The Real Heiress's New Family Adored By All novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145 A Cold Rejection

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Finished

It was all thanks to that healing ointment that Holden’s wounds on his forehead, arms, and legs had healed so quickly, leaving not a single scar behind.

Back then, he’d been in a foul mood and glued to his game. When Mae brought the ointment over, he only caught that his sister had sent it. He never heard which one exactly, automatically assumed it was Jolie, and never once suspected he’d gotten it all wrong.

After that incident, his relationship with Zora plummeted to a freezing point. He’d thought she was ungrateful through and through, snapping at her harshly every chance he got while always taking Jolie’s side. He’d never realized how terribly he’d misjudged everything.

The thought of his mistakes and how cruelly he’d treated Zora twisted Holden’s heart with sharp regret.

He’d spent an entire day processing everything Jolie had done, replaying every memory of Zora in his head—and the more he thought, the heavier the ache in his chest grew.

What had he ever done right by this sister of his?

Once he’d admitted his faults, he’d headed straight for the Marlow Manor to find her, only to hear from Opal that Zora had moved out for good.

After learning the whole truth about what happened at school, Opal had been furious enough to chase him out with scolding and shoves.

Still, he’d managed to get her new address from her grandmother and rushed over right away. He’d waited here for ages and finally caught her coming home.

“Oh,” Zora replied flatly, no warmth in her tone.

“Zora, have you eaten yet? Let me take you out for something to eat, alright?”

She barely said a word, and Holden knew she wanted nothing to do with him. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to leave. He just wanted to stay in her company a little longer.

“No need, Holden. What exactly are you here for? If you’ve only come to apologize, you’ve said your piece already. You can go now.”

Zora had thought he’d make a quick apology and leave, yet he kept lingering. She frowned at him, confused.

“Zora, I know I messed up. Just give me a chance to make it right, please?”

There was a faint plea in Holden’s handsome features.

“Holden, the best way you can make this up to me is to leave me alone and never bother me

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Chapter 145 A Cold Rejection

again.”

Zora spoke to him with unwavering seriousness.

Holden swayed slightly, his face draining of color as his heart sank into cold despair.

Her meaning was clear-she had no intention of forgiving him.

Regret crashed over him in waves, making his chest throb numbly.

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“Zora, please give me a chance. I was wrong about everything, and I treated you horribly… We never knew Jolie was scheming behind your back; we misunderstood you so many times. I know I messed up.”

He couldn’t hold back any longer, stepping forward to gently take her hand, his eyes glistening with sorrow.

None of them had ever imagined Jolie could be this cruel. They couldn’t fathom her motives, yet the worst part was that they’d never once chosen to trust Zora.

Now that Jolie’s actions had come to light and she had been hauled off to the police station, the family was a complete mess.

Wendy had fainted from shock, and Anton had stayed by her side to take her to the hospital. Yale and Wayne had gone over to the Frost family’s place to apologize and smooth things over.

And he? He’d come looking for her.

She was the real victim in all of this.

Į

Jolie had always run to them crying over the smallest slight, but what about Zora? She’d endured so much unfairness-how much pain must she have been in all along?

“I don’t need it. Just stop bothering me.”

Zora hated being touched out of the blue, especially by anyone from the Knox family. She pulled her wrist free, irritation stirring inside her.

Why wouldn’t the Knox people just leave her be?

“Zora.”

A deep, mellow voice drifted from behind them.

The way he said her name carried a soft sweetness, light and warm like a melting marshmallow.

Zora turned her head and spotted Leighton standing not far away. A quiet sense of relief washed over her. She stepped past Holden and trotted over to him. “Leighton.”

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Chapter 145 A Cold Rejection

:.

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His hand fell limp at his side as he watched her run away without a second glance. When he spotted Leighton nearby, his brows drew tight.

Why was Zora with Leighton?

“Mr. Pierce,” Holden called out coldly.

“Mm,” Leighton’s faint smile faded, responding to him in a detached tone.

The three fell into an awkward silence.

Holden watched Zora stand close to Leighton, clearly leaning on him for comfort. They were only a few feet apart, yet the divide in closeness was plain to see.

It was one thing for the Marlow brothers to replace them, but now even Leighton had surpassed them?

A sharp sense of rivalry flared in Holden. It felt like everyone was trying to take Zora away from them.

Her cousins already did, and now Leighton stirred a sharp sense of crisis in him too.

He understood Zora no longer trusted the Knox family after everything that had happened, but he couldn’t stand seeing an outsider grow closer to her than they ever were.

“Mr. Pierce, you know my sister?” Holden emphasized the words “my sister,” then forced a stiff smile toward Zora. “Why didn’t you ever mention this to me?”

“Jensen asked me to look after Zora,” Leighton said with a lazy, knowing smirk, unfazed by Holden’s hostility.

“As for why she never told you… isn’t it obvious? You drove her out and never cared what happened to her afterward. Can’t even figure that much out, tsk.”

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The Real Heiress’s New Family Adored by All