Their Queen's Back - Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Dawn broke.
Hearing the front door open, Skye snapped out of her daze and looked up to see Sophia running toward her with a bright smile.
Lauren and Rowan walked in, barely hiding their disgust at the hysterical man. They tied him up quickly.
"Let's deliver him to the police station—might even get a commendation for this," Lauren said briskly.
Sophia sat in the car, gazing at the sunrise. Skye rolled down the window, and the liberated wind rushed in, playfully tousling Sophia's hair as if inviting it to dance.
The breeze lifted Sophia's hair, making it dance along with the wind.
The eastern horizon was tinged with pale dawn light as golden rays pierced through the clouds, bringing the city to life as if draped in flowing gold leaf.
The rosy-golden morning light spilled across Sophia's delicate, porcelain-like face. She blissfully soaked in its gentle warmth, her whole being immersed in the newborn sunlight.
Waves of enticing aromas wafted into the car—freshly steamed buns, piping-hot noodle soup, and warm pastries, making mouths water.
Sophia swallowed hard, her mouth watering. "Sis, can I have a pork bun?"
Skye's eyes shimmered with flecks of light as she gave a gentle smile. "Of course," she said.
Sophia was happily munching on a steamed pork bun when she suddenly realized, "Oh no, sis! I'm gonna be late!"
Skye said, "Don't worry, just eat up! I got you three days off. But remember, you need to go apologize to Anna in person tomorrow."
Sophia grinned, "Got it!"
When Jessica returned to the Hughes mansion, she nearly lost her mind—her room was gone, the whole house looked completely different, and all her designer clothes and luxury bags had gone up in flames.
Jessica was seething with rage. "Who gave you the right to do this? Who the hell authorized this?!"
Linda stormed over to complain angrily to her, while Emily sat quietly on the sofa.
At the mention of Skye's name, a strange glint flickered in Emily's eyes.
Emily thought to herself, "My eldest sister...? Skye..."
Jessica gritted her teeth and barked, "This room is still mine! You lot, move my luggage back in and throw out everything that's in there!"
After Jessica finished speaking, not a single servant budged an inch—as if they hadn't heard a word she said.
Jessica swept a contemptuous glance over the others. Fine. Just perfect. She snatched up her luggage and stormed toward the stairs—only to find the butler blocking her path.
"Miss, the upper floors are reserved for the family. Guest rooms are on the first floor," the butler stated.
After hearing this, Jessica's face flushed crimson with rage as she glared daggers at the butler. "What did you just say? Guest room?! I'm the eldest daughter of the Hughes family! Get out of my way this instant!"
The butler gave her a disdainful glance. "She really doesn't know her place. How audacious," he thought.
"Now that Miss Skye is back, do you really think you can still throw your weight around?"
"Dream on!" Linda scoffed inwardly.
Linda snapped, "She's my daughter! Get out of the way right now. Remember your place—you're just hired help. How dare you block us? Do you want to die? I'll fire you right this instant!"
The butler retorted bluntly, "My apologies, ma'am, but I only answer to Miss Skye. You have no authority to fire me."
"You... you bootlicking lackeys!" Linda spat, her chest heaving violently with rage.
Where the hell was Richard when he was needed most?
Jessica took a deep breath to compose herself, then turned to the butler with a mocking smile. "Emily is the fourth daughter of the Hughes family. Are you really going to stop her too?"
The butler remained unfazed and replied calmly, "It doesn't matter who you are—if Miss Skye hasn't given her approval, you're just an outsider. No exceptions."
Not even Emily, and certainly not Richard—even as Skye's own father, he has to follow her lead.
As for Skye, she doesn't acknowledge Emily at all. Even if you put a DNA test in front of her, she wouldn't bat an eye.
"You...!" Jessica seethed, unable to believe how audacious these servants were—they had absolutely no respect for them.
"This is outrageous!" she fumed.
Linda's face cycled through shades of purple and white in her anger, as if she were performing a face-changing act.
Emily tugged gently at Jessica's hand. "Jessica, maybe we should just stay on the first floor. It's quite nice there too."
