Chasing The Vengeful Villainous Heiress-Chapter 63: Darlin, you endured well

A few hours later, Valerie and Tiana were having lunch when Tiana brought up the issue of their relationship.

"So, what’s goin on with your relationship?" Tiana asked, put down her cutlery, picked up a napkin, and cleaned her mouth. "I saw that blond hair when she came in. She looked like she was entering her lover’s house."

"Haha, you can tell?" Valerie asked, taking it easy with a smile that was far from joyful. "Lucy was never one to hold back on her feelings."

"I assume you know her." Tiana said and asked quite strictly. "Tell me, is she my son’s mistress?"

Hearing this, Valerie laughed.

"Is that not the case?"

"No, ma." Valerie answered and cleaned her mouth. She smiled and said, "It’s all an act to get back at the people who made my life hell. The ones that hurt me."

"Oh?" Tiana understood but at the same time, she could not understand. Valerie’s words were too vague for her to make out the whole thing. "Tell me child, what has happened to you all these years."

Valerie went silent, staring at the half-eaten meal on her plate. What happened all these years? There was honestly too much to explain in one go. She raised her head, smiling sadly, and said,

"I suffered and endured. A rollercoaster of pain, I’d say. And a jungle filled with wild beasts. I had only no weapons and fought with my bare hands." She said, looking at her palms. "It was hard... and tough. No one was on my side that I could rely on. And at some point, I just wanted to ignore all the pain and threats, and live my life quietly till it was time to take back what was mine, but then I found out the reason I was living so horribly was because of them. I..."

Valerie paused, closing her eyes while remembering the way her blood boiled when she heard her uncle’s conversation about how they would just get rid of her the same way they got rid of her parents.

She was angry, frustrated, and desperate, wanting to destroy them right away but she was too weak, too little, and all alone. There was no one powerful enough to back her up.

She told Tom, her lawyer about it but as angry as he was, there was nothing he could do as there was no evidence to back their claims. He believed her but the court would not blindly believe without evidence.

That was when she decided to gather as much dirt as she could on all of them, not exempting a single one.

She decided to be the thorn in their flesh. That splinter that sticks inside their thumbnail, and push them to do their worst.

She would be the worst menace they had ever encountered.

Yet, even her efforts were child’s play compared to what they did in return for her actions. But not anymore, she would graduate from a thorn and a splinter to a deadly knife.

"Darlin, you endured well." Tiana said and quietly drank from her glass of water. Then, she raised her gaze and stared sharply at Valerie. "So well, that I wonder if your heart is made of gold. If it were me..." Her grip on the glass tightened and it cracked.

It stunned Valerie. It was almost as if she had been the one receiving all the hate so far.

"Anywho," Tiana smiled again, taking her hand away from the cracked glass, like everything was fine. "I’ll help you."

"You will?"

"Though I’m declared dead to the world, I’m still the third daughter of my father, the most powerful man in this country. Once I get in touch with him," she slid her thumb over her neck and smirked, "...they’re dead."

"Thank you." Valerie said, "I’d really appreciate as much backup as I can get but before that, I’d like to put fate in Max. He said he’d help bring them down with me and that’s what we’re aiming for."

"Wow, would you look at that?" Tiana said, leaning her cheek on her knuckle which was being supportive on the table. She had this sly look like she knew what Valerie was thinking and snickered. "You’re completely smitten."

"What, no." Valerie quickly denied it, hiding the light flush on her cheek. The truth made her blush but she did not want to easily admit that she was head over heels for her son. It was embarrassing.

"Keke, sure." Tiana said, not buying her denial at all.

Valerie sighed and finally calmed herself, looking normal as she decided to change the topic.

"Now that you’re dead to the world, what will you do?" She asked and Tiana darted her eyes aside. She didn’t want to think too much about it.

"Father’s going to find out I’m out soon enough and he’ll come for me. He will probably want me to come back to the family house but I don’t want to. Carlos has probably remarried so there’s no place there for me."

"You can always travel the world." Valerie said and she turned her gaze to her.

"Travel the world, huh? You don’t say." She gave it a thought. "That’s actually pretty nice. These bones are aging thanks to the darkness, so I’ll need a bit more fresh air." She smiled happily. She loved that idea.

To travel around the world and live freely. It was her dream at some point. The dream she had with her best friend, that is. It was too bad one of them died before they could accomplish this dream but she was alive, and she would like to make that dream come true... For both of them.

"You’re such a witty little thing." Tiana said, smiling gleefully. "I’ll take that idea but before I leave, I’ll make sure to knock em down with a punch. They can’t hurt my daughter-in-law and go scott-free. It’s against my policy."

"Is that so?" Valerie asked, chuckling to herself. " Then I’ll have to make sure to thank my mother-in-law very well, and as the filial daughter-in-law you always wished for."

"Not mother-in-law." Tiana suddenly said, "But mother. Take me as your real mother, alright, kiddo?"

Valerie stared with her eyes slowly brimming with what she felt were tears.

She felt so comfortable around Tiana. She didn’t know if it was because she was such an easygoing person or because of the connection between them but she was very happy to be with her.

She had been the only one that helped her in the asylum, taking her mind away from the pain she got inflicted on a daily basis, and even now, she was making her laugh.

She was a true mother figure.

It was no wonder Max bragged so much about how happy his family was and how much his mother loved him.

When you have such a cool mother, what’s there not to brag about? He was so lucky.

Valerie cleaned her eyes and smiled.

"Thank you, mother." She finally said and Tiana smiled warmly at her. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Not a problem, darling."