But Alicia stepped back, avoiding Adam’s hand. Her voice stayed cold. “Thank you, but I don’t need it. Keep your money and your concern for someone who does.”


    Just as she was about to push everything back to Adam, Archie’s angry voice carried over. “Adam, what are you doing? Tiffany fell in the water. Why aren’t you over here looking after her? What’s so important out there?”


    Adam nced back inside and met Tiffany’s tearful, pleading eyes. She looked truly hurt. After all, she was his real sister. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.


    He turned quickly to Alicia. “Just take these, Alicia. Rent yourself a decent ce, and let me know where you end up. I have to go.”


    With that, Adam turned and hurried back inside. Following Hugh’s order, a servant soon came and closed the gate.


    Adam walked over to Tiffany and asked with concern, “Tiffany, are you all right?” She clutched her chest, coughing violently without a word.


    Andrew grew angry and raised his voice. “Adam, Tiffany fell into the water and you know she has a weak constitution. You are a doctor, but you wasted time chasing after that ungrateful girl instead of checking on your real sister. Do you even care about Tiffany?”


    Adam frowned. “Why haven’t you taken Tiffany inside yet? You know she fell into the water. Why keep her out here in the cold wind? She could catch a chill.”


    Andrew grew even angrier. “We tried to carry her inside, but every time we touched her, she gasped for air like she couldn’t breathe. We didn’t dare move her again.”


    Adam turned to look at Tiffany. As a doctor, her condition did not seem serious to him. “Tiffany,” he asked, “are you really unable to move?”


    Hearing Adam’s skeptical tone, Tiffany burned with anger. ‘What’s wrong with Adam? When I fell in, he didn’te to save me. Instead, he went to help Alicia. And now he’s questioning me? Is this really my brother? I’ll make sure he learns the lesson.


    She looked up weakly, her eyes shining with tears. “Adam, do you not like me? Do you think I’ve been stealing from Alicia since I came back?”


    Tears started to fall as she spoke. “I never wanted to take anything from her, or make her leave. I’m sorry. I never should havee back. I should have just died out there long ago. It’s all my fault. I made Alicia unhappy, and now I’ve upset you too.”


    She spoke between sobs, looking fragile enough to copse at any moment. Seeing Tiffany so upset, Hugh, Maria, and the other Lawrence brothers all turned their angry stares toward Adam.


    Aaron snapped, “Adam, what is wrong with you? Have you forgotten Tiffany is our real sister? Why are you taking that Alicia’s side instead of caring for your own family?”


    Andrew added, “Adam, you’ve been away too long. You have no idea how kind and timid Tiffany really is. All she has ever done is try to fit in, while Alicia has done nothing but bully her since day one.”


    Archie chimed in, “Exactly. Adam, you don’t even know what really happened, and yet you’re making Tiffany feel guilty? That’s not right. She deserves better from her own brother.”


    Adam was dumbfounded. “What? I didn’t even do anything.” He stood therepletely bewildered. I haven’t done anything


    wrong. I just asked her, as a doctor, if she really couldn’t move. Since when is that such a terrible sin?’


    Maria couldn’t stand to see Tiffany so upset any longer. She raised her hand and pped Adam across the face. “You ungrateful child! The first thing you do when youe home is make your sister cry? Get out of my sight, and don’t you daree back.”


    Adam opened his mouth to exin, but Hugh cut him off impatiently. “What else is there to say? Hurry up and find a way to carry your sister inside. It’s windy and raining out here. She’ll only get worse if we dy.” Adam feltpletely wronged, but he could not say another word.


    Seeing Adam’s frustration, Tiffany smirked inwardly. ‘Serves you right for helping Alicia.’ Still not satisfied, she held out her


    hand to him.


    “Adam, will you carry me inside? Aaron, Andrew, and Archie aren’t doctors. They don’t know how to hold me properly. I could hardly breathe,” she spoke in a pitiful, wounded tone.


    Then, with her head lowered, she added softly, “If you don’t want to, it’s okay. I can walk by myself.” She tried to stand up, but the moment she moved, she started gasping for air, looking as though she might stop breathing any second.


    Under heavy pressure, Adam had no choice but to bend down and lift Tiffany into his arms. Her years away had clearly taken a toll. She was painfully thin for a twenty-year-old, her body so underdeveloped that she could have passed for fifteen


    or sixteen.


    After all, Tiffany was his biological sister. Adam couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for her. He held her a little tighter and said, “I’ll help you regain your health. You’ll feel better soon.”


    As her anger finally ebbed away, Tiffany softened her tone. “Thank you, Adam,” she said.


    Adam carried Tiffany towards the house, and the entire family swarmed around them, following closely until they were all swallowed up by the warmth inside.


    Tiffany savored the attention. “This is the life I was meant to have. Alicia stole what wasdy was supposed to be me, not her.’


    rightfully mine. This proper young


    The injustice burned inside Tiffany. ‘I’ll make Alicia pay. I won’t be satisfied until she suffers so much that she’d rather be dead.’


    Kevin watched the entire scene unfold from the car outside the Lawrence house. He nced cautiously toward the back seat and froze.


    There sat Charles, a man known for his icyposure and merciless demeanor. And he was smiling, a faint but unmistakable curve softening his lips.


    Kevin felt like he had seen a ghost. He pinched his thigh hard. The sharp pain confirmed this was no dream.


    ‘Mr. Yates is actually smiling. But why is he smiling? His own nephew just got pped, and he’s amused? Did that whole Lawrence family drama actually entertain him?’ Kevin was totally confused.


    Then he checked the time and realized they had already been parked here much longer than usual. A chill of panic shot through him. ‘Crap, I got so distracted by the drama that I forgot to drive! So he asked cautiously, “Mr. Yates, shall we head off now?”


    “Wait a little longer,” Charles replied, his voice clear and cold, cutting through the quiet interior of the car. His eyes remained fixed on the scene outside, unwavering and intent.


    Kevin breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn’t being scolded for wasting time here. But then he was a bit surprised. ‘Mr. Yates told me to wait? Does he actually want to see what happens next? Is there a secret gossip lover hidden under that icy shell?’


    Charles had no idea what Kevin was thinking. If he had, he might have dryly remarked, “You have quite the imagination.” <fn820a> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? ?ovelFind</fn820a>


    Kevin kept watching Charles closely, but Charles’s attention remained entirely fixed on the girl who had just left the Lawrence house.


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