Thorns Crown

Chapter 1

My husband’s best friend died, and after discussing it with him, we took in his orphaned daughter, Lily.

I treated her like my own, encouraging my daughter, Mandy, to befriend her.

But on Mandy’s eighteenth birthday party, I noticed Lily wearing a jade bracelet that wasn’t hers.

Before I could say anything, my husband slapped Mandy across the face.

“Even stealing the mementoes Lily’s parents left her! You’re a monster!”

My son, Tom, looked equally disappointed.

“Where’s the decency I taught you? You forgot it all?”

“Lily was too shy to refuse you, but you used your status to intimidate her. How could you become like this?”

Mandy’s fiancé, Jake, stormed, “I’ve kept my distance from her as you wished, why can’t you just leave her alone?”

Mandy, abandoning her usual quiet demeanor, glared at us, her voice icy.

“I want to take her things!”

My head spun; I couldn’t understand how my sweet, obedient daughter had changed so drastically.

I tried to calmly ask what happened.

Lily started crying.

“It’s my fault, sis just wanted my things, she could just take them, I shouldn’t have said anything. I just thought of my parents, and I couldn’t bear to part with it…”

Lily choked back sobs, clutching my sleeve.

“I gave the bracelet to my sister willingly, Sister, please apologize to Mom and Dad, don’t argue with them.”

Tears streamed down her face, making her look wronged yet afraid to speak up.

Mandy showed no reaction to Lily’s distress, instead sneering, “Fake.”

“Mandy! How long are you going to keep this up?!”

Tom grabbed Mandy’s wrist, his hand raised, then clenched his jaw and put it down.

“If you weren’t my sister, I would have—”

Mandy smiled playfully, pressing him.

“Would have what? Kick me out? Cut ties?”

I interrupted, my face grim.

“Mandy!”

“Whatever happens, you can’t say those things! Family is forever!”

I hugged Mandy, my voice gentle.

“What happened? Tell Mommy, okay?”

She ignored me, pushing me away and handing Lily the jade bracelet.

“Give me back my things.”

Lily looked at me fearfully, then suddenly knelt, frantically bowing to Mandy.

“I used the things you gave me to pay off a debt.”

She was tearful. “My mom owes a huge sum for medical bills, I was desperate…”

She kowtowed to me. “I’ll work hard to buy back that jewelry, please give me some time, Mandy.”

I frowned, slightly displeased. Before Mandy said anything, Lily was already kneeling and bowing; strangers might think Mandy had done something wrong.

But my husband had said Lily was shy and overthought things, so I sighed and tried to help her up.

But my usually level-headed husband spoke.

“It’s just jewelry, what’s the big deal, Mandy doesn’t need it.”

With my husband’s words, Lily finally stopped crying.

But I was still worried.

What was wrong with them today? Why were they all so strange?

I suppressed my anger and looked at Mandy.

“Tell Mom everything.”

Mandy tilted her head, distrust in her eyes.

“Are you sure?”

Looking at my daughter, my heart ached.

She’d been so sweet and trusting, why had she changed so much in the six months I was abroad?

I nodded affirmatively. She started to speak, then seemed to remember something and scoffed.

“Acting concerned, but did you even care about me these past six months?”

I looked at her, confused. I called and video chatted with her daily, and sent her money and gifts regularly. Why would she say that?

But then, I saw a custom necklace around Lily’s neck – one I’d promised Mandy two months ago after landing a big deal.

“Where did you get that?”

Lily’s eyes darted around.

I turned to Mandy. “My gift to you is on Lily? What’s going on?”

Mandy sneered.

“You had time to send me gifts?”

Tom couldn’t take it anymore, grabbing Mandy’s arm.

“How dare you talk to Mom like that! You’re disrespectful!”

I pulled Tom away.

“You’re hurting your sister, let go.”

Tom grumbled, “You don’t scold Mandy for her actions, but you scold me for just touching her wrist? Am I even your son?”

I glared at my husband.

He chuckled nervously, pulling Tom away. “Your mom has a bad temper, don’t talk back!”

Tom hung his head, refusing to look at me.

