The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella)

Chapter 1587

"Ever since Arabella waltzed back into this house, you've been wronged. What's the big deal in venting to a friend? Is Arabella

skind of royalty that she can't handle a couple of harsh words without keeling over?" Martha paused, her concern evident,

"You still haven't told me, how'd you get all banged up? It looks pretty bad."

Serena recounted the series of unfortunate events at her birthday party, including the bullying by Alma, the beating she received

at her doorstep, and her fall while chasing after her parents’ car, hoping for their forgiveness.

Martha's eyes misted with empathy. "Serena, what did you do to deserve such treatment?"

"Martha, don't cry." Serena suddenly felt that, in this family, Martha was the only one who truly cared for her.

Noticing the scars on Martha's wrists as she wiped her tears, Serena asked with concern, "You never told me, how did you get all

these injuries?"

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Unable to hide the truth any longer, Martha spoke in a hoarse whisper, "I was taking out the trash tonight, and out of nowhere, |

got jumped. They leftin the dump, and it tookforever to crawl out."

Just recalling the incident made Martha feel nauseated.

The open dump, where the neighborhood discarded their garbage, would only be cleared by the sanitation trucks the next

morning.

It was during the stench-filled evening hours that Martha had been attacked and tossed into the refuse.

The mix of vile odors was enough to make her retch repeatedly.

"I had no clue what was going on until | heard that Debby and Daisy got the streatment today. Then it hit me. Maybe it's

because they picked on those servants Arabella was protecting, and | got thrown out for trying to sabotage Arabella with that oil

spill."

"Could it be that all three of us had wronged her, and that's why Mrs. Collins couldn't let it go and ordered this payback?"

Serena was shocked to learn about Debby and Daisy's ordeal, "Now | remember, before mom and dad shippedoff here, they

blamed you for leadingastray. They must think you're the bad influence, and that's why they're taking it out on you, and

settling scores with Debby and Daisy as well."

Thinking it over, Serena felt a surge of indignation on their behalf.

"That oil spill. We were the ones who got hurt, not Arabella. They docked your pay, kicked you out, and now, after all this time,

they have someone beat you up? That's just too much! And Debby and Daisy were just trying to put those uppity servants in their

place because they were so unbearable. But mom and dad still want to settle old scores."

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"Serena, haven't you noticed? When the lady of the house adored you, we basked in your glow. Now that you've been relegated to

the guest quarters, it's no wonder we're."

Serena hadn't realized that falling out of favor herself had dragged down her once loyal servants, "Mom and Dad also said that if |

don't reflect on my behavior and dare to disrespect Arabella again, then | don't deserve to carry the Collins name."

"What did you say?" Martha was in disbelief.

"Ridiculous, isn't it?" Serena laughed bitterly, the pain clear in her voice. Her parents, who had cherished her for eighteen years,

were now ready to strip her of her family njust because of their biological daughter's arrival.

"They've gone too far!" Martha never imagined the lady of the house could be so cold-hearted. Eighteen years of love for her

daughter, and yet, as if uprooting a cherished tree, they were ready to deny even her nto such a splendid person.