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    Hugh was silent for a few seconds before he said, “Alright, I promise.”


    “Thank you, Dad,” Tiffany said happily.


    256 vouchers <fn1ded> ?????? ???? </fn1ded>


    Then Tiffany turned to Adam and said softly, “Adam, see? I did it. Dad said he won’t make Alicia leave school. Now you can stop worrying, right?”


    Adam felt a little relieved. At least Tiffany was a good girl and still had a conscience.


    Adam turned around and ruffled Tiffany’s hair. “I’ll thank you on Alicia’s behalf, Tiffany, You’re such a kind girl–never lose your kindness, remember who you are.”


    At Adam’s words, Tiffany felt a wave of irritation.


    ‘Really, Adam? You’re thanking me for Alicia now? Who gave you that right? He’s putting Alicia first, not me, Tiffany thought to herself. But I’m his real sister.


    Even though she was upset, Tiffany still said brightly, “Don’t worry, Adam. I’ll look after Alicia.”


    Adam smiled, “Silly girl, you’re also my sister, and you need someone to look out for you. From now on, I’ll protect both you and Alicia.”


    Tiffany fumed inside, but she kept a smile on her face. “Okay.”


    Hugh noticed Adam treating Tiffany quite well, and his anger faded a bit.


    He was just about tounch into a whole speech about how family should stick together and know who was closest to them, but before he could get a word out, Adam suddenly cut in, “I came back today for one reason only.”


    Adam nced around at everyone in the Lawrence family and went on, “Since Dad believes every bit of my sess is thanks to the Lawrence family’s connections, then fine.


    “I’ll give everything I got through the family right back. From now on, I’m going after my dreams on my own. I’m quitting my job at the hospital-”


    p. Hugh smacked him across the face before Adam could even finish.


    “Adam, what the hell are you saying?” Hugh shouted. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to get you that job and how much money and effort I sank into it for you?


    “You think you can just walk away? You’re crazy. If you really quit, then you’re no son of mine. Don’t ever show your face in this house again. And all that family wealth? Forget it—you won’t see a single dime.”


    Maria grabbed Hugh’s arm, trying to calm him down. “Please, let it go. He’s just acting out. Take it easy, let me talk to him.”


    Maria hurried over to Adam, grabbing his hand. “Adam, go apologize to your dad, OK? He was just speaking


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    out of anger.


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    “Think about it–if you leave home, quit your job, where are you even going to stay? How could you possibly survive out there?”


    Adam looked at Maria, giving her a mncholy smile. “Mom, I’m a grown man, been working for years, and I’ve got some savings. You’re worried about me leaving. But what about Alicia?


    “She’s just a student–a girl with no job experience. If she leaves home, how will she get by? When she walked out, did you ever try to make Dad change his mind?”


    Maria was stunned into silence by Adam’s words. Hugh scoffed, “Listen to what he’s saying. Just for an outsider, he’s turning his back on his own family.


    “Don’t bother trying to talk sense into him, and don’t try to change my mind either. Let him go. From now on, he’s dead to me.”


    Adam took a step back and bowed. “Thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving me life. Today, I leave–and from this day forward, I will never return to this house.”


    Adam bowed deeply to Maria and Hugh, then rose to his feet and walked away, never once looking back.


    This time, Tiffany didn’t bother trying to talk him out of it. Before, she thought Adam was still worth something, at least with that hospital job.


    She wondered, ‘But now, he’s quit, cut ties with the Lawrence family–what does he even have left to offer? A guy with nothing–why waste my energy pretending to care?‘


    After Adam left, Hugh smashed a coffee set in rage.


    Tiffany quickly went over tofort him, massaging his shoulders as she said, “Dad, don’t worry. No matter who else leaves you, I’ll never abandon you. I’ll always be your little sweetheart.”


    Hugh gave Tiffany a fond pat on the head, his relief clear in his eyes. After a short pause, he said, “Meeting Mr. West is just a few days away. Are you all set?”


    Tiffany replied with confidence, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’m pretty much ready. I’ve been putting in the hours with my art teachertely.


    “And trust me, once I reveal that I’m actually the Sweetheart Queen online, Mr. West will totally want me as his apprentice.”


    Hugh nodded, though concern still lingered on his face. “That’s good, but try to get Alicia back to help out with your paintings ASAP.


    “Even after you be Mr. West’s student, you’ll need to keep showing him fresh stuff regrly. If you don’t keep making new art, he’s going to lose interest.”


    Tiffany shed a determined smile. “Don’t worry, Dad–I’ll work super hard on my art. Next time, I’ll show Mr. West something that’ll blow him away.”


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    But Hugh shook his head. “No matter how much effort you put in, you’ll never catch up to Alicia’s level. She’s been hailed as a genius painter you only see once in a millennium by masters of painting


    “Stop pouring your energy into this–you’ve got way too much to learn, and twelve years is a massive gap. Time’s precious, so focus where it’ll count. From now on, let Alicia handle the painting for you!


    When Tiffany heard her dad say she’d never measure up to Alicia, her chest tightened in frustration. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she softly whimpered, “Dad, so you really think I’m not as good as Alicia?”


    Hugh frowned, giving her a stern look. “I’m mapping out your future so you can shine the brightest. Try thinking on a bigger scale–not obsessing over whether youpare to Alicia.


    “If you keep getting hung up on such petty stuff, there’s no reason for me to n anything for your


    Tiffany looked up at Hugh, her lower lip trembling, eyes pitifully wide. “Dad, I get it. I’m really sorry?


    She’d been hoping Hugh would tell her she was the best at everything–better than Alicia, better than anyone. But instead, he said something that totally crushed her.


    Her chest tightened with fear, worried he might decide she wasn’t worth it and just throw her away, too.


    “Be a good girl and listen up. Trust me, I won’t ever let anything bad happen to you. I’ll take care of everything–your future, your happiness. You’ll live like royalty,” Hugh promised.


    Hugh was dead set on making every one of his kids a legend, the kind of people everyone talked about. He was going to be the father that every family envied.


    Tiffany nodded.


    But then Hugh frowned again. “I nned to get Alicia kicked out of school so she’d have no choice but toe home and paint for you.


    “But you


    wouldn’t let me. Tiffany, you can’t always be so sentimental–even in family, you’ve got to weigh the pros and cons.”


    Tiffany, worried Hugh might be disappointed with her, quickly said, “Dad, I wasn’t doing <i>it </i>for Alicia<i>. </i>But-


    Before she could finish, Hugh held up his hand. “I know, it was for Adam. Maybe not the smartest solution, but it’s something.


    “Actually, you’ve got plenty of other ways to keep Adam close; it doesn’t always have to mean jumping in to help Alicia. You helped her this time, but you can’t do that for her every single time, right?”


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