The Heiress Revived from the Ashes (Lauren Bennett) novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16 You Have to Listen

The dining room fell silent in an instant, the atmosphere turning ice–cold. It was like someone had hit the pause button–no. one moved.

David frowned slightly but said nothing.

Alice looked uncomfortable, her mind racing for a way to break the awkward tension.

Only Elliot reacted. He slammed his knife and fork onto the table with a loud bang, startling the servants. “What the hell is going on?”

One of the maids flinched, lowering her head as she stammered, “Mr. Elliot, we’ve always prepared meals for four people,

Her explanation sounded weak, doing nothing to calm Elliot. Instead, it only made him angrier.

“Seriously? Are you blind? You saw Lauren come home, didn’t you? Or did you just choose to ignore her deliberately!”

“Mr. Elliot, L. The maid tried to explain.

But Elliot cut her off impatiently. “You’re fired.”

The maid’s face turned pale with panic. She turned to Willow for help, but Willow kept her head down, lost in thought

David cleared his throat. “Marilyn, go make another serving

“Yes, Mr. Elliot!” Marilyn’s face lit up with relief as she hurried into the kitchen.

Willow’s eyes flickered. In the next moment, she put on a concerned expression and pushed her own plate toward Lauren.

Lauren didn’t look at her or say a word, but she also didn’t reject the gesture. She was genuinely hungry, so she picked up her utensils and started eating

Her pace was steady, completely unfazed by the tension and conflict around her, as if none of it had anything to do with her.

Willow watched her expectantly, waiting for her to say something. But after a long while, Lauren didn’t even spare her a glance. Willow’s anticipation slowly turned into disappointment, like she’d just been brushed aside.

David tapped his fingers against the table to get Lauren’s attention, but she continued eating as if she hadn’t heard him.

He coughed loudly.

Lauren remained unfazed.

Alice couldn’t stand it any longer. With a hint of disappointment in her tone, she said, “Laurie, look at how much Willow. cares about you. Shouldn’t you at least thank her?”

So this is what all the fuss was about?Seriously? Can’t I even have breakfast in peace?What was this? Some kind of obedience test!

She had spent three years playing by their rules, and it still wasn’t enough. If she kept bending to their will now, she’d be nothing but a fool who never learned her lesson.

Lauren set down her utensils and swept her gaze around the table. “Thank her? For what–stealing my life? Turning you all against me and framing me? Or maybe for the five years I spent rotting in prison because of her? I take one bite of her food, and suddenly, I’m supposed to be grateful? Then what about the three years I spent in this house? I never even got a proper breakfast or lunch. Every night, I came home to nothing but leftovers while enduring your insults, and somehow, I was still expected to smile and take it. If anything, shouldn’t your whole family be apologizing to me first?”

They expected her to do something they’d never do themselves. Classic hypocrisy.

Alice let out a disappointed sigh. That’s all in the past. Why can’t you just let it go?”

Lauren let out a sharp laugh. “Let it go? You weren’t the one who suffered. You don’t get to decide when it’s over.”

2.40 PM m d

Chapter 16 You Have to Listen

David’s patience finally snapped. His rage exploded.

Finished

“Because I’m your father, and you’ll do as you’re told! Listen Lauren, don’t think that just because you’re back, you can act however you want. This family doesn’t need you. Whether you stay or leave makes no difference to us. If you resent us so much, then get out! I never said you were welcome here in the first place.”

Lauren suddenly let out a cold laugh, dripping with mockery

“You think I wanted to come back? Have you already forgotten what happened last night, Mr. David? You were desperate to use me to rebuild your partnership with Gray Corporation, yet now you’re acting like I forced my way in here. What, do you think you’re so high and mighty that I should be grateful for the way you treat me?”

“Enough!” David roared, his entire body trembling with fury. He shot up from his chair, stormed over to Lauren, and without hesitation-

Slap!

The impact was brutal. The force knocked Lauren sideways, sending her crashing against the dining table. Her plate tumbled to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Her face swelled instantly, her lip splitting open as blood trickled down, staining the crisp white tablecloth.

Her right ear, already weakened from years of abuse, buzzed violently from the blow. A high–pitched ringing filled her head. like a swarm of bees buzzing relentlessly in her ear.

Did it hurt?

For Lauren, not really.

After everything she endured in prison, getting hit was nothing new,

But just because it didn’t hurt didn’t mean she wouldn’t hate them for it.

Lauren turned her head slowly, her expression ice–cold. David’s face hardened with rage, his eyes showing no hint of a father’s love. Alice looked devastated, but she hadn’t done a thing to stop him. Elliot’s brows were furrowed, a flicker of something complicated crossing his gaze before he quickly masked it with indifference. And Willow–she didn’t even bother hiding the smug satisfaction in her eyes.

Years of bottled–up pain and resentment finally erupted.

With a sudden burst of strength, Lauren grabbed the edge of the dining table and flipped it over.

Crash! Dishes shattered, food splattered across the floor, and silverware clattered noisily.

David and Alice stumbled back in shock. Willow let out a terrified scream.

“Lauren, are you out of your mind!” Elliot roared.

Lauren’s voice shook with fury. “What gives you the right to treat me like this? What did I ever do to deserve this?”

Tears spilled down her face, mixing with the blood at the corner of her mouth, streaking down her cheeks.

Alice stepped forward, reaching for her. “Laurie, calm down. We’re family. We can talk about this. There’s no need to make a

scene.

Lauren yanked her arm away, her chest heaving.

David’s face darkened. “You ungrateful brat! Look at yourself–you’re a disgrace to the Bennett family!”

Willow peeked out from behind David, her voice soft, trembling with fake guilt. “Laurie, please don’t be mad. It’s all my fault. Blame me if you want; just don’t be upset anymore, okay?”