Their Queen's Back - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

The Quinns, once living in luxury and privilege, suddenly went bankrupt—now reduced to a cramped rented apartment.
Olivia remained silent under her parents' incessant accusations. She desperately called everyone she knew, but not a single soul was willing to lend a hand.
Olivia thought, "Who the hell is after me?!"
First, Olivia had a complete falling out with the Quinns. Then, one blow after another came crashing down. In just a single day, the company went bankrupt, leaving them with absolutely nothing—not a penny to their name.
Left with no other choice, Olivia returned to the gates of the Quinns' villa, hoping to see David. She waited until late at night, and only when David finally appeared did she rush forward desperately, calling out, "Cousin..."
David froze, his face expressionless as he stared at her. "What are you doing here?" he said coldly.
David still chose to spare her some dignity—that's why he didn't push things to the extreme.
David thought bitterly, "After all these years of support, I've only raised a viper in my bosom."
Olivia pleaded desperately, her voice trembling, "Cousin, I know I was wrong. Please, you have to help me! I have nowhere else to go."
David didn't even spare her a glance, his face impassive. "Olivia, if you had an ounce of decency left, you wouldn't be standing here. Your greed has consequences—now get out of my sight."
David had fought tooth and nail to secure the Quinns' collaboration with Synergy International Group—only for it to nearly be ruined by this woman.
David thought, "Damn it! So infuriating."
Olivia lowered her head, choking back sobs. "Dear cousin, I know I've wronged you, but please tell me—who is it? Who's targeting me? I don't remember crossing anyone else."
"Except for you," Olivia thought.
David shot her a cold glance. "You really haven't offended anyone else?"
David thought angrily, "She's offended half the town—even dared to mess with my own interests. The sheer audacity of her words!"
David had no patience for her excuses and was about to leave when Olivia suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud.
David, please, I beg you—we're family, flesh and blood can't be severed. I'm not asking for anything else, just tell me who's after me, so I can die with some peace of mind.
All she wanted was one answer—who on earth was behind all this?
David took a deep breath. "Olivia, you claim you've never targeted anyone? Then tell me—why did you bully Sophia three years ago and make sure every company blacklisted her job applications?"
"I..." Olivia's pupils suddenly dilated as she sprang to her feet in shock. "Could it really be Sophia?!"
I thought, "No way. How could that pathetic Sophia have such power?"
David said coldly, "You've brought this upon yourselves. Matthew's still stuck at the police station, isn't he? Have you ever stopped to think why he ended up there?"
Olivia would much rather believe that it was David who orchestrated their downfall than accept the humiliating truth—that their bankruptcy was all because of that lowly, despicable Sophia.
Who does Sophia think she is? Three years ago, she was shamelessly clinging to my brother Matthew like some desperate leech.
Olivia sneered inwardly, "The Hughes? Just white trash! How dare they dream of marrying into our noble Quinns!"
Olivia sneered to herself, "They never even deserved to be in the same league as us."
So Olivia made sure to give Sophia a hard time at every turn.
Seeing the stubborn disbelief in her eyes, David finally delivered the final blow: "The Quinn Holdings? It's now the Hughes Group."
Olivia's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Her mind went completely blank—this was beyond comprehension. "No way... This can't be happening," she thought. Struck dumb by the devastating blow, she stood frozen stiff, as if the world had just come crashing down on her.
Olivia muttered in shock, "No way... This can't be happening. Impossible, absolutely impossible. No, no... How could the Hughes possibly..."
Olivia wanted to ask more, but David had already left, the gates slamming shut behind him. Left alone in the biting wind, her mind reeled, unable to regain her composure for a long time.
Olivia simply refused to accept that her bankruptcy was all because she had offended Sophia.
"How could the Hughes possibly have such power? Richard is nothing but a worthless loser," Olivia thought contemptuously.
Suddenly, her mother's words flashed through her mind.
"Sophia's sister is back. That woman is clearly no pushover."
Olivia thought, "Sophia's sister..."
Olivia's hands trembled as she pulled out her phone and searched for information about Sophia's sister. Instantly, her screen was flooded with news—all about the partnership between Hughes Corporation and Synergy International Group.
Olivia thought, "No way. No way!"
"I went through hell and back just to land a deal with Synergy International Group, and yet the Hughes Corporation got in with them without even breaking a sweat! How is that fair?" Olivia fumed.
"How dare they?!" Olivia fumed inwardly.
"Could it be... Sophia's sister is actually connected to Synergy?" Olivia wondered, her mind swirling with disbelief.
Hughes Corporation Under New Leadership: President Skye Announces Permanent Partnership with Synergy International Group.
Olivia had no recollection of how she made it home—her eyes bloodshot with fury, her gut churning with bitter resentment, her entire body trembling with indignation.
Olivia thought, "Of all companies... Hughes Corporation? The very same Hughes Corporation I've always looked down on? The one I never even gave a damn about?"
A tidal wave of humiliation crashed over Olivia—overwhelming and merciless—leaving her utterly crushed.
