My mother is a delicate, high-maintenance socialite. Since I was little, I was always the one taking care of her. Yet, when my father’s mistress came at me with a knife, she didn’t hesitate to throw herself in front of me. When I woke up again, I had returned to being eight years old. She stroked her perfectly manicured nails, ordering me to cook her dinner. I silently prepared a feast of eight dishes and two soups. She was shocked: "Did you poison this?" I placed some food in her bowl and said earnestly, "I approve of you dating Uncle Julian." 1 Evelyn exploded. Her perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed as she slammed her chopsticks down. "What Julian? What on earth is going on in that head of yours?" Me: "..." I silently handed her a clean pair of chopsticks. She eyed me suspiciously. "You little brat, what kind of trouble did you get into?" I hesitated for a few seconds, then pulled the chopsticks back out of her hand. She nodded, as if her suspicions were confirmed. "I knew it, you're trying to mess with me." I opened my arms to her. "Mommy, hug." Evelyn was clearly startled. She looked at me in bewilderment, her beautiful face full of doubt. After a long moment, she poked my cheek with her long nail. "What are you mumbling about? Go make me another bowl of bird's nest soup." My lip trembled. I wanted to cry. She froze, frantically pulling out a few tissues and tossing them at my face. "W-what are you doing? Are you trying to guilt-trip me?" Just then, the heavy front door of the mansion opened. A tall, slender man stood in the doorway, backlit by the evening sun. The sounds in the room instantly ceased. I looked at him quietly for a good while before opening my mouth: "Dad." Evelyn glanced at the man, snatched the chopsticks back from my hand, and casually began to eat. The man walked in coldly, heading toward the study on the second floor. As he passed the dining table, his steps faltered slightly. "You don't need to go to the banquet tonight." Smack. The chopsticks were slammed onto the table. Evelyn let out a cold laugh. "Then who are you planning to take?" My mother is breathtakingly beautiful. Before she married, she was a famous, dazzling beauty in our elite social circle. After marriage, her beauty didn't diminish by a single fraction. Her natural looks, combined with meticulous maintenance, made her even more captivating. Even when she was angry, she oozed charm. But even so, my father's gaze hadn't lingered on her for a long time. The man frowned slightly. Without answering her question, he continued his steady pace up to the second floor. As the study door clicked shut, Evelyn threw her chopsticks away too. The next second, she stood up, ready to flip the table. I watched her in silence, and at the very last second, she stopped. Evelyn pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and smiled with an ambiguous expression. "You're about to get a new mom soon. Are you happy?" I stared at her for two seconds, then stepped forward and pinched her cigarette out. She was completely stunned. Then she let out a shriek. "Are you crazy? Why did you pinch my cigarette?!" She grabbed my hand; my fingertips were blistered and red. Her fingers trembled as she pulled out her phone to call the family doctor. After hanging up, she gritted her teeth. "I swear to God, have you been watching too many cartoons? Do you think you're made of iron?" I whispered, "You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for your health. And if you smoke too much, you won't be pretty anymore." Evelyn's eyes filled with a complex emotion as she went to find an ice pack. She scoffed, "Even if your mother were ten times uglier, there still wouldn't be a woman better-looking than her. Got it?" Enduring the pain, I looked at her quietly. I thought so too. Everyone in our circle thought so too. But my father just had to fall in love with a girl by his side who was merely plain-looking. Those "uncles" would gossip behind his back: "The Sterling family married such a beautiful wife, yet Arthur doesn't cherish her. That's the great Evelyn Hayes! How many men wanted to marry her back then but couldn't?" But after saying that, they would always add, "I guess the flowers at home just don't smell as sweet as the wild ones. Plus, Evelyn has had a kid and isn't as young anymore. It's understandable, I suppose." When their kids secretly told me this at first, I couldn't understand what it meant. I only heard my father's and mother's names, so I repeated it word for word to my mother. Evelyn's expression remained unchanged. She just rolled her eyes. "You're so young and you already know how to listen to gossip. You really have a limitless future. If you have this much free time, go learn some more vocabulary words." But whenever I walked away, she would lock herself in her room, secretly smoking and drinking. The next day, she would act as if nothing happened, book a beauty appointment, and ask the kitchen to make health tonics. After that, I never repeated those words to her again. 