.

Kelsey was not scared of Megan.

She was the rightful heir to the family.

Kelsey would not put up with a lowly mistress’ constant intimidation.

It was time Kelsey showed Megan and Josephine who was boss.

…

Kelsey’s potential contribution to the family earned her the privilege of moving back to her old bedroom on the second floor facing south.

Nevertheless, Josephine had occupied the room before and replaced everything inside.

The room was now decadently furnished. Even the curtains Kelsey’s mother had sewn were replaced with imported drapes.

A room makeover was next on her checklist now that Kelsey reclaimed her bedroom.

Kelsey could not do anything to the lavish décor for now, but she planned to replace anything and everything else.

She started off with the curtains. Kelsey stepped on the ladder and climbed high enough to remove Josephine’s imported drapes. She threw the curtain out of the second-floor window.

Kelsey then took all of Josephine’s clothes in the closet and tossed them out.

She even smashed Josephine’s collection of jewelry and accessories on the table and shelves to the ground.

“Have you lost it, Kelsey?”