Their Queen's Back - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Skye gently patted Sophia, who was trembling with rage, then strode forward and, without hesitation, yanked the necklace off Linda's neck.
Linda let out a piercing cry of pain.
Angry red marks instantly appeared on Linda's neck. The excruciating pain made her let out a blood-curdling scream.
Skye stared at the necklace in her hand—her mother's most cherished piece. Now it had been defiled by someone else. "I've failed you, Mom," she thought bitterly, her fingers tightening around the jewelry.
Richard stared at Linda's reddened neck, his heart aching. "Skye! What the hell are you doing, you ungrateful brat! She's your stepmother—how dare you act so outrageously? Have you no manners at all?"
Skye took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, all traces of emotion had vanished from her gaze. Just as the investigation files had shown—Richard was no longer the loving father she once remembered.
"Then I don't need to hold back anymore," she thought.
"Is this how he treats my sisters? And he still dares to call himself family?" Skye thought bitterly.
Linda said tearfully, "I'm fine, really, darling. The child just came back—please don't be angry with her. I'm sure she has her reasons, right? Skye, you didn't do it on purpose, did you?"
Skye snapped, "Damn right I did it on purpose. I'd slit your throat without blinking, so stop putting on that pathetic act in front of me—you're disgusting. Now, do you want to strip yourself right now, or should I have someone strip you bare, piece by piece, right here?"
"You!" Linda gasped, shocked that Skye showed her absolutely no respect.
Linda clung to Richard, on the verge of tears again.
Skye shot Richard a cold glare and said, "Richard, for your sake, I'll give her one last chance—take off my mother's things. Now. She isn't fit to wear them. Didn't your parents ever teach you not to touch what doesn't belong to you? Who said you could take them? Or did my mother visit you in a dream last night and tell you to wear her clothes for your fancy little birthday today?"
Skye's words sent a chill down both Linda and Richard's spines.
The guests chimed in as well. One of them said, "This young lady is right. Since these are her mother's heirlooms, you shouldn't touch them without permission. That's just basic respect for the deceased."
Exactly, Richard. You're clearly in the wrong here. Sure, your late wife may be gone, but her daughter is still very much here!
Exactly! And you're not even married yet!
Linda felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her—utterly humiliated, her face burning with shame.
For over a decade, she had never felt so humiliated. Ever since she got together with Richard, she had always held her head high as Mrs. Hughes—the center of attention and the respected lady of high society.
"But tonight, everything was completely ruined by that little bitch who just appeared out of nowhere!" Linda fumed inwardly.
Linda said, her voice trembling, "I know, I know. I shouldn't have touched your mother's things without your permission. I just wanted to make you happy. Now I must look like a clown—just an insecure, desperate stepmother trying so hard to win her stepdaughter's acceptance."
Linda's words dripped with feigned misery—enough to make anyone feel sorry for her.
Richard, his heart aching for Linda, snapped, "Enough! It's just a piece of clothing! Do you have to make such a scene? Skye, I've held my tongue because you've only just returned, but you need to understand—I'm your father, and you're my daughter. You have no right to challenge me like this."
Skye didn't flinch, a cold smirk curling at the corners of her lips. "So what? Richard, you think you can threaten me? I'd punch you without hesitation. Disowning you as my father? That's child's play."
"You... you... you!" Richard trembled with rage, his face flushing crimson. He glared at her, utterly speechless.
Skye led Sophia upstairs, her tone icy. "This house is legally mine. If I don't want someone here, they're out. Someone, throw out this woman's things—and my so-called 'great' father's belongings—right now."
Richard bellowed, "How dare you, Skye! I'm your father! May lightning strike you down for this—you'll die a wretched death!"
Skye sneered, "So it's fine for you to throw my sister out, but I can't throw you out? Do I need to remind you again? Everything of the Hughes belongs to me, the rightful heir. Now that I'm back, anyone who dares to covet what's mine will end up like this cup."
With that, Skye slammed a cup onto the ground with a resounding crash.
Startled, Richard recoiled two steps.
Linda's face twisted in fury and humiliation. She had schemed and sacrificed so much just to finally enter the Hughes.
No way in hell would I leave willingly.
"Skye, you unfilial daughter! How dare you treat me like this? The whole world will spit on you—you'll be drowned in their spit!"
Skye paused mid-step, turned back with a deceptively calm smile, and said, "You know what? You're absolutely right. Kicking you out like this would ruin my reputation. So, by all means, stay."
Skye's sudden change in attitude left both Richard and Linda completely taken aback—they couldn't make heads or tails of it.
Only after Skye and Sophia entered the room did Richard finally sit down, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly.
Linda bit her lip and said tearfully, "Darling, your eldest daughter... she's really crossed the line. How could she treat us like this?"
Richard reassured her, "Don't worry. Stubborn as my daughter is, she'd never dare throw me out—I'm still her father, after all. She's all bark and no bite, just venting. You can rest easy."
The house was indeed legally registered under Skye's name. Despite all their efforts, Richard and Linda never managed to transfer the ownership to themselves.
There was only one reason—without official confirmation of Skye's death, she was legally considered alive.
Even if she were truly gone, the next in line to inherit would be her younger sisters. Under no circumstances would it ever fall to Richard and Linda.
But now, unexpectedly, Skye had actually returned.
Stepping into the room, Skye's eyes stung with tears—her sister's bedroom looked exactly as she remembered from ten years ago.
Sophia was over the moon—finally, she could go home, and best of all, her sister would be with her.
Though she didn't understand why Skye hadn't kicked those two out completely, Sophia thought, "Skye must have her reasons."
Skye sat down and asked with a smile, "Sophia, aren't you even a little curious why I let them stay?"
Sophia shook her head, her face beaming with a happy, sincere smile. "I'm not curious," she said warmly. "You have your reasons, sis. Anyway, I know you won't let them off easy."
Skye smiled and ruffled Sophia's hair. "You're absolutely right, Sophia. I won't let them off that easy—just kicking them out would be too good for them."
"I'll take my time toying with them," Skye thought coldly. "This will be a long game—they'll suffer a hundredfold for every ounce of pain they've inflicted on my sisters over the years."
Skye was just about to check out her room when Linda stepped forward, blocking her path with a defiant glare.
Linda put on a fake smile. "Oh, Skye, I'm terribly sorry, but this room is for my daughter now. You'll have to make do with the guest room."
Linda put on her best lady-of-the-house act—she had already summoned the family matriarch.
"Just wait—tomorrow morning, the family matriarch will come and teach this insolent woman a lesson."