2 "What are you arguing about?" Arthur stood on the second floor, looking down imperiously. Evelyn shot him a glance and applied the ice pack to my hand. It hurt so much I inhaled sharply. Arthur's gaze moved from my hand to the cigarette butt on the floor. His expression was cold. "You can't even take care of a child?" Evelyn looked annoyed. "You put yourself on such a high pedestal. Just get lost." Suddenly, she paused. "That finale necklace at the auction a couple of days ago... was that you bidding against me?" Arthur met her eyes. She smiled sarcastically. "You didn't know? Your little mistress is already parading around wearing it." "She's not my mistress," Arthur said, his lips pressing into a thin line, looking displeased. "Uh-huh, she's your true love." She waved a hand dismissively. "Wishing you both a long and happy life together." Arthur let out a breath and slowly descended the stairs. "You're still coming with me tonight." As if expecting this, Evelyn chuckled softly. She slowly draped an arm over his shoulder and exhaled a breath near his ear. "Beg me, Mr. Sterling." Arthur took a step back, his body tensing slightly. He warned, "The child is right here. Don't mess around." She let out a bored "oh" and turned to me. "Go upstairs. The doctor will be in your room in a minute." Just as I closed my bedroom door, I heard the sound of a vase shattering outside. I sat at my desk and opened my diary from memory. The eight-year-old me had a very poor relationship with Ms. Evelyn Hayes. I grew up lacking fatherly love and hardly felt any motherly love either. While other kids were being held and coaxed, I was already fetching tea and water for my mother. She never managed my daily life; she elegantly dressed herself every day, doing her hair, getting her nails done, and going to beauty treatments. Occasionally, her maternal instincts would kick in, and she’d read me skincare tips. Whenever a parent was required to attend an event, it was always Grandpa Alfred, the butler, who went. Later, I often thought that my existence was unwelcome. I wasn't the child of the woman my father loved. Perhaps my mother also frequently regretted having me, as my birth had taken a toll on her body. ... I flipped to the last page of the diary. [Leo asked me to hang out the day after tomorrow. I want to go, but Uncle Julian will be there too. I hate Uncle Julian. He always looks at Mom with a weird expression.] As a sixteen-year-old reading what my eight-year-old self wrote, my feelings were quite complicated. Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I cleared my throat. "Come in." Evelyn walked in, followed by the family doctor, who opened his medical kit to bandage me up. Evelyn comfortably sat on my bed. She paused. "Do you want to go to the banquet tonight? Your grandparents said they want to see you. It's fine if you don't go; it's a mixed crowd there." I pondered. Uncle Julian would be there too. I had to go and scout the situation. I nodded. "I'll go." Evelyn shrugged. "Up to you." After the doctor finished, Evelyn was about to leave to prepare her gown. Watching her slender back, I couldn't help but say, "Mom." She stopped in her tracks, uncomfortably rubbing the goosebumps that had popped up on her arms. "...What is it?" I said pitifully, "I don't have a suitable dress." Evelyn loved luxurious, exquisite dresses, but I only cared about comfort, wearing T-shirts and shorts to every occasion. Moreover, I never let her pick my clothes; I only liked wearing bright, clashing colors—reds and greens. Evelyn turned around in shock, looking as if she had seen a ghost. "Really? You really want to wear a dress?" She came over, felt my forehead, and muttered, "You don't have a fever either." My lip trembled, ready to cry again. "All the other kids have pretty dresses, but I don't!" She looked at me in bewilderment. "Y-you can't blame me for that. Every time I tried to dress you, you'd get mad." So eventually, she gave up and let me wear whatever I wanted. "I don't care, I want a dress!" I wiped away a tear. She had never seen me like this before. She was stunned for a moment. "Fine, I'll have someone prepare one. But I'm telling you right now, you have to wear little leather shoes with it, no sneakers allowed. Tsk, stop crying..." 3 I sat next to my grandmother, watching Evelyn holding Arthur's arm. The surroundings were noisy and bustling. