Claudia looked uneasy at my impatient tone. “So you’re still upset because your father and I sent you to the orphanage? Haven’t we already explained it? Why are you still being so small-minded? It’s not nice at all.”
“You’re nothing like Phoebe.”
“Mom.”
A gentle hand held her arm.
A bright and elegant girl stood beside her, carrying the air of someone born into wealth.
“So this is Sister Freya?”
“I wondered which school Freya attended and what she had learned. As for me, though not perfect, I’ve tried everything, zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.”
“Oh, I almost forgot, Freya grew up in an orphanage. You must have worked really hard to get into college, right?”
Phoebe’s tone carried a clear mix of pride and mockery. “I don’t remember having any sisters. Don’t go around claiming that.”
I looked at the woman pretending to be the victim after taking all the benefits for herself. When the manager brought out my customized jewelry, I brushed past Phoebe. I hadn’t even used much strength, yet she fell to the floor with a loud cry.
Claudia stared at me, shocked. “I can’t believe your temper has only gotten worse over the past eight years. You haven’t even come home yet, and you already dare to push people. If you had returned eight years ago, would you have killed someone by now?!”
She was completely unreasonable. She kept standing in my way, talking nonstop.
“Claudia, I was adopted by another family eight years ago. I only came today to pick up my jewelry, not to look for you.”
“My parents have treated me with love, as if I were their own daughter. I have no wish to be yours.”
Claudia’s face turned completely cold. “What nonsense are you saying? Your mother is standing right here. Even if you’re joking, there should be a limit.”
Yet, a hint of panic flashed in her eyes. The daughter she hadn’t seen for eight years now felt like a stranger, as if something precious had slipped from her hands.
Seeing no one pay her attention, Phoebe slowly got up from the floor.
“Mom, maybe I shouldn’t stay at home anymore. The family isn’t mine; everything I have once belonged to Freya. It’s only right that I give it back.”
As she spoke, she began taking off her jewelry. “Here, these are yours. I just have one small request: can I still be your daughter?”
Her voice sounded heartbreakingly soft.