The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 786

That final apology felt far heavier than just a simple regret for a late-night phone call.

The line went dead.

A heavy silence blanketed the living room. Yvonne took her phone back, her fingers nervously twisting the fabric of her shirt, her eyes cast down in immense guilt. She hadn't expected her mother to drag Leilani into their mess.

Yvonne wasn't stupid. She knew exactly why Leilani had taken the phone.

There were certain boundaries Leilani could set that Yvonne couldn't. Yvonne had been estranged from her family for months because of Tamara. Gloria was already heartbroken over her daughter's absence.

If Yvonne had been the one to reject her mother while she was having a breakdown, it would have shattered Gloria completely. In her vulnerable state, Gloria might have even harbored deep resentment toward her daughter for refusing a simple phone call.

Leilani saw all of that. She willingly stepped in to be the "bad guy," shielding Yvonne from the agonizing crossfire between family loyalty and morality, while simultaneously crushing Gloria's unrealistic expectations of access to her.

Realizing this only made Yvonne feel worse. Leilani had given her a safe haven, and all Yvonne seemed to do was bring her chaos.

"I'm so sorry..." Yvonne whispered.

Leilani sighed softly, reading her easily. Yvonne lacked a sense of security, which meant she internalized every crisis as her own fault.

"I mean it," Leilani said, her gaze steady and completely devoid of resentment. "As a mother, she was terrified for her son and grasped at straws. I understand that. Knowing her, she wouldn't have asked if she wasn't at her absolute breaking point."

"But I also have my boundaries. I don't care if it sounds harsh: apart from my friendship with you, I want absolutely nothing to do with the Sherwood family."

Leilani's voice was firm but kind. "I've made that very clear. The moment passed, and I'm not going to hold onto it. I certainly won't take it out on you. So please, don't harbor any guilt over me drawing a line with your mother. Deal?"