Mr. and Mrs. Quinn were stunned by the news, unable to accept it. Wilma suddenly stood up, her voice tinged with desperation. "But we still have the engagement with the Hughes! If Matthew marries Sophia, we can get everything back, can't we?"
Mr. Quinn thought to himself, "That makes sense. Richard is such a pushover—just butter him up with a few sweet words, and he'll obediently agree for sure."
With this in mind, Matthew's parents scraped together every last penny they had, determined to bail their son out of jail at all costs.
The Hughes Estate
The moment the butler and the doctor left, Linda's eyes flew open.
Exactly, she'd faked it on purpose.
Linda thought, "A full day and night without a drop of water..."
If this keeps up, that little witch Skye is really going to be the death of me.
The moment Linda got her phone, she immediately called her daughter Jessica Hughes, pouring out all the hardships she'd endured these past few days.
She also demanded that Jessica return right away and make her pay for what she'd done.
Jessica's blood boiled as she listened to her mother's tearful complaints over the phone. "Damn that bitch!" she thought.
Jessica thought furiously, "How dare Sophia take advantage of my absence to mistreat my mom? Just wait—I'll make her pay!"
"It's scalding! Get the hell out!" Jessica snarled.
Jessica felt the water in the basin and snapped. "Too hot!" she shrieked, kicking Emily away as the girl was washing her feet.
Caught completely off guard, Emily was sent sprawling by Jessica's kick, landing hard on her backside with a painful thud.
Tears welled up in Emily's eyes from the pain, her delicate, vulnerable face only fueling Jessica's rage. Clenching her fists, Jessica thought, "I should just claw that pretty face to shreds."
Emily bit her lip nervously, her eyes darting anxiously toward Jessica. "Sister," she stammered timidly, "I'm sorry. I'll get you a fresh basin right away."
Jessica took a deep breath, her lips curling into a sinister smile. "Emily, you'll always do as I say, won't you?"
Emily nodded obediently. Suddenly, an idea flashed through Jessica's mind. Skye, huh?
"Let's see what you can do about it, Skye," Jessica sneered inwardly.
The mere thought of Skye made Jessica's eyes burn with jealousy so intense, her face twisted into something downright monstrous.
"Why did you have to come back? Why did you have to show up?!"Jessica seethed with hatred, thinking, "Skye, you should just drop dead!"
Jessica turned to Emily and demanded, "Emily, I want chestnut cakes from Sunny Lane. Go buy them for me."
Emily flashed a bright, eager smile. "Okay, I'll go get it right away!"
That radiant smile was like a dagger to Jessica's eyes. Burning with hatred beneath her fake smile, she thought, "How dare this little bitch look so beautiful?"
Without warning, Jessica lashed out, slapping the girl's delicate, fair cheek viciously.
Emily was sent sprawling to the floor. Jessica yanked her up by her short hair, seething with rage. "How many times have I told you? How many times? No smiling! No smiling! As a girl, are you trying to flirt with people by smiling like that? Is that what you want?!"
Emily trembled all over, completely at a loss from fear, and curled up into a tight ball.
"Sister… Sis, I'm sorry! I was wrong! I won't ever smile again. Please, sister, don't hit me."
Jessica released Emily's hair, a twisted satisfaction surging through her. Then she knelt down and began stroking the girl's face with feigned tenderness.
The red, swollen handprint was glaringly visible. Jessica pressed down hard on it, making Emily whimper as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Jessica spoke gently, "Emily, you know I don't want to treat you this way. But as a girl, if you smile at others and show kindness, people will take advantage of you—they might bully you, or even do something terrible. You understand, don't you? I'm only trying to protect you. Can't you see how much I care about you?"
Jessica gently stroked Emily's hair as she pulled her into her arms. Sniffling, Emily nodded obediently.
Emily whispered, her voice trembling, "I know, sister, I know... Everything you do is for my own good. I promise, from now on, I'll be a good girl and listen to you. I won't ever smile at anyone."
Jessica smiled with satisfaction, her lips curling slightly. "Good girl, off you go! Buy me some chestnut cakes. Here, take these ten bucks—if you get tired on the way, grab yourself a bottle of water."
Emily wiped away her tears and, with a forced smile, gratefully accepted the ten dollars from Jessica's hand.
"Thank you, sister! Sister, I'll be right back—please wait for me!"
Jessica smirked faintly, glancing at the clock—11 PM. "Good luck," she thought, her words laced with malice.
Emily walked alone down the dimly lit street, clutching the ten-dollar bill tightly in her hand. "Chestnut cakes," she told herself. "Just hold on—only one more hour to go."
She was determined to get the chestnut cakes her sister wanted, no matter what.
As Emily walked down the dimly lit street, a group of men suddenly emerged, closing in on her with unmistakably sinister intent.
Terrified, Emily kept stumbling backward. Instinctively, she reached for her phone to call 911—only to realize, with a sinking heart, that she didn't have one.
Jessica said using a cellphone would affect my studies, so she wouldn't let me have one.
"Need a ride, sweetheart? Let me take you where you're going."
Another man chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, let's all go together."
"How old are you, little one? Old enough yet?"
