The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1746

“In the grimy basement, a man by the name of Hugh, unfortunate enough to be caged next to a hitman, was separated only by iron bars. Hugh made an offer to Serena. He could take out the hitman, but in return, Serena had to ensure that Martha would leverage the influence of Doom to free him. He couldn't be left to rot as a disposable pawn of the Doom. After a brief exchange with Martha, she agreed. So, Hugh proceeded to strangle the life out of the hitman, who accepted his fate without a struggle, preferring a silent death over endangering his family and friends.”

Kenneth and Louisa were stunned beyond belief, their minds reeling from the revelation. The truth was far more twisted than they could have ever imagined.

Eunice, too, was caught off guard. Serena hadn’t actually killed anyone, but to protect Martha, she had concealed the truth and played the innocent before them all.

If Hugh hadn't grown impatient in that claustrophobic cellar, tired of waiting for Martha to rescue him, and hadn’t spilled the beans in a bid to save his own skin, they might still be in the dark.

Eunice took a sip of her coffee, setting down her mug with deliberate slowness. Her gaze drifted towards Kenneth and Louisa.

"Hugh mentioned that Serena said something at the time," Eunice recounted. "She asked Martha—didn't you say your hitman was reliable? So how did Auntie's people catch him and lock him up in her basement?"

What did that imply?

It meant Serena knew Martha intended to hire a hitman to commit murder, to kill Bella.

Yet, not only did she not stop it, when things were about to be exposed, she sought to destroy the evidence, abandon the hitman, and save Martha.

"Martha might as well be her real mother!" Louisa was livid, her heart twisting in agony. She closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and managed to find a semblance of calm.

Kenneth's anger was palpable, a darkness edging his vision, nearly causing him to faint.

Their 'beloved daughter' of eighteen years had conspired with an outsider to harm their long-lost blood!

"To say her conscience has been eaten by dogs would be an insult to dogs." Louisa seethed with rage. How could she? How could she conspire with Martha to have Bella killed? What had that poor child done wrong? After suffering for eighteen years, she finally came home, only to have someone wish for her death.

"She doesn't deserve to be part of the Collins family. Even the name Serena is ours to give, and she does not deserve it! Someone fetch that wretched girl."

Perhaps due to her anger, the veins on Louisa's hand stood out starkly against her skin as she slapped the coffee table.