The Princess and the Pauper

They struggled to move their bodies, and under the guidance of Beverly's mother, they found a pair of scissors and cut off the ropes binding them. They saved everyone and escaped the garment factory. “You were in labor at the time, undergoing a C-section. And with your strong sense of pride, you didn’t want us to know about your family’s business. So after discussing it with your family, we decided not to tell you about this, to let you recover in peace,” Cornelia explained. “It wasn't that we didn’t visit you and little Frederica, it's just that we were injured too and were in the hospital ourselves.” During the time Beverly and Lucas were discussing marriage, she was afraid that the Collins family might look down upon her, so she kept her family’s true state a secret. To outsiders, her family appeared to manage a garment factory with dozens of employees. In reality, to pay off her brother's debts, they had mortgaged everything — the house, the cars, even the factory. “Before you married Lucas, we already knew about your family’s financial condition.” Cornelia’s words made Beverly's eyes snap open, shocked that after all her painstaking efforts at concealment, her in-laws had known all along. “We also knew that you used all of your betrothal gift to pay off your brother's debts, and those photos.” Cornelia initially didn’t want to mention this, fearing it would hurt Beverly's pride. “After your marriage, those people came to you a few times for money, threatening with those photos. Your father-in-law and | stepped in to settle it, and those pictures were destroyed.” Beverly had no idea that her in-laws had quietly dealt this for her. She remembered the last time she had paid off those people, she had made a fierce threat, saying she would go down with them if they asked for money again. She had thought it was her tough stance that they stopped, little did she know. “After the factory burned down, it was our financial support that helped your parents start over. Your brother also turned over a new leaf because of the incident; he began learning how to manage the factory, and we quietly provided resources and connections to help him out.” To Cornelia, these were all trivial matters. She didn't feel the need to bring them up, for she saw Beverly as her own child. If Beverly's family was doing well, Beverly would be happy, it made her, as a mother-in-law, happy as well. Because of this, Beverly's parents were indebted to Cornelia and Bernard, and the two families had always remained close. Beverly's brother cleaned up his act, and for them, helping Beverly's family was the same as helping Beverly, and in turn, helping themselves. “If Louisa was as calculating as you, then wouldn't she think it's unfair that we helped you this way without informing her? Would she also hold a grudge?” Cornelia’s question left Beverly speechless. Her family never told Beverly all this things. Beverly only knew that after her parents and brother were kidnapped and the arson incident escalated, the perpetrators were caught by the police. Since usury wasn't protected by law, her brother's debts were subsequently written off. She had never imagined that both families had woven a kind lie just to cover up the one she had initially told. Alie related to her pride.

“Once we were recovered from our injuries, we immediately came to you and Frede co enBla 01 dontired) Ghat day David had a fever of 102.7°F, and even then, we visited you before going to see him.” Please read the original content at .

Beverly couldn't hold back her tears any longer, “But on the day A Ss born, whe yoygametd te fospital andlls ad another daughter, you both looked so displeased and left shortly after.” Please read the original content at .

“That's because we were injured that day. After seeing you and Alma, we went to get our wounds treated om Cornelia recalled the da\Fshé-and Hepat Were tending to their garden, thrilled to hear Beverly was giving birth. In their rush to the hospital, they both fell in the garden, Bernard fracturing his hand and Cornelia bruising and bleeding. Please read the original content at . But they didn't want to be absent during Beverly's most vulnerable postpartum moments as the previous time, so they made it to the hospital first to see Beverly and Alma. Despite the bone-crushing pain and fresh wounds. They still endured the pain to see her and the baby, before getting their own wounds treated. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.