I looked at the three of them, playing their clumsy tricks, and sneered inwardly. "Fine, I'll be your adopted daughter, but I need 200 thousand dollars."
It just so happened I needed some money to invest in a new venture.
Draven's face darkened. "Are you crazy?"
"Looks like there's no place for me in this family." I picked up my suitcase and started to leave.
"There's no way we don't love you. It’s just that Laura was at a critical stage of recovery from surgery." Rayne grabbed my hand, and Draven chimed in.
I raised an eyebrow. "So, you decided to ignore me completely? And now that you're bringing me back, what do you want? You’re even forcing me to be an adopted daughter. Have you ever considered my feelings?"
By the end, I was losing control of my emotions.
Rayne hugged me tightly, tears streaming down her face as she kept apologizing and handed me a card.
Draven sighed and gave me 200 thousand dollars, even telling me to pick any of Laura's jewelry from the table.
Laura bit her lip and glared at Draven. "Mom, Dad, isn't that my birthday gift?"
They sighed and assured her they would make it up to her later.
Laura's face was full of anger. As I stuffed her jewelry into my suitcase, she glared at me with hatred and whispered, "You won't be smug for long."
I curled my lips slightly. She didn’t know the one who wouldn't be smug for long was her.
Anyone who harbored ill intentions towards me ended up either sick or bankrupt. I wondered if her frail body could handle what was coming.
At dinner, Laura continued her clumsy trick by having the maid prepare a table full of foreign food.
She ate with elegant knife-and-fork skills, probably thinking that I, a bumpkin, would embarrass myself in front of our parents, making them dislike me even more.
Unfortunately, I was in the countryside just to gather inspiration for my paintings. I had had this kind of foreign food so often abroad that I was sick of it.
I picked up the knife and fork and ate as usual.
Laura, likely frustrated that her plan hadn't worked, clung to our parents, bringing up her birthday party and showing off how close she was to them.
They immediately handed her a card, telling her she could buy whatever she wanted. Laura suddenly asked for Rayne's sapphire necklace and urged her to get it.
Seeing the sly look in her eyes, I knew exactly what she was up to. How could I not, after reading so many novels?