“Angel, why don’t you go upstairs and check on Ruby’s arts and crafts project?”
Sylvia said as she slipped on her house shoes in the entryway. “And I’ll make you something to sober you up. You should cut back on the drinking, you
reek of alcohol.”
“Okay,” Angel agreed readily, carrying Ruby upstairs.
Sylvia went into the kitchen and got to work, then remembered something and picked up her phone.
“Zack, honey, your aunt Angel is here with us. You don’t have to worry about her.”
“I know, Mom!” Zack’s cheerful voice came through the phone. “I already called her! Dad’s driving me over right now. We’re almost there!”
Sylvia paused. “Have you had dinner yet?”
“Nope! I was too worried about Aunt Angel to eat. But I’m starving now!”
Hearing her son’s innocent voice, Sylvia couldn’t help but smile. It looked like she was making dinner for Zack in addition to a hangover cure.
Just then, Angel and Ruby came downstairs, having already heard that Zack was on his way.
A moment later, the doorbell rang.
“Coming! I’ll get it!” Ruby shouted, scampering to the door on her little legs and stretching on her tiptoes to reach the knob.
When the door opened, Byron and Zack stood on the doorstep.
Byron’s expression was cold. He stood tall and imposing in a thin black overcoat, his deep, piercing eyes making him look sharp and devastatingly
handsome.
Zack was dressed like a little gentleman in slacks and a white button–down with a little red bow tie, a large backpack slung over his shoulders.
The father and son stepped into the living room.
“Zack! Drop your backpack, let’s go play upstairs!” Ruby chirped, bouncing around him.
Zack happily dropped his bag on the sofa and took Ruby’s hand, ready to dash upstairs.
But Angel grabbed his arm, feigning annoyance. “Hey, you little rascal. I thought you came here because you were w before you run off to play?”
about me. Not even a ‘hello‘
“You’re fine, Aunt Angel! Mom took you in, so you’re not homeless!” Zack said, making a face. “And to show my support for you, I’m done with Grandma. I officially moved out.”
He grinned. “I’m going to live with Mom and Ruby now. I’m not staying with Grandma anymore. She’s just too unreasonable.”
Hearing this, Byron’s face darkened. “Zack, don’t talk about your grandmother that way.”
While Byron admitted to himself that Liana had gone too far by kicking Angel out, he didn’t want the family to fall apart.
He had only let Zack come over to appease Angel, hoping to bring her home once she’d cooled down.
Chastised by his father, Zack went quiet and ducked behind Sylvia.
Sylvia’s tone was icy. “You’ve dropped him off. You can go now.”
1/3
Chapter 179
Byron’s brow furrowed in irritation.
Byron felt the stark difference in his reception. His sister could stay here after a fight, his son could come and go as he pleased, but he wasn’t even offered a glass of water before being shown the door.
“She’s right, Byron. You should go,” Angel added coldly, offering her brother no sympathy. “Just go home and keep Mom company. Zack and I won’t be coming back.”
Angel’s words were another blow to his chest.
He glared at her, his voice tight with suppressed anger. “Angel, no matter how upset you are, she’s still your mother! Are you really trying to make her sick with worry?”
“I’m not the one trying to upset her. I moved out specifically so she wouldn’t have to get angry looking at me,” Angel shot back, lifting her chin defiantly.
She then took Zack by one hand and Ruby by the other and marched them upstairs.
Byron stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching the three of them–his sister and his two children, the most important people in his life–retreat.
Now, they had all sided with Sylvia, drawing a clear line between themselves and him and the rest of the family.
He hesitated. “Sylvia, for old times‘ sake, I hope you’ll talk to them. My mother… she’s getting older. Sometimes she gets confused.”
“Then you can go back and be confused with her!” Sylvia, who had been calm, suddenly flared up. She pushed him out the door and slammed it shut with a loud bang.
Byron stood outside, his face a mask of fury. He looked up at the second–floor window and saw Angel laughing with Zack and Ruby.
His expression darkened. A sudden, sharp feeling of being utterly alone washed over him.
His jaw twitched, but he said nothing more, turning and getting back into his car.
The moment he walked into the Blair residence, Liana’s voice rang out. “Byron, you need to get a handle on that brat Zack, and your sister Angel! They used to be so obedient. Look at them now! That woman Sylvia has completely corrupted them!”
“That’s enough, Mom,” he cut her off, his voice cold. “If you keep blindly defending Joanna, you’re going to tear this family apart.”
Without waiting to see Liana’s shocked expression, he strode back out of the living room, suddenly unable to stand being in his own home.
He drove to a bar to drink.
Liana sat alone in the empty living room, an indescribable loneliness creeping over her.
After a moment, she dialed Joanna’s number.
Joanna arrived quickly. She was as charming as ever, and Liana’s mood soon brightened.
Joanna didn’t leave until she saw Liana smiling again
In the following days, the video of Angel singing on her livestream went viral.
Comment sections were flooded with fans begging her to enter the upcoming preliminaries.
The show itself, which had been relatively unknown, was swept up in the hype from Angel’s viral video and shot to the top of the trending charts:
Soon, a formal invitation arrived from the show’s producers.
“Angel, what are you thinking?” Sylvia asked, looking at the invitation Angel had handed her when she’d arrived at the film set.
08:09 Thu, 3 Jul
Chapter 179
The talent show had officially invited Angel to compete in the preliminaries that Friday night.
“Sylvia, do you think I should do it?” Angel asked.
X277%
Sylvia smiled. “Personally, I think you should give it a shot. But first, you need to master those original songs I gave you. I’m confident you could win the whole thing with them.”
Angel hesitated slightly. “But if Mom finds out I entered a talent show, she’ll lose her mind.”
“It’s your decision,” Sylvia said, deciding not to push further. She didn’t want Liana blaming her later for encouraging Angel.
Angel thought for a moment, then a bright smile spread across her face. “I’ll listen to you. Mom’s just being ridiculous!”
Meanwhile, Joanna had also received an invitation to the same talent show. She immediately ran to Liana.
“Liana, look! I got an invitation from the talent show! The competition is this Friday night! You have to come and cheer for me!”
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