55 vouchers


    Aaron Lawrence, the family’s eldest son, frowned. “What’s with the attitude? You hide in your room all day. We’re all busy working and hardly at home. Did you expect us toe upstairs and beg you to join us? Why can’t you be more like Tiffany? She’s thoughtful and sweet. She alwayses to talk with us when we get back.”


    Alicia sneered. “Do you think I want to be locked in my room? I have to paint everything Tiffany posts online, even the piece she needs to be Mr. West’s student. I’d love toe down for tea and empty small talk, but when do I have the time?”


    “Besides, everything I said is true. I was never really part of this family, and none of you ever treated me like one. There’s no reason for me to be in your photo,” Alicia added.


    Maria had never expected the always-obedient Alicia to talk back. When Andrew came down earlier saying Alicia was throwing a tantrum, she hadn’t believed him. But now it appeared to be true.


    ‘How dare she? She’s just a homeless orphan we took in out of kindness..We give her food and a roof over her head. What’s so wrong with asking her to do a few things for Tiffany?’ Maria thought with rising anger.


    Frowning, she snapped, “We’re only asking you to paint a few pictures. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? For years, you’ve lived as the Lawrence daughter in Tiffany’s ce, well-fed, well-dressed, wanting for nothing. Do you have any idea how much she suffered out there? That should have been you. You owe her. Is it really too much to paint for her? How can you be so selfish?”


    Archie chimed in, “Exactly. You owe Tiffany this. What’s the big deal with painting a few pieces for her? Why are you making such a fuss about it?”


    Andrew scoffed, “She has worn someone else’s identity for so long, and starts to believe she’s the real youngdy. But she’s nothing but a cuckoo in the nest.”


    Their words struck Alicia as almost ridiculous. She let out a scornfulugh. “Did I beg to be here? You were the ones who forced me toe here. You lost Tiffany. That is why she suffered. Stop ming me. I will not take responsibility for your mistakes. I have nothing to do with Tiffany, and I owe her nothing.”


    Maria was furious. She pointed at Alicia, her hand trembling, too angry to speak. Aaron put on his elder brother act. “Alicia, look what you’ve done to Mom. Apologize now, finish that painting for Tiffany, and hand it over. Do that, and we’ll let this go.”


    Alicia curled her lips into a faint smile. “In that case, don’t bother letting it go. I won’t apologize, and I will never paint for Tiffany again.”


    Aaron could hardly believe what he was hearing. As the eldest brother, he had always received Alicia’s respect and obedience. She used to do almost anything he asked. But today, she dared to talk back, which made him feel deeply humiliated.


    His hands unconsciously tightened into fists. He was about to speak when Alicia continued, “Since you all see me as a cuckoo in Tiffany’s nest, I’ll leave. I’m giving her ce back to her.”


    “You’re leaving?” Andrewughed. “Stop ying games, Alicia. If you really meant it, you would’ve left when Tiffany returned. You waited until we were all here, just to throw a fit and make us beg you to stay, so you could steal even more of Tiffany’s moment. But it won’t work. We see right through you.”


    Archie nodded in agreement. “Exactly. We’re not ying along. If you want to leave, then go. We’d be happy to see you out. Did you really think we’d beg you to stay? Don’t be ridiculous.”


    Aaron sighed and shook his head dismissively, a look of faint contempt in his eyes. “Don’t make a fool of yourself. No one here is going to stop you.”


    3:31 pm


    55 vouchers


    Only Adam stepped forward and took hold of Alicia’s arm. “Alicia, that’s enough. Apologize to Mom, and we can put this behind us. Look how hard it’s raining outside. Where could you possibly go all alone?”


    Alicia stepped back, pulling her arm away. “You don’t have to worry about me.” She turned to leave without looking back. <fn8938> The source of th?s content is FindN()vel</fn8938>


    Adam nced at the heavy rain, which was now streaked with lightning and rumbling with thunder. He reached out to grab Alicia’s backpack, his face full of concern.


    Alicia was caught off guard, so Adam managed to pull the backpack off her shoulder. He froze for a moment, ‘Is this all she’s taking?’ He stared at Alicia. “This is all you have? You don’t even have an umbre.”


    Archie snorted, a mocking smirk ying on his lips. “She barely brought anything. She’s not really nning to leave. She just wants us to beg her to stay.”


    Andrew added with a scornfulugh, his eyes cold and dismissive as he nced toward Alicia’s backpack. “Even her act is so fake. Disgusting.”


    Alicia snatched her backpack back from Adam. “Everything in here is what I bought with my own money. I won’t take a single thing your family bought.” With that, she walked toward the door.


    “Where do you think you’re going?” A cold, authoritative voice rang out from upstairs: Alicia turned and saw her adoptive father, Hugh Lawrence, standing on the staircase, holding a coffee cup and watching her with icy eyes.


    “To where I belong,” Alicia replied, her voice calm and her gaze steady, showing no trace of hesitation. Then, without another word or a backward nce, she turned and walked away.


    “Stop.” Hugh’s cold voice halted Alicia. He descended the stairs, handed his coffee cup to a maid, and settled onto the sofa, his icy gaze never leaving Alicia. “Don’t push this too far. You can’t ruin something this important. Is the painting for Tiffany done?”


    Hearing his father’s question, Andrew grinned triumphantly. ‘Let’s see if this stubborn girl still dares to act tough now. I can’t wait to watch her beg.


    He cut in before Alicia could speak, “Dad, Alicia said Tiffany’s business doesn’t matter. Only her own does. She says she owes Tiffany nothing and won’t lift a finger for Tiffany anymore. She even wants to leave our family.” He drew out thest few words, emphasizing each word.


    Hugh’s eyes grew even colder, edged with disdain. ‘A stray we took in years ago actually thinks she’s above Tiffany? How delusional. Tiffany is my real daughter, the true Lawrence heiress.’


    ‘Let her go. When she can’t make it on her own andes crawling back, we’ll have her exactly where we want her. She’ll be Tiffany’s shadow for the rest of her life. With that thought, Hugh said coldly, “If you want to leave, then go.”


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