This is your retribution! You must atone for your actions! What right do you have to resist?â Effie spat the words, her voice cold and unforgiving.
Valerie listened silently, realizing that resisting now would only lead to more suffering.
Reluctantly, she ceased struggling, allowing Effie to lead her out of the room and throw her into the yard.
Under the watchful eye of Rickey, Valerie began her daunting task of writing down the first sentence of Prajna Sutra.
Her lips were pale, and her face displayed traces of exhaustion.
Each stroke of the pen felt like a heavy burden, and as the roosters announced the arrival of dawn, she had barely completed a tenth of the text.
In the distance, Effieâs son, Declan, returned home.
He was a young man with tan skin and a strong figure, known for his honesty and sincerity.
As he caught sight of the unfamiliar girl kneeling in the yard, diligently writing something, he was taken aback.
Valerieâs natural beauty radiated without a trace of makeup, and her vulnerability tugged at Declanâs heartstrings.
Despite her frailty, she exuded an aura of purity that stirred an overwhelming desire within him to protect her.
Feeling his gaze, Valerie looked up from her task and met his eyes.
Her bright, watery eyes glistened with a hint of sorrow, leaving him feeling captivated by her innocence.
The two held each otherâs gaze for a moment, an unspoken connection forming between them.
Declan found himself drawn to the mysterious girl, captivated by her beauty and the enigma that surrounded her.
âAhem! Hurry up.
Itâs almost time for breakfast.
â
Before the silence could linger any longer, Leon, ever the interrupter, cleared his throat to remind them of the time.
Startled, they broke their gaze, and Declan swiftly made his way past Leon, eager to find his mother, Effie.
As Effie got up from bed, Declan couldnât contain his curiosity and whispered into her ear, seeking answers about the charming girl in their courtyard.
He was genuinely intrigued and couldnât help but wonder why she was being treated so harshly.
âMom, who is that girl in the courtyard? Sheâs charming.
She looks very young.
What did she do?â
âDo you have a crush on her?â Effie, knowing her son all too well, playfully teased him.
Embarrassed, Declan scratched his head and confessed his admiration for Valerieâs beauty.
âSheâs pretty.
If only she could be my wife!â
However, Effie was quick to dismiss such thoughts, revealing Valerieâs identity as the daughter of Mr.
Simmons.
âUseless thing! Donât think about it! Sheâs a monster! A sinister woman! And she is the daughter of Mr.
Simmons! Sheâll never be suitable for you!â
âArlight, I got it! I wonât think about her again!â Embarrassed and obedient, Declan nodded in understanding, accepting his motherâs decision.
Yet, as he left the room, he couldnât help but steal a few more glances at Valerie.