Linda glared at her. "Emily!" she snapped. "Who asked you to butt in? Get lost!"
Emily lowered her head and murmured, "I'm sorry, Mom."
Skye stepped through the doorway just in time to hear Emily call Linda "Mom."
"Miss Skye!" the butlers chorused respectfully.
Both Jessica and Emily turned at the same time, their eyes landing on Skye as she walked in.
This wasn't Jessica's first time seeing Skye. She'd met her a decade ago—back then, Skye was like an untouchable goddess atop a snowy mountain, lofty and out of reach.
'Why does she get to be so perfect?' Jessica seethed inwardly, jealousy burning in her chest. 'And with such a privileged family too...'
When Sophia saw Emily, her eyes instantly turned guarded. There was none of the warmth expected between sisters—only a cold glare that treated her like a sworn enemy, keeping her at arm's length like some irrelevant stranger.
Emily stared blankly at Skye, her heart pounding wildly as if tugged by some invisible force.
Skye's gaze locked onto Emily's peach-blossom eyes—so strikingly similar to their grandmother's—and she instantly recognized her as her sister.
Jessica suppressed her jealousy and forced a smile. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Jessica. Sis Skye, I should probably call you sis, since I'm a year younger than you. I—"
Before she could finish, Skye walked right past her without so much as a glance, taking her seat with effortless composure.
"Miss Skye, your tea." The maid presented the cup respectfully with both hands.
The butler and housekeeper approached to ask if Miss Skye wished to eat. With a slight shake of her head, she declined, and only then did they respectfully withdraw.
Linda glared at Skye and shouted, "My daughter's talking to you, Skye! What, are you deaf or something?"
Perhaps because Jessica had returned, Linda now spoke with unshakable confidence, staring at Skye with undisguised arrogance.
With a sharp crack, Sophia struck Linda across the face, her almond-shaped eyes burning with contempt.
"How dare you talk to my sister like that!" she spat.
Sophia's slap left both Jessica and Emily stunned.
Never had they imagined she would ever hit someone.
Jessica was the first to snap out of it, her face contorted with pure fury. She lunged at Sophia, hand raised to strike.
"Sophia! How dare you hit my mother? You have a death wish!" Jessica shrieked.
Jealousy consumed Jessica as she stared at Sophia, who now seemed like a completely different person. "How could she remain unaffected?" she seethed inwardly. "She should be losing her mind by now!"
"Useless good-for-nothings," she fumed. "They can't even handle one woman. What good are they?"
Jessica couldn't believe her eyes—the timid and submissive Sophia had actually dared to slap her mother! The shock left Jessica reeling, her emotions in turmoil.
"It was like a lab mouse I'd always bullied suddenly turned around and bit me," Jessica thought.
"What do you think you're doing? How dare you hit Miss Sophia!" Wendy stepped protectively in front of Sophia and forcefully shoved Jessica's hand away.
Wendy stood in front of Sophia, her presence fierce, and knocked Jessica's hand aside.
"How dare you lay a hand on me!" Jessica's eyes widened in outrage.
'Who does this lowly maid think she is, laying hands on someone like me?' she fumed inwardly.
Jessica glared at Skye, who sat serenely sipping tea nearby, clenching her teeth so hard they might shatter.
Jessica snapped, "Skye, are you just going to stand there and let your sister hit my mom? She's your elder!"
Skye glanced at her with utter indifference, a faint smirk playing on her lips as if amused by a clown's antics. "She is no elder of mine."
"You! All of you!" Jessica trembled with rage, her chest heaving. "I'm calling Dad right now—this is completely unacceptable!"
Jessica frantically dialed Richard's number over and over, but each call went unanswered.
Jessica noticed that Emily was still dazed and snapped, "Emily! Sophia just slapped Mom. Go give her what she deserves, now!"
Emily sprang to her feet, poised to strike Sophia. Sophia instantly retreated two steps, eyes flashing. "Emily, are you out of your mind?" she snapped. "Lay a finger on me and you'll regret it!"
Skye was stunned by Emily's obedience—she never expected her to obey Jessica so readily.