"Talk to us. How 'bout we walk you home, huh? Where do you live?"
Terrified, Emily spun around to flee, but the man spread his arms to block her path. His grin was as foul as sewage from a trash can—disgusting and reeking, making her skin crawl.
"Hey baby," one of the men leered. "We're talking to you—why the silent treatment, huh?"
"You little poor thing, not even legal yet, huh?" the man sneered. "Let me tell you, minors shouldn't be wandering around alone at night. Come on, let us walk you home—this way."
As the man reached out to grab her, Emily screamed in terror, "Help! Help! Stay away from me! I'll call the police! I'll tell my sister!"
"Ha! What's she saying? Gonna tell your sister? Oh, so you've got another sister? Perfect! Come on, call her out here—let's all have some fun, the more the merrier, right?"
Emily shrieked, "Get away from me! Don't touch me! Help! Help!"
"Go on, scream," he sneered. "It's the dead of night—scream your lungs out, nobody's coming."
Emily was consumed by utter despair, clutching the 3 dollars so tightly her knuckles turned white. "I have to buy those chestnut cakes for my sister," she thought.
"Bullying a girl right under my nose? You must be tired of living! Scram, all of you!" Rowan snapped.
A voice suddenly rang out, making all the men whip their heads around. To their surprise, there stood Rowan—adorable in a black mini skirt and white jacket, radiating both sweetness and a cool, badass vibe.
One of the thugs leered, "Sweetheart, come here—ah!" But before he could finish, Rowan struck, cutting him off with a sharp cry.
Before the man could even finish his cry, a bloodcurdling scream erupted—Rowan's blow landed with a sickening crack, shattering the bones in his hand.
The rest of the men froze in shock—their lecherous grins vanished in an instant. For a moment, they just stood there, dumbstruck, finally realizing this little girl was no ordinary target.
Just as they were about to speak, Rowan's nunchaku whirled in a dazzling blur of speed.
The words died in their throats as they gulped nervously.
The injured man, still fuming with rage, jabbed a finger at Rowan and was about to start swearing like a sailor.
Before the man could react, Rowan's nunchucks struck again with lightning speed, smashing into his face, hands, head, and neck in rapid succession. The man collapsed to his knees, howling and writhing in agony on the ground.
Seeing Rowan's terrifying skills, the thugs were scared shitless and bolted, scrambling to get away as fast as they could.
Rowan scoffed, "Cowards," as she deftly stowed away her nunchucks.
Rowan reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out a lollipop, and offered it to Emily with a gentle smile.
Rowan said gently, "Don't be scared, girl. I've chased those creeps away. Here, have a lollipop—it'll help you feel better."
Emily shook her head frantically, curling into herself as she hugged her trembling body.
"Should I take you to the hosp—" Rowan didn't even finish before Emily bolted.
Emily didn't hesitate—she turned and bolted, running as fast as her legs could carry her.
Rowan caught her reflection in the car window by the roadside and touched her face. "Do I really look that scary?"
Matthew could hardly believe his ears when the police told him he was free to go. It wasn't until they handed back his belongings that the reality finally sank in. Still dazed, he stumbled out of the station.
Things weren't so simple for the other three—both Eric and Lulu were convicted of their crimes and sentenced to prison.
Lulu took the fall for all the charges, allowing Lily, recognized as the victim, to be released.
As she was about to leave, Lili held onto Lily's hand tightly and pleaded, "Lily, promise me you'll take good care of your niece and nephew, okay? They're all I can think about."
Lily nodded solemnly.
Finally free, Lily was overwhelmed with relief. The moment she spotted Matthew nearby, she rushed forward and threw herself at him.
"Matthew, I've missed you so much! Please, you have to believe me—I truly had no idea. It was all Lulu and Eric's doing, I swear! I was completely kept in the dark this whole time. Let me go with you to apologize, please? I'm sure sweet Sophia will forgive me, won't she?"
Disgusted by her hypocrisy, Matthew shoved her away violently, then brushed off his sleeve as if wiping away something filthy. "Ugh, how could I ever have trusted someone like her?" he thought, his revulsion plain to see.
Matthew snarled, "Scram, Lily! You goddamn liar—did you think screwing with me was funny? From now on, if I so much as catch a glimpse of you, you'll regret it."
Lily's mind went blank. Her heart lurched as panic set in—instinctively, she grabbed Matthew's hand.
Lily pleaded, her voice trembling, "Matthew, I swear I never lied to you! I'm not a liar—please, don't believe their nonsense, okay? I love you so much, I..."
Matthew sneered, "Get the hell out of my sight, Lily! I must have been blind to ever think someone like you was decent."
Lily pleaded desperately, "No, Matthew! How could you say that to me? I love you so much!"
Matthew ignored her completely and strode off toward the Quinn Group. He was going to demand answers from Olivia—why had she left him rotting in jail for so long?
Does she even know what I've endured all this time in prison?
As Matthew stormed up to the entrance of the Quinn Group, an oblivious security guard tried to stop him. Matthew snarled, "Are you blind? Open your damn eyes and see who I am!"