Mandy took advantage of the situation, smirking at Lily.

“Are you sure you used that jewelry to pay off debt, and not kept it?”

Before Lily could answer, Jake sighed, apologetically looking at Lily.

“Sorry, I apologize for Mandy, she’s just… blunt.”

I was about to explode.

“On what grounds are you apologizing for Mandy?”

Jake’s face stiffened, realizing I disliked others interfering.

He apologized. “My mistake, Mandy and I aren’t married, I have no right to apologize for her.”

Mandy smiled.

“You say you have no right, but you’ve done it many times before.”

I looked suspiciously at Jake; he frantically gave Mandy meaningful glances, but she ignored them.

I didn’t like having outsiders involved in family matters and had the security guards throw him out.

Lily looked at Jake, then humbly turned to Mandy.

“If you return Mom and Dad’s memento, I’ll do anything.”

Mandy was about to speak, but I saw Lily subtly stumble, sensing something wrong.

I reached out but saw Mandy step back.

Relief washed over me, and everything clicked.

There was a viper in my house, but thankfully, my daughter wasn’t a doormat.

I looked at Lily coldly.

She stood with grazed knees, hesitant to speak.

But this time, no one spoke for her.

I pretended to be confused.

“How did you fall? Why don’t you get up?”

Lily, gritting her teeth, said exasperatedly.

“Mom, I don’t understand why Mandy pushed me. She could just say she didn’t want to return the bracelet, I would have given it to her.”

I said, “So, Mandy pushed you?”

Mandy stared at me, seeming to guess what I would say.

But I sneered. “Mandy was three meters away, how long would her arms have to be to push you?”

Finally, Lily realized something was off.

She saw how far Mandy was and stammered,

“I’ve been studying a lot lately, maybe I’m dizzy and misunderstood my sister.”

She looked at my husband,委屈地. “I know Mandy is your biological daughter and you’ll favor her, but I definitely didn’t falsely accuse her.”

Tom frowned, pointing at Mandy. “If you hadn’t bullied Lily, she wouldn’t have misunderstood you! You should reflect on yourself!”

Mandy’s eyes widened in disbelief, about to speak, when I stopped her.

I turned to Tom. “You should indeed reflect.”

Tom happily said, “Mom, you finally see! Mandy has changed; she’s selfish and vicious—”

I slapped him. He stared, his head tilted, hand on his cheek.

“Mom? Why did you hit me?”

I smiled coldly. “Didn’t you say you should reflect? I’m helping you.”

Mandy was shocked, pulling my hand. “You’ll regret hitting brother, enough, I don’t care anymore.”

But her eyes were filled with hurt.

I was horrified. What had my proud, confident, and obedient daughter gone through to become so guarded?

My husband grabbed my hand. “Are you crazy? You should hit Mandy, why hit Tom?”

“Slap, slap, slap—”

I slapped my husband, Michael, several times.

He staggered, raised his hand, but lowered it upon seeing my face.

He gritted his teeth. “Ashley, explain yourself! Why did you hit me in front of the kids?”

I sneered. “Hitting a freeloader doesn’t need an explanation.”

Lily defended Michael. “I call you Mom because of Dad, but if you disrespect Dad, I won’t respect you!”

“Dad works hard for the company, and you just travel abroad pretending to work, Dad even takes care of the house. What gives you the right to treat him this way?”

I felt insulted.

“Listen to yourself.”

“I haven’t gotten to you yet, and you dare to lecture me?”

Tom shouted. “Dad has always been there for me, you just bully him, I’m sick of you, only Dad can tolerate you!”

I was furious. I looked at Michael coldly.

“Wonderful, this is the son you raised!”

Michael opened his mouth, but I had the security guards restrain them.

Except for Mandy, the three of them were on their knees, looking up at me.

To prevent noise, I had the guards tape their mouths shut.

Only then did Mandy tremble and reach for me. “Mom… you’re on my side, right?”

The moment I nodded, she collapsed into my arms.

“If you’re on my side, why didn’t you call me these six months?”

“Why did you only send gifts to Tom and Lily? Why did you tell me not to contact you?”

“Why did you make me give my things to Lily?”