Carye stood there loftily as she reprimanded Blue.

"How did you all serve Young Miss Senja until she got hurt like this!?"

In unison, the four of them fell to their knees and lowered their heads.

"I told you to serve Young Miss well!" Carye was dealing out incessant tongue lashing like an incensed mother who had just watched her beloved child being abused.

Senja just couldn't believe that she didn't even have a chance to play her game after her stepmother took centerstage expending her magnificent rage at the female servants.

She hadn't even bothered to ask what had happened and kept rumbling on rubbish. At the end of the irate charade, she shamelessly punished them by ordering them to be locked up inside the dungeon. It showed everyone how much she cared about Senja which only made the latter sick to the bones with this spurious display of affection.

Elder Dam helped Senja sit on a chair while the girl was trying hard to keep her sobbing obvious, despite being upset. It wasn't the end that she'd wanted!

An anxious Carye went up to Senja and checked on her.

"You are not hurt right my child?" She asked while wiping Senja's tears, "Rindy, call a doctor."

Rindy nodded and reluctantly left the room to run outside and call a doctor.

Senja bit down her lips. **At least the four servants were punished. ** This was the only consolation to the annoyance in her heart.

Elder Dam was also tongue tied at Carye's outburst. However, he couldn't disagree with that and wasn't able to nitpick because of it. Her decision to punish those maidservants was the right thing to do, albeit unaware of the truth behind Senja ending up like this.

Senja nuzzled her face full of tears on the front of Carye's dress. She could feel the exasperation she was trying hard to conceal as she stroked Senja's back patiently.

"It's okay, mother is here…" She said repeatedly.

Loathing every bit as Carye patteed her back, Senja blew her nose on her dress and wiped it before she raised her face. Her stepmother froze as a feeling of disgust rose through her heart. She had to muster every bit of her will to exude self-restraint to prevent her from beating Senja right there and then.

Senja innocently stared at Carye.

"Thank you, mother…" She sweetly said, "..those servants forced me to wear white dress, but I don't want that color of dress." She whined, trying to find some opening to lure this poisonous woman to her game flow.

"You don't like it?" Carye frowned, but in another second her smile bloomed, "You loved white color before, but if now you don't like it then don't wear it, no one can force you to do it."

**Ck, ck, ck, …but for this ability, I would have fallen head over heels by her honeyed words. Lucky me, I have this knack of seeing through them, so I can forthwith perceive their true motive! ** Senja sighed. Well, this old ginger sure is spicy.

"Carye, I need to talk to you." Elder Dam said flatly. "Tianyao, stay with Senja and look after her."

Xiao Tianyao who had kept mum from the moment he had stepped into the room only nodded his head in affirmation.

"Call someone to clean up this mess." Elder Dam directed his words to Aunt Hu. She nodded vigorously and hastily walked out of the room.

Senja was still sobbing even after everyone had left. Xiao Tianyao was waiting for her tears to dry up, but it looked like it wouldn't stop any sooner.

He walked over and stood in front of Senja who was still sitting on the chair, reached out his hand, and poked her head lightly.

"Enough, no one is here."

After Xiao Tianyao said that, Senja's pitiful sobs turned into mirthful giggles. She raised her small face, stood up and wrapped her arms around Xiao Tianyao's neck.

"How could you tell?"

"You have done that a couple of times already." Xiao Tianyao nuzzled her nose with his, while wrapping his arms around her waist, "I've told you that old trick of yours needs improvement."

Senja pouted, "It's a success with them."

"Alright." Xiao Tianyao didn't bother arguing with her as he leaned his face over in an attempt to kiss her, but Senja backed away.

Xiao Tianyao opened his eyes questioningly.