The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 482

They have received frantic calls about Jade before—minor accidents or sudden illnesses—but this time it sounded devastating. Seeing her bruised and broken in a hospital bed shatters them. When they learned she took the hit to save their mother, their protective instincts skyrocketed. To Nikolai and Alec, Jade is the most selfless girl in the world.

"I'm alright," Jade murmurs, laying the vulnerability on thick. "As long as Mom is safe, nothing else matters."

In reality, Jade never planned to risk her actual life. Everything was meticulously orchestrated by Jovani. They needed a dramatic show of loyalty, so Jovani hired a professional driver to stage the accident. To guarantee maximum shock value, Jade hid a blood pack in her clothes, popping it upon impact to make the scene look like a massacre. She did suffer a few genuine scrapes, and her right leg throbs with a fractured bone, but it is a manageable consequence.

Deanna steps into the room just in time to hear Jade's selfless declaration.

"You foolish, brave girl," Deanna sobs, rushing to the bedside. "I'm perfectly fine, but your leg is fractured. The doctor says you need serious rest."

Deanna's heart swells with a fierce, protective warmth. Any lingering frustration she held toward her adopted daughter has evaporated, replaced entirely by agonizing guilt and deep affection. Her high-society friends are right—this adopted girl is a hundred times better than her biological daughter. While Jade almost died for her, her real daughter hasn't even bothered to send a text.

"I'll be okay in a few days, Mom," Jade says sweetly. "I'm young. I bounce back fast."

"Who are you?" Deanna asks, wiping her eyes.

"I live near the company's agricultural research facility," the woman says timidly. "Miss Jade used to come by and help out all the time. She's such an angel. She never looked down on us and always offered a helping hand. We heard about the accident, so I came to represent the locals and wish her well."

The woman finishes her speech and shoots Jade a fleeting, meaningful glance. It is a look only Jade can decipher.