Hua Jing arched an eyebrow, her lips curving slightly. "Family?" she echoed, her tone almost playful. "How curious."
The word tasted strange on her tongue. Family. She wondered if she had ever truly belonged to one.
She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd, lingering on the nobleman who had accused her earlier. He was still kneeling, his head bowed so low that his forehead nearly touched the ground. His face was red—whether from shame or fear, Hua Jing couldn't tell, but it amused her all the same.
Her gaze shifted back to Chen Li. "Tell me, esteemed Madam Hua," she continued, her voice dangerously soft, "when did I ever become part of this family?"
Chen Li flinched.
Hua Jing took a step forward, closing the distance between them. "Was it when you locked me away in the old courtyard, stripped of everything while your daughter basked in riches?"
She took another step.
