So the sheer violence of the moment sent her into an immediate, sobbing panic.
"Lena..." she wailed, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.
Helena immediately rushed back to her side.
"I'm here, sweetie. Don't be afraid," she cooed, her tone shifting instantly.
It was a complete contrast to the predatory hostility she had just aimed at Janetta.
She scooped the trembling child into her arms, gently rubbing circles on her back.
Skye clung to her chest, letting out tiny, breathy hiccups.
The poor girl suffered from a congenital heart condition and severe asthma.
Helena was utterly terrified that the emotional shock would trigger a full-blown attack.
It was a gamble she refused to take.
Skye had barely survived her early years. She needed to remain completely stable until her sixth birthday to qualify for her second open-heart surgery.
Helena would not allow a single complication to threaten that timeline.
"Lena..." the little girl whimpered, her bottom lip quivering, though her breathing had somewhat steadied.
"It's okay, I've got you," Helena continued to soothe.
It was then that Janetta finally noticed the child.
She froze, and in the very next second, recognition slammed into her.
This was the exact same girl from the gossip headline—the one resting on Sebastian's shoulder.
For some inexplicable reason, that little face was seared into Janetta's brain.
Staring at her side profile now, an intrusive memory flashed across her mind.
It was a ghost from the past.
A sickening, suffocating wave of dread completely swallowed her.
Seeing the child in the flesh triggered a toxic blend of guilt and raw panic.
The resemblance to the deceased Mrs. Hayes was far too striking to ignore.
It was all in the eyes.
The dead woman's face was practically carved into Janetta's very bones.

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