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her back. Wearing a red mermaid gown, she was dazzlingly radiant. In stark contrast to her brilliant smile, Arthur looked much colder. My grandmother cast a calm glance over there before retracting her gaze. Turning to me, she pinched my cheek. "Our little Riley is finally willing to wear a dress. She's growing up." My grandfather looked over with a stern expression. He shook his head. "This is how a young lady should be. Evelyn loves dressing herself up but doesn't put any effort into her daughter." My grandmother agreed. "Exactly. I've told her so many times to get Riley a proper outfit, but she just won't listen." I piped up weakly, "Grandpa, Grandma, I was the one who didn't like wearing dresses." My grandfather scoffed coldly. "That's still because she didn't raise you right." I was taken aback and wanted to argue back. Just then, someone poked my arm. I turned my head and was surprised. "Leo..." Leo smiled brightly and greeted them. "Hello, Grandpa, Grandma. Hi, Riley." My grandmother smiled. "What a good boy." I followed Leo to a corner to eat desserts. He stuffed a small cupcake into my mouth and then accused me: "Why didn't you come to the amusement park yesterday?" Me: "..." I scratched my head. "I got into a fight with my mom." He paused, then said slowly, "Oh, I guess that's understandable." Leo had a head of obedient brown hair, red lips, and white teeth. Wearing a small suit, he looked quite cute in his seriousness. I stared at him. In my previous life, during the eight years that followed, Leo and I became absolute enemies. I thought his dad coveted my mom, so I never gave him a good look. He always mocked me for dressing ugly and said I was missing a few brain cells. But looking back now, those days of constant bickering were some of the few colorful moments in my life. I grabbed his hand and asked deeply, "Do you think I dress ugly?" Leo took a step back, stammering, "Huh? Today... today you look pretty good." I shook my head. "What about before?" He fell silent. The quiet corner formed a stark contrast to the noise elsewhere. I sniffled, my eyes turning red. "They all say I'm an ugly duckling, that they don't like me, that I'm not as pretty as my mom..." He hurriedly pulled me close. "Who said that? You look great! You're the prettiest!" "Really? I look great every day?" I asked. He nodded, then after a moment, he awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Yeah, they're just talking nonsense. Tell me who said that, and I'll go settle the score with them." I paused. Way too many people had said that. From my childhood to adolescence, countless people had compared me to Evelyn, saying I wasn't as pretty as she was when she was little, that I hadn't inherited her beauty, that I wasn't cut out to be a stunner. But... why did they have to compare me to other people? Why did they have to compare me to my mother? I sighed. I stuffed a small cupcake into Leo's mouth too. Suddenly. A commotion broke out nearby. I saw that gentle girl in a white dress accidentally spill a glass of red wine onto Evelyn's midsection. Both dresses were ruined. Everyone knew this was the girl's petty trick, but Arthur didn't stand by his wife's side. My grandparents only blamed their daughter-in-law, who had no blood ties to them. I gritted my teeth in anger. Just as I was about to step forward, Leo grabbed my hand. I saw a man unhurriedly step into the center of the vortex. Wearing a low-key but luxurious silver-grey suit, he lazily raised an eyebrow. "Miss Hayes's dress has been completely ruined by you." The girl's face paled slightly as she hid behind Arthur. She said softly, "Mr. Julian, her dress is red, mine is white..." The implication was that the stain on her dress should be more obvious. "Who spilled the wine? Do we need to check the security cameras?" Julian chuckled. Arthur's eyes were icy. "This is my family's business. It has nothing to do with you." Julian's expression froze slightly. I gritted my teeth and pulled Leo forward. The crowd parted to make way for us. I articulated clearly and crisply: "Leo and I have sworn an oath of brotherhood; he's my brother now. That makes Uncle Julian my godfather!" I nudged Leo, who immediately nodded. "That's right!" A dead silence fell over the room. Only Julian's lips curled up slightly. With one hand in his suit pocket, he said, "Did you hear that? Now Miss Hayes's business is my family's business too." The onlookers all gasped. Arthur's face instantly darkened a few shades. "Godfather?" Leo and I nodded solemnly in unison. "Pfft." Evelyn, who hadn't spoken until now, let out a laugh. Her red lips curved; she seemed genuinely amused by us. But she didn't refute it. Arthur reached out and grabbed Evelyn's wrist, pulling her to his side. His joy or anger was indiscernible, but the hostility radiating from him was barely suppressed. "Miss Hayes? Mr. Julian, you should be addressing her as Mrs. Sterling." "You sure like to manage things," Julian said with a laid-back tone. He then turned and instructed a waiter, "Take Miss Hayes to change her dress." Arthur didn't let go. Evelyn looked at him with a half-smile. "Husband, aren't you going to let go?" The girl hiding behind Arthur whispered, "Mr. Sterling, my dress is stained too." A shadow fell over Arthur's brow. After a long moment, he finally released his grip. Then he turned and personally escorted the girl to the lounge. The farce ended, and the subtle crowd of onlookers dispersed. Only Leo, Uncle Julian, and I remained standing there. I looked up. Julian happened to look down, his peach-blossom eyes gazing at me with unreadable emotion. Right at that moment, a waiter bowed slightly beside me. "The old madam requests your presence." I froze for a moment, then turned my head to meet my grandmother's stern gaze. Leo pulled me back. "Don't go." I shook my head. 4 "You're deliberately trying to embarrass your father!" My grandmother was so angry she slapped me hard on the back. "Where are your manners as a young lady?" He wasn't embarrassed; the one who was embarrassed was my mother. I said quietly, "Grandma, who is that woman? Why didn't dad blame her when she spilled red wine on mom's dress?" My grandmother frowned. "Your father is the head of the corporation; naturally, he has the capacity to be tolerant of others." I didn't say anything more. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Julian holding a wine glass, downing one drink after another. I had heard that back then, everyone thought my mom and Julian would end up together, but they ultimately fell one step short. Julian remained unmarried to this day, and Leo, who was under his name, was adopted from a relative. I stroked my chin thoughtfully. Just then, I saw Leo sneaking off toward a certain area. I immediately wanted to follow him. But my grandmother grabbed me firmly, displeased. "Don't run around. Sit here and be good." "I need to go to the bathroom!" I bolted out of there like lightning. I followed Leo all the way to the lounge. He didn't notice me as he hid quietly by the crack of the door. Voices drifted from inside the lounge. Evelyn said lazily, "Back then, you said your family was struggling, so I recommended you to the company. I was a benefactor to you. Was there really a need to make such a scene at this kind of occasion?" There was a moment of silence inside, then that soft voice replied, "It's Mr. Sterling who is my benefactor. He promoted me to secretary, and my salary is several times higher than my previous position." Evelyn smiled. "Fine. You have love and money. What are you missing? The position of Mrs. Sterling?" There was no answer from inside. After a long while. "I'm pregnant," the girl said softly. "Evelyn, you don't lack anything. Just let me have him. I don't want my child to be born without a father." There was the sound of a coat rack crashing down; my mom probably kicked it over. Seeing that Evelyn had finally lost control, the girl's smile carried a hint of genuine satisfaction as she continued: "I've had it checked; it's a boy. Mr. Sterling and I are both very much looking forward to his birth. He's even bought a lot of baby things in advance." A crisp, sharp slap rang out, and the girl sighed. "Go ahead and hit me. In the end, Mr. Sterling is the one who will feel sorry for me." Her gentle voice could no longer hide her smugness: "Miss Hayes, when you looked down on me with your charity back then, did you ever imagine that one day you'd be dragging your daughter out of the Sterling family in disgrace?" I clutched the hem of my dress tightly. Suddenly, a flash of white light went off in my brain. Wait a minute. She was never pregnant! If she were truly pregnant, and with a boy, let alone her getting a title, my grandmother would absolutely never let her grandson be an illegitimate child. My expression hardened. Then I locked eyes with Leo. He stumbled back two steps, not realizing I was right next to him. Leo was silent for a few seconds, then whispered awkwardly in my ear to comfort me: "It's okay. If your mom really doesn't want you, I'll have my dad adopt you too. I won't let you be homeless." I froze, then grabbed his hand, deeply moved. "Thank you." His fingers curled slightly. Suddenly, a tall, slender shadow fell over us. "What are you two doing?" Arthur looked down coldly. I jumped in fright and managed an awkward smile. "Dad, we were worried about Mom, so we came to check." "We?" Arthur let out a cold laugh. He grabbed me by the back of my collar and lifted me up. "Stay away from this kid." Leo gritted his teeth, turned around, and ran off. The door opened. The girl, with a red handprint on her cheek, threw herself into Arthur's arms. She didn't speak; she just sobbed. Evelyn stood inside, wearing a half-smile. As soon as she saw me, she immediately put out her cigarette. Me: "..." Arthur frowned and asked Evelyn, "Did you hit her?" Evelyn threw him a lazy glance. "I'd worry about hurting my hand if I hit her." For some reason, the previously calm look on Arthur's brow darkened a few shades. The girl looked incredulous. "What did you say? You were the one who hit me..." "Enough," Arthur cut her off coldly. "Since you don't want to stay here, I'll have someone take you back." With that, he signaled the bodyguards to take the girl away. The sound of sobbing continued, growing fainter and fainter. Arthur took a few steps closer to Evelyn, his voice devoid of emotion. "Satisfied?" Evelyn stared at him for two seconds, the fake smile completely vanishing from her face. After a long moment, she scoffed at herself. "You make me sick." With that, she pushed past Arthur, her high heels clicking as she walked out. She was still wearing the mermaid gown stained with wine. Arthur's back was to the door, so I couldn't see his expression.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "404121", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel