Rebirth Of The Forgotten Heiress - Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Quinlyn thought, 'Is she feeling guilty?'
Then she shook her head and thought, 'Whatever Evelyn is scheming, I don't need to know. It's pointless anyway.
'Whatever the reason, whether she just finds me unlikable, or truly loves Yalena and wants the best for her. On the scale between me and Yalena, she's already tipped it beyond any reasonable limit'
"I'm a bit tired," Quinlyn replied softly, a faint smile on her lips as she looked at Evelyn, maintaining a calm composure.
Quinlyn's sudden calm demeanor took Evelyn by surprise. As she thought back, she realized this might be the first time since their reunion that the two of them had interacted so peacefully—and now, they were completely alone.
Evelyn couldn't help but study Quinlyn closely, as if trying to see something she'd missed before.
Quinlyn really was a Guzman through and through. The three siblings bore a striking resemblance, at least sixty or seventy percent alike, especially those unmistakable eyes.
Evelyn was always saying about the two brothers at home, "Those boys were born with such seductive eyes. Thank goodness their gaze is honest; otherwise, who knows how many girls' hearts they'd have broken."
Though Quinlyn's seductive eyes were gentle, they weren't flirtatious; instead, there was a sharp edge to them.
Evelyn disliked seeing such fierceness in a girl's gaze, especially when it was directed at her, the girl's own mother.
But at this moment, Quinlyn had been drinking, her gaze unfocused, which made her seem more approachable.
The maternal affection Evelyn had kept tucked away inexplicably welled up inside her. She said, "Quinlyn, let's have a proper mother-daughter talk. We haven't spoken since you came back."
Quinlyn's mind moved sluggishly for a moment, her eyes clouded with undisguised confusion, but she nodded nonetheless. "Alright," she replied.
As night fell, instead of calling for the servants, Evelyn personally went to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. After a brief hesitation, she deliberately added two sugar cubes.
Quinlyn only picked up her cup after Evelyn poured from the pot. The moment she touched her lips, she knew it was Yalena's taste.
Quinlyn preferred lighter coffee, while Yalena liked hers sweet, with sugar or milk boiled into the coffee.
Quinlyn said nothing, just took small sips. She had no idea what Evelyn was up to. In her memory, Evelyn had always been that aloof, superior figure, never satisfied with anything about her, inside or out.
Evelyn always thought that Quinlyn was not as good as Yalena and kept asking Quinlyn to learn from Yalena.
Quinlyn thought, 'Our styles are opposites. How could I possibly emulate someone so different?'
Quinlyn lowered her head to take a delicate sip of coffee, her long hair veiling most of her expression.
Evelyn watched intently, mentally calculating how to steer the conversation. She asked, "Quinlyn, what do you think of Yarden?"
Quinlyn paused briefly. Without looking up, she said flatly, "Not impressed."
Evelyn said, "Indeed. This child has been thoroughly spoiled by Beatrice."
Quinlyn said, "Well, people should know their place. Honestly, Beatrice is largely to blame for how Yarden turned out."
Evelyn was unusually talkative tonight, yet every word carried deliberate weight.
The deliberateness was so palpable that Quinlyn began gulping down the sweetened coffee she disliked. With a decisive flip of her empty cup, she made to rise from her seat.
Evelyn finally cut to the chase. She said, "Quinlyn, tell me honestly. Are you only seeing Zachary just to spite us?"
Quinlyn looked up slightly, watching Evelyn's strained attempt at playing the loving mother.
She remembered that very morning, Evelyn had glared at her with righteous fury, accusing her of coming back to the Guzman family for revenge.
Quinlyn thought, 'It has only been mere hours, and now, she is sitting here pretending she wants to have a heart-to-heart with me?'
Quinlyn parted her lips as if to speak, but the words caught in her throat. After a brief hesitation, she slowly rose to her feet. She still remembered she needed to change the plot. Otherwise, she'd yell out.
She desperately wanted to snap, "What kind of show are you putting on? What do you think of Yarden that you'd just give in after Beatrice deliberately humiliated me? And why did you send all the servants away tonight?"
Quinlyn even suspected the Narrator had left out a couple of things. She thought, 'Maybe Evelyn knows all along. That so-called "reluctant approval" after everything is settled? Just another act.
'What's so 'reluctant' about it? Does Yarden wield that much power that Evelyn would yield to him even after watching me get humiliated?'
But Quinlyn held her tongue. Her back was ramrod straight. She said, "Mom, I know you've never liked me, so don't force yourself to pretend otherwise. It's getting late. You should go ask Yalena why she isn't back yet, and Yancy, too."
Her tone was flat, her expression unreadable. Yet her eyes were crystal clear as if they could see through any pretense, exposing the truth beneath.
Quinlyn strode upstairs without another word, not once looking back.
Meanwhile, Yarden and Beatrice were having their own conversation.
Yarden found a place to drown his sorrows. By the time Beatrice found him, he was dead drunk. She force-fed him hangover remedies and glucose water.
It wasn't until night had fully fallen that Yarden finally sobered up. When he heard what Beatrice had planned, he asked, "Would the Guzman family agree to this?"
Beatrice sneered, "Why wouldn't they agree? Just look at that shameless girl, Quinlyn. Does she even have an ounce of proper upbringing? Demanding shares, chasing after men.
"Is there a single soul in the Guzman family who likes her? Unlike Yalena, who's outstanding and loved by everyone."
Beatrice lifted her chin with an air of smug superiority. She urged, "Hurry up. Didn't you always have a thing for Quinlyn? She's still a Guzman, after all.
"If you marry her, and with Yalena being their favorite, you two can back each other up. It's a sure win."
To Beatrice's surprise, Yarden shook his head. He said, "Forget it. Yalena would never have my back. And as for Quinlyn, that girl's trouble. I'm not touching that."
Yarden would never admit it out loud, but those few days on the island had completely turned his perception of Quinlyn upside down.
So when Beatrice said that, his first thought was, 'If I do this, will I even make it out alive?'
Beatrice jabbed a finger at his head and shouted, "You worthless brat. How did I raise such a coward? You're scared of your own shadow. If I'd been this spineless, the three of us would've been wiped out long ago.
"Quinlyn is just a little thing. Nobody likes her, nobody's got her back. After you're done with her, just sweet-talk her a bit and she'll be fine."
Noticing Yarden's resistance was starting to waver, Beatrice added, "Tell me, am I wrong? You were heartbroken after breaking up with Elsie.
"If I hadn't leveraged Yalena's connection with the Guzman family, do you think Elsie would have even given you the time of day? She wouldn't have glanced at you twice."