“I’ll be fine,” Meredith added bitterly, “she’s right. Josiah will only get angrier if he sees you shielding me
from the rain.” Seeing Meredith was determined, Lily could only walk back into the house, taking the
umbrella with her.
The rain was getting heavier and the temperature was dropping. Meredith’s face and lips turned pale,
her body shivering from the cold.
Her legs had already gone numb.
But she did not stop kneeling. Biting down on the pain and cold, she continued kneeling.
When Ysabelle walked into Josiah’s study with a tray of supper in her hands, she saw how Josiah was
staring out the window with a grave expression on his face.
Following his gaze, Ysabelle noticed that he was actually staring at Meredith who was kneeling in the
front yard.
The heavy rain was hitting hard on her body and Meredith was shivering and shaking. It looked as if
she was not able to hold it out any longer.
Ysabelle stole another glance at Josiah before putting down the tray of food in front of him.” Josiah, I
made this bowl of noodles for you. Try some of it.”
Breaking off his gaze from Meredith , Josiah turned to look at his work documents. “I’m not hungry.
Take it away.”
“Josiah…” Ysabelle pretended as if she felt bad for Meredith. “The rain is getting heavier and I’m
worried that Meredith won’t be able to take it. Why not let her in for now?” She then added, “I had a
thought about what she said and I kind of agree with her. She’s well aware that you adore Yena and I
don’t think she’d do something so stupid and let the mouse out to bite Yena.” “Well, tell me then, where
did the mice come from?” Glancing at her, Josiah asked, “Were you the one who let them into Yena’s
room?”
“Impossible. Don’t make this kind of joke, Josiah.” Ysabelle shook her head and added,” Perhaps Lily is
right, that the mice sneaked in from outside.
“It doesn’t matter if it was Meredith who let the mice in. She’d already received her punishment. Let’s
just let her come in and have a hot shower and get a change of new clothes. If not, she’s going to catch
a cold.”
Josiah continued ignoring her.
Ysabelle continued, “Josiah, please, she is after all my sister, I…”
“What are you still doing here?” Josiah was getting annoyed.
Ysabelle added, “You’ve asked all the servants to leave and since Meredith is out there being
punished, I should stay to take care of Yena.”
“I’ll take care of Yena. You should leave.”
Before Ysabelle could say anything, Josiah suddenly stood up abruptly and rushed out of the study
room. “What’s wrong Josiah?” Ysabelle was startled and puzzled. Catching up to Josiah, Ysabelle
suddenly realized something. Turning to look out the window, she saw that Meredith who was still
kneeling under the rain a minute ago had fallen over, all passed out.
Just as she thought, Josiah was acting strange because of Meredith Leighton.
The minute Josiah saw Meredith falling over, he instinctively rushed downstairs, into the rain, and
carried her into his arms.
Because the rain was too heavy, the level of the water was rather high and Meredith fell face down into
the water puddles. If Josiah had not pulled her out of the water quick enough, Meredith would have
drowned.
“Meredith Leighton!” With one hand around her waist, Josiah tried to wake her up by hitting her face.
“What are you trying to do? Wake up right now and continue kneeling!”
“If you don’t open your eyes right now, I’ll make you kneel for another day, I’ll make you kneel until you
die!” His voice had turned even colder. “Meredith Leighton, do you hear me?!”
Even though his words were mean and cold, the way he rushed out of the study to save her gave his
true emotions away.
Ysabelle, who believed Josiah when he said that he would never like Meredith who had sold her body
for money, was suddenly feeling anxious and envious.
But she had to repress the jealousy and resentment that was simmering in her. Holding up the umbrella
above Josiah and Meredith, Ysabelle said, “Josiah, look what I’ve told you, I said that Meredith could
not take it anymore, right?”
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