Alicia said nothing more. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and pulled open the door. A cold, damp wind blew in, chilling her to the bone.


    It was early autumn, and Riverdale was in the middle of its rainy season. No one could say how long the downpour wouldst, but Alicia knew she had to leave now, no matter what. <fn6834> Follow current nov?ls on Find~Novel</fn6834>


    From behind, Maria called out, “Alicia, if you walk out that door today, don’t you daree back! Without the Lawrence name, no one out there will even look your way.”


    Alicia acted as though she hadn’t heard a thing and walked on without looking back. She had no intention of ever returning.


    Adam watched the wind and rain raging outside, his anxiety growing. He hurried over to stop Alicia. “Alicia, it’s pouring out there. Where will you go? Just listen to me. Apologize to Mom and Dad. It’s better than being out in this storm.”


    Alicia, however, reached out and pried Adam’s hand away, finger by finger. “Your real sister is back now. You should focus your attention on her. Just leave me alone.”


    Adam stared at his empty hand, momentarily stunned. “But you’re my sister too,” he blurted out, the wordsing out louder and more bluntly than he intended.


    Tiffany saw Adam caring for Alicia and even calling her his sister. She felt a sudden surge of anger. “That Alicia is just a nobody who doesn’t even know her own parents. How can she be my elder sister? My brother should only care about me and only love me.''”


    Jealousy burned in Tiffany’s chest. When she saw Alicia walk toward the outdoor pool, a sly glint shed in her eyes.


    She rushed out, grabbed Alicia’s arm, and pleaded, “Alicia, please don’t go. I know you’re upset that I’m back. You’re afraid I’ll take your ce. But I have nowhere else to go. Can’t I stay? I promise I won’tpete with you. Please don’t leave.”


    Alicia took one look at Tiffany’s act and let out a coldugh. “Save your performance for someone who’ll believe it. It doesn’t work on me. Once I’m gone, you can put on a show for your precious family. They’ll fall for every bit of it.”


    After speaking, Alicia tried to pull her hand free. But Tiffany shed a provocative smile, tightened her grip, and whispered for only Alicia to hear.


    “Today I’ll show you who the real Lawrence daughter is and exactly who the family truly care about.” With that, she yanked Alicia hard toward her.


    Alicia raised an eyebrow. Quick and agile, she was ready to throw Tiffany into the pool. Suddenly, she heard a car pull up outside. She nced over and instantly recognized the license te number. With a full set of eights, it was Charles’s car.


    Alicia changed her mind. ‘If Tiffany drags me into the pool and the whole family gangs up on me right in front of Charles, would he feel even a tiny bit of sympathy for me? I still have that brooch, which means I’m his savior. If his savior is in trouble, shouldn’t he help?’


    “This time, I won’t let him support Tiffany. If I can win him over, that’s even better. If not, I’ll at least show him Tiffany’s true colors.


    So she shifted her position, making sure anyone outside could see Tiffany pulling her. Then she let herself fall into the water with Tiffany.


    The moment she hit the water, Alicia swallowed a mouthful. She choked so hard that it felt like half her life had drained


    away.


    into the open sea.


    Sheined silently to herself. ‘I’ve lived through nine lives. Howe I’ve never learned how to swim?’ Now all she could do was thrashing helplessly in the water.


    At that moment, Alicia heard the noise around her, her mother shouting, her father calling out, her brothers yelling, all of them frantic as they cried out for Tiffany. And through the family’s panic, she made out a voice she knew all too well. It was her boyfriend, Henry Yates.


    Alicia suddenly realized she had almost forgotten she even had a boyfriend. So much time had passed that he had nearly faded from her memory. ‘Why is he here? I didn’t see him when I came downstairs.’


    She struggled in the water, forced her eyes open, and looked toward Henry, only to see him swimming directly toward Tiffany.


    By then, Tiffany’s brothers were also rushing through the water to reach Tiffany. And if she remembered correctly, Tiffany knew how to swim.


    “Typical. My boyfriend would rather save Tiffany than me, and I’m the one who can’t even swim. What a joke. But why am I surprised? I’ve known all along he’s trash. I need to see how the man outside in the car reacts.’ Alicia thought.


    She tried to turn toward the door, but in the water she had no control. Before she could even see it, she started to sink. ‘Did I go too far? I never should have jumped in with Tiffany, Alicia already regretted it.


    ‘Now that no one’sing to save me. I have to save myself. Just as she was working out how to get out, arge hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her from the water.


    The understated modified car was parked outside as usual. Every time it returned this way, it would stop for a while in front of the Lawrence house.


    Kevin Quinn pulled over and stole a nce toward the back seat through the rearview mirror. He had been driving for Charles for over three years. Every time Charles came home and passed the Lawrence house, he would stop here for more than ten minutes.


    During those ten minutes, Charles never left the car. He just sat quietly, watching the Lawrence house. Sometimes Kevin wondered if Charles had taken a liking to this house.


    Every time Charles gazed at the house from the back seat, Kevin would also nce at it from the front. But after looking so many times, he still couldn’t figure out what was special about the house. It was nothingpared to Yates Manor.


    But today, as soon as he nced back, he saw a sh of panic in Charles’s eyes. Charles’s hand went to the door handle, looking ready to step out. Kevin reached quickly for an umbre, but before he could take it, Charles let go of the handle. He stayed in the car.


    The wind is howling and the rain is pouring. I’m not even sure this umbre would help. I was worried Mr. Yates would get soaked, so it’s a good thing he stayed in the car, Kevin thought, feeling a sense of relief.


    Both Alicia and Tiffany were brought under the poolside sunshade. Maria wrapped her own shawl around Tiffany, her eyes red with worry. “My precious Tiffany, are you all right?”


    Hugh rushed inside and called out to the kitchen staff, “Prepare some ginger tea, now. Make sure it’s hot and strong. We need it right away.”


    Andrew gently patted Tiffany’s back. “Tiffany, sweetheart, did you swallow water? Try to cough and get it all out. Just take your time and breathe.”


    Archie watched anxiously, rubbing Tiffany’s hands to warm them. Even Henry looked on with concern, gently brushing the wet hair away from Tiffany’s forehead and tucking it behind her car.


    As for Alicia, only Adam remained by her side. “Are you okay?” he asked with concern, “My clothes are soaked too. Can you walk? If not, wait here. I’ll get you a nket to keep warm.” With that, he hurried toward the house.


    AD


    Comment


    Send gift


    No Ads