Back when Yunice had been whipping people, Owen hadn’t reacted when Lily was hit–but the moment Elsie got struck, he exploded.

Even just now, when helping people up, he had supported Elsie first, then Lily.

It was clear that, in Owen’s heart, Elsie had long since surpassed Lily.

For Peggy to gain an advantage in the Saunders family, Elsie was a serious rival. She’d have to find a way to split them up.

Elsie’s arm throbbed with pain. She belatedly noticed the look in Peggy’s eyes and glared back.

But Peggy simply held Lily’s other arm and gave Owen a sweet, understanding smile.

Owen said nothing.

Mr. Terrance, however, walked up and patted Owen’s shoulder. “Come with me. I have something to ask you.”

Peggy swatted his hand away, “Can’t you see my man’s injured? His back’s still bleeding! I don’t care how important it is, you can just sit here and wait your turn!”

She hooked her arm under Owen’s. “Come on, I’ll help you put medicine on. You’re bleeding so much…”

Elsie rushed forward too, grabbing Owen’s other arm, her voice choked with concern. “Owen, let me help you with your wound!”

Owen’s expression shifted. Seeing her injured arm as well, he said, “You’re hurt too. I should take care of you first–”

Before he could finish, Peggy blurted out. “Alright, enough with the polite back-and-forth. You two are siblings, not animals. How’s a little sister supposed to help her brother take off his shirt and bandage him?”

Crude as Peggy’s words were, Elsie flushed bright red. She had just been about to act innocent when Peggy cut her off again. “Take a look at your mom. She got hurt protecting you. Has either of you thought about her at all?”

Elsie and Owen were both stunned. They suddenly remembered Lily, who’d been left aside all this time. The three of them hadn’t minded until now. In the Saunders family, the sibling bond had always been stronger. Lily had always felt comforted by that.

But somehow, when Peggy said it out loud, that dynamic became twisted.

Now, feeling the room’s eyes on them, Elsie had no choice but to release Owen’s arm and, blushing, go to help Lily.

Because that was what made sense to the outside world: Owen and his wife should take care of each other, and Elsie, as the daughter, should look after her mom.

Chapter 514 Sister, Wife, Enemy

Otherwise, things would just start to look… wrong.

Elsie grudgingly watched Peggy beam as she helped Owen away.

Left with no choice, she and Lily returned to their room.

Lily sat dazed on the bed, letting Elsie tend to her wounds.

Was there really nothing they could do about Yunice?

Lily looked at Elsie and sighed, “Why didn’t you let me confront her earlier? She’s got money to throw at some servant, but won’t give us a cent. Doesn’t that bother you?”

Elsie said, “It’s not that I didn’t want to say anything. It’s just that saying it wouldn’t help.”

“Those Moore relatives are greedy and selfish. If we accuse Yunice of spending too much on a servant, they’ll just start wondering where all her money came from. And if they find out she married into power, do you think they’ll still take our side?”

Lily frowned and said nothing.

Elsie added quietly. “The game’s changed. Playing the pity card doesn’t work on capital.”

Lily clutched Elsie’s bandaged hand like a drowning person clutching a rope. “That day you jumped into the water to save Paul… was he grateful?”

At the mention of him, Elsie grew impatient. “He’s just a dying fly at the end of autumn. He won’t last long—he’s got words carved into his face—what can he even do now?”

In high society, reputation was everything. Children born with health issues were usually disqualified from inheritance the moment they were born.

Wyatt had been mocked for a leg condition—what chance did Paul have, with literal words carved into his face?

Just one look at Elsie’s expression, and Lily knew Paul hadn’t paid her any attention.

Elsie tugged at the gauze in frustration. “Whatever. Morgan’s still flirting with me; I’m not completely out of options.”

Over an hour later, Owen had finished getting bandaged up. He signaled to Peggy with his eyes, suggesting she go check things downstairs.

But Peggy said, “No need. That whole gang of troublemakers is still there.”

Owen realized Mr. Terrance was camping out, waiting.

He had no choice but to go downstairs and deal with them.

The other relatives lounged on the sofas like they owned the place, some of them shelling sunflower seeds, devouring the expensive fruit, like it was free.

A couple had discarded half-smoked premium cigarettes directly onto the floor, burning a massive scorch mark into a rug worth tens of thousands.

Someone had opened the fridge.

One guy was pretending to be on the phone by the floor-to-ceiling windows, but his hands were sneakily reaching toward an antique vase nearby—testing to see if it would fit in his bag.

Owen stood on the stairs, watching the scene below with a deep, furrowed brow. Then he let out a heavy cough, the movement pulling painfully at the wound on his back.

Chapter 515 Rotten Roots