Novel Palace
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
The woman rushed over, and the flowers in her hand hit Estelle directly. She pushed her back violently
and pulled Carmella into her arms.
Simone Kaiser anxiously checked Carmella, ‘Are you hurt? Are you bleeding? Where does it hurt?”
With dewy petals scattered all over the floor, the thorns on the flowers pricked Estelle’s neck, causing a
slight sting She looked at the woman’s anxious expression and was stunned for a moment.
Bennett quickly came over and asked Estelle, “Are you okay?”
Simone suddenly turned around, staring at Estelle with a fierce look, “What are you trying to do? Kill
Carmella?” Estelle was shocked by the disgust and hatred in the woman’s eyes. NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.
Carmella glanced at Estelle and hurriedly grabbed Simone’s wrist. “Mom, you misunderstand. I asked
my sister to help me trim my hair. She didn’t hurt me.”
“Oh, I see!” Bennett laughed and scolded Simone, “You’re always so impulsive. You get angry without
figuring things out. Look at Estelle’s clothes, you’ve messed them up.”
Simone, knowing she had wronged Estelle, looked embarrassed and defended herself, “I just saw
Estelle holding scissors to Carmella’s neck. How was I supposed to know she was cutting hair?”
“Enough!” Bennett shot Simone a look and turned to Carmella, “Take your sister to change her clothes;
she looks all dirty now.”
“Sister, come with me!”
Carmella tried to hold her hand, but Estelle subtly avoided her, her fingers brushing off the petals on
her shoulder.
As they entered the bedroom on the second floor, Carmella apologized guiltily, “I’m so sorry, sis. I didn’t
expect mom to come home at this time and get you hurt.”
“It’s not your fault!” Estelle’s innocent face showed a faint smile.
Carmella fetched a white T-shirt from the wardrobe and put it on the sofa. “This one is new and I have
never worn it before. Try it on, sister, I’ll wait for you downstairs.
“Okay.”
After Carmella closed the door, Estelle looked at the shirt on the sofa, her expression dulling. What a
coincidence-one wanting a haircut and the other just happening to come home!
After putting on the new shirt, Estelle walked down the hallway, and a door that wasn’t closed tightly let
out Bennett’s voice, “How could you hit Estelle with flowers? That was too much!”
Estelle slowed her pace.
Simone was still unconvinced. “How could I have known she was cutting hair? She was holding
scissors horizontally to Carmella’s neck. I was completely freaked out!”
Bennett sighed, “Don’t you think the way you’ve been treating Estelle is wrong? Don’t forget that Estelle
is our biological daughter!”
Simone argued, “I know. When she returned home three years ago, I wanted to make up for it, but she
insisted on moving out. How could I make up for it?”
“Have you tried to keep her from moving out?” Bennett asked. “I know you love Carmella, but Estelle
was taken. away at birth and suffered so much outside. Can’t you treat her more kindly?”
Simone’s voice was helpless, “I want to treat Estelle better, but for twenty years, I’ve loved and
pampered
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Carmella as my own. It is not something that I can change overnight. Plus, Carmella is so talented-
plano, painting, violin-she excels at everything, so sensible and smart. Well, Estelle, she has nothing to
show for herself; I just can’t bring myself to like herr
“How could you say that about your own daughter?”
“At least I’m not saying that in front of her, am 17′ Simone complained, “You’re also to blame for inviting
her here. Her presence has ruined a perfectly good birthday party!”
Darkness clouded Estelle’s eyes, and she didn’t bother to listen further. She took the light gray jewelry
box out of her bag and put it on the outdoor flower stand, then walked downstairs.
Carmella was holding a ragdoll cat downstairs. Seeing Estelle, she immediately asked with a smile,
“Does the shirt fit, sis?”
“It’s perfect, thank you!” Estelle replied politely.
“Why are you being so polite? We’re sisters!” Carmella smiled innocently.
Estelle smiled faintly, “I just got a call, there’s something that I need to take care of back at school. So I
have to go, please tell Dad for me.”
“You’re leaving so soon? We haven’t even had cake yet!” Carmella showed a disappointment
expression.
“Please apologize to Mom for me, I didn’t mean to ruin her birthday,” Estelle said and headed for the
door. Rain was falling outside, lightly pattering, making the ground completely wet.
Carmella turned to Addy. “Where’s Calvin? Ask him to drive my sister.”
Addy run over, quickly glanced at the rain and sighed, “Oh dear, what a pity! Mr. Calvin just left to pick
up the birthday cake, and he hasn’t returned yet.”
“It’s fine. Can you please get me an umbrella, Addy?” Estelle asked.
“Okay, sure!” Addy turned and quickly returned with an umbrella, handing it to Estelle, and not
forgetting to remind her, “This umbrella costs thousands, please take good care of it, miss.”
With a hint of mockery in her eyes, Estelle maintained her composure, opened the umbrella, and
ventured into the drizzle.
As soon as Estelle left the house, Carmella saw Calvin holding an umbrella, walking towards the yard.
Addy looked embarrassed. “Oh, Mr. Calvin returned half an hour ago; letting our young lady walk alone
in this rain is so thoughtless of me.”
Carmella hugged the cat, her smile gentle and harmless. “Maybe you’ve been working too hard lately
I’ll find a chance to talk to my mom about giving you a raise.”
Addy instantly beamed, looking grateful. “Thank you, Miss, I’ll do whatever you say from now on.”
Carmella turned and went upstairs, instantly saw the jewelry box on the flower stand, and picked it up.
Before she could open it, Bennett and Simone came out.
Knowing Estelle had left, Simone felt relieved.
Bennett didn’t want to argue with Simone on her birthday, so he changed the subject, looking at the
jewelry box. in Carmella’s hand and laughing. “Is that for your mom?”
Simone took the gift with a smile, opened it and was momentarily stunned, then her face lit up with
surprise. “The new release from GK Jewelry studio! It’s still in the promotion phase, I heard there’s only
one set of each design, and they’re pretty hard to get your hands on. Carmella, did you buy this as a
birthday present for mom?” A hint of astonishment flashed in Carmella’s eyes, but she simply smiled
and didn’t deny it. “As long as mom likes it!”
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“My sweet little girl!” Simone was moved to hug Carmella, and any guilt she had for hitting Estelle
instantly vanished
Meanwhile, Estelle had left the Macclain family and was walking back along the road. This was a villa
area with no buses, and even cabs were rare
The rain hit the umbrella, the sound was clear and chaotic
Estelle walked at a steady pace, stepping in the puddles. The chilly spring rain mirrored her current
mood
As cars passed by on the road, in one of them, a Bentley, was a girl in the passenger seat who
suddenly looked out of the window and said to the man in the backseat, ‘Uncle, I see a classmate of
mine. There are no buses here, can we give her a lift?”
Jonathan looked at the documents in his hand, his handsome face indifferent, and gave a slight nod
Norah Lamont instructed the driver to reverse, rolled down the window, and called out to Estelle,
“Estelle, get in!”
Estelle was taken aback, “Norah?”
The two were in the same department but they weren’t exactly close.
Norah gave a charming smile, “Come on, get in and we’ll talk.”
“Thank you!” Estelle expressed her gratitude, opened the car door, closed her umbrella, and got in. Out
of the corner of her eye, she saw someone sitting next to her, turned her head to have a look, and was
instantly caught off guard.