Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 480

Gasping for breath, Lacey's hollow eyes locked onto the sharp, solid marble corner of the coffee table.

If she threw herself against it and shattered her skull right here in the living room, her blood would permanently stain their perfect life.

If she died here, the media would devour them. The public backlash would drown them all.

Just as she braced herself to lunge, the massive television screen switched to a breaking news broadcast.

It was an exclusive interview with the province's top scholar. Mira's radiant, breathtakingly confident face filled the screen.

She spoke with a razor-sharp elegance, completely unfazed by the cameras as she discussed her future.

Tears blurred Lacey's vision. How could she have been so incredibly blind? She had joined forces with these parasites to banish a daughter that magnificent.

No, Lacey thought, the suicidal urge evaporating. I can't die yet. I am a colossal failure of a mother, but I still owe my children a profound apology.

Sitting on the sofa, Fiona watched the TV screen with manic, suffocating jealousy. She noticed Lacey staring at it too.

"What are you looking at?!" Fiona shrieked. "It doesn't matter how successful your bastards are!

You made yourself their mortal enemy!

Hahaha, you are the dumbest bitch to ever walk the earth. You threw your own flesh and blood away for my child!

Don't worry. Once Adrian and I solidify the company's power, we are going to hunt your precious children down and destroy them.

None of them will have a happy ending!"

"You... you monsters..."

Lacey turned her panicked gaze to Adrian. "They are your flesh and blood! You're just going to let her openly threaten them?!"

"They ceased being my children the second they walked out my front door," Adrian sneered.

"Mara is my only heir. Your brats have brought me nothing but grief."

"Wait," Mara interjected as the guards turned to leave.

"When you kicked Mira out, she wasn't allowed to take a single item of value. I believe you fully endorsed that rule.

As her mother, you should get the exact same experience."

With ruthless efficiency, Mara ripped the jade bracelets from Lacey's wrists and yanked the diamond necklace from her throat.

When she grabbed the diamond earrings, she viciously tore Lacey's earlobe, sending blood dripping down her neck.

Lacey was too weak and exhausted to even scream.

She listened as Mara whispered a final order directly into the lead bodyguard's ear.

"Drive her out to the slums. Break both her legs.

And strip her clothes off before you dump her, so not even her own mother will be able to recognize the body."