Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 309

This time, Paula didn't cry or throw a fit; it was like she had grown up overnight and become more mature.

She settled on the third floor without a fuss and was surprisingly polite to the servants.

Following Liliana's orders, the servants were initially cold towards her. However, Paula seemed oblivious to their indifference and greeted them sweetly, complimenting them in a way that made them feel at ease.

A delicate little girl, calling out politely every day, most of the servants couldn't stay heartless, so their attitude towards her gradually softened.

They even started to speak up for her occasionally.

Once, Paula wanted to read some books, and the servants helped her get them.

Coincidentally, Randy was in the study retrieving some documents and saw the servants carrying books upstairs. He asked about it.

He was told the books were for Paula.

Randy scoffed, "With her playful and immature nature, those books will probably end up torn apart."

Randy's preconceived notion stemmed from Paula "nearly causing" Liliana to miscarry, and he hadn't seen Paula for a while, hearing only about her "bad behavior" from Liliana.

Even though Liliana maintained her image as a good stepmother, she would always say, "It's my fault for not taking good care of her, making her a bit spoiled. But she's still young, don't blame her."

The more Liliana said this, the more disappointed Randy became in Paula, feeling sorry for her.

The servant thought for a moment and spoke up for Paula, "Ms. Ellis has been very well-behaved lately. She's genuinely interested in reading and even retells the stories to us almost exactly as they are in the books."

Randy was quite surprised.

He then told the servant, "Give Paula the books. If she wants to read anything else, bring it to her. If we don't have it, tell the housekeeper to buy it."

Perhaps the servant's words stirred a rare bit of fatherly love in him, and he even went to the third floor that night.

The room on the third floor wasn't large, and being at the end, it didn't get much light.

But it was already evening when Randy arrived.

Paula, being a child, knew she needed to sleep early to grow tall and stay healthy, so she was already asleep when Randy came.

She was holding a photo album.

The cover of the album showed a picture of Paula's mother, with the three of them together.

On Paula's bedside table was a small sketchbook.

Randy gently picked it up and saw a drawing Paula had made, copying the photo from the album, showing her and her parents holding hands.

But in the drawing, Paula was depicted as a five-year-old child.

The next drawing showed Paula standing sadly to the side, enviously watching Randy, Liliana, and their child in a warm scene.

Randy felt both heartache and sorrow.

He lovingly patted Paula's head before leaving the room.

What he didn't know was that Paula, since being punished, was very afraid of him. Children were sensitive, and she sensed his presence as soon as he entered.

But Paula was so scared of him that she pretended to be asleep.

When Randy patted her head, her small hand under the blanket clenched into a fist.

After Randy left, she dared to open her eyes and quietly cried.

What she didn't know was that Randy hadn't left immediately and heard her crying.

So he made a decision.

The next day, when Liliana came downstairs with the baby, Randy was already sitting at the table with Paula, having breakfast.

Paula was exceptionally well-behaved, greeting Liliana proactively.

Liliana tried several times to provoke Paula, but Paula didn't react as she hoped.

Instead, Randy became more pleased.

"Paula has really grown up, so well-behaved and sensible now," Randy praised.

Paula apologized, "I was immature before and wasn't taught about what was right or wrong. Now I realize my mistakes."

In Randy's eyes, Paula was just a child, incapable of deceit.

Especially the part about not being taught right from wrong, which made Randy suspicious and he looked at Liliana.

Liliana felt a pang of fear but maintained an innocent expression, "It's my oversight. She didn't want to listen to me, so I didn't teach her much. I'll try to teach Paula more in the future."

But this incident planted a seed of doubt in Randy's mind.

So later, even though Liliana wanted to take control of the Ellis Group, Randy's wariness prevented her from succeeding. She ended up having more children.

By the time the children were older, Liliana had missed the best opportunity to enter the company.

Paula unintentionally made it.

But Liliana indeed held a grudge against her for it.

Paula later asked Randy to let her live at school, wanting to stay away from Liliana.

Randy said, "You're too young to live at school. I don't feel comfortable."

Liliana echoed, "Yes, Paula, if you live at school alone, what if you miss home? Don't you want to see your dad and me?"

Paula smiled and insisted, "I want to study hard and develop my independence, to be as great as Dad. If I miss you, I can come home on weekends, and if you miss me, you can visit me."

Randy respected Paula's wishes and agreed to her living at school.

Liliana, following Randy's lead, didn't say much.

Paula thought she could finally live peacefully with Liliana.

But in reality, Liliana bribed people to bully her at school.

Paula tried to seek help from Randy, but he didn't believe her. Liliana had arranged for the bullies to find "evidence" proving Paula was the one causing trouble, making her look like the bully.

The bullying intensified, and Paula often had injuries.

She struggled to study while enduring such pain, becoming thin and frail.

Randy, being coaxed by Liliana, never visited her at school.

When Paula was on the verge of depression from the bullying, her aunt visited her, wanting to check on her niece.

She discovered Paula's injuries and the suffering she endured.

Her aunt took her for a full-body examination and then hired a lawyer to sue the school. The school, fearing a scandal, wanted to settle quietly.

Liliana, being the instigator, was confronted by the parents. She wanted Randy to handle it.

Her aunt threw the evidence and Paula's injury report in Randy's face, and he finally learned what Paula had been through.

To make amends, Randy grounded Liliana and gave Paula many compensations, including property and shares.

Paula's aunt planned to take her abroad, but Paula didn't want Liliana to benefit from the family assets, which would fulfill Liliana's wishes.

So Paula stayed.

Even though Randy wanted to make more amends, Paula was traumatized and completely disappointed in him, so their relationship remained cold over the years.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Paula.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm a queen now, not the pitiful girl I used to be. Besides, who knows who will come out on top in the end?" Paula smiled confidently, truly embodying a queen.

"Yes, you are a queen. My queen, if you need me, I'll be there without hesitation."

She replied, "I won't hold back!"

I was curious about Paula's words, "What's your plan now?"