She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 71

The second Quiana heard Byron was heading over to the Lonsdales to demand an explanation, she shot to her feet. “I’m coming too, Byron. I swear I won’t cause trouble. I just want them to know, and I want everyone to know, that I’ve always been a Sampson. You’re not standing alone. You’ve got me.”

Warmth flickered in Byron’s chest. “Fine. Come with me.”

After what happened at the Lonsdale Group, Keegan spiraled hard. That night he was admitted to the hospital for psychiatric treatment—his emotions ricocheted wildly, and whenever he was lucid he turned volatile, pacing and muttering the same line over and over: “No. That’s impossible. It has to be fake.”

His parents had no idea what he’d seen at the Lonsdale branch office. They came this time because they needed answers.

Adele came too, forcing herself through her leg pain, leaning heavily on Quiana as they followed Byron.

They arrived at Serenity Manor.

When the staff heard why they were there, they reported it upstairs. Gordon couldn’t be bothered to meet them, so he sent Hank to handle it.

Byron and Keegan’s father, Fabian Vaughn, were escorted in to see Hank. The women they brought—Savannah, Adele and Quiana—were guided away by a staff member, told to wait and stroll the garden.

Before Byron left, he turned and warned them again and again. “Mom, Quiana, listen to me, this isn’t some average rich family. Watch your manners. Don’t leave a bad impression.”

Adele nodded quickly. “I know.”

Adele’s gaze slid past Loyce to the older woman standing nearby in a staff uniform. Quiana’s assumption instantly steered her thoughts off a cliff. She sized the woman up with a loosening, “so that’s it” kind of look.

So this must be Loyce’s real mother. Adele’s earlier worry evaporated. No matter how capable Loyce was, she couldn’t possibly be a Lonsdale. At best she’d impressed that fancy pharmacy with a few medical tricks. And now look, she was still following her birth mother around, cleaning other people’s houses. She was doing worse than she ever did under the Sampsons.

Quiana wore a face of concern, but her thoughts matched Adele’s perfectly. “Loyce,” she said sweetly, “is the work hard? This isn’t the Sampsons’ place where you can do whatever you want. You need to follow rules here. Don’t touch anything you shouldn’t, or you’ll cause trouble for the family.”

The staff member beside Loyce looked horrified, her expression twisting as she opened her mouth to explain, but Loyce spoke first, cool as ice. “Save your concern.”