Chapter 15
“Lucy, you misunderstood what I said. Mom didn’t mean it that way. I’m just so happy you’re back. If you had told me in advance, I could have had the servants prepare some of your favorite dishes.”
Lucille felt increasingly uncomfortable hearing Dahlia’s repeated use of the word “Mom” to refer to herself.
She ignored Dahlia and walked into the living room.
As she walked into the living room, her gaze fell on the girl sitting on the sofa.
The girl’s face was pale and sickly, with sunken cheeks and lips devoid of color due to chronic illness.
She was Oriel Cobb, the illegitimate daughter Gary had with Dahlia by cheating on Kerri.
When Lucille was a little girl, she felt sympathetic toward Oriel. She was saddened by her father’s death and Oriel’s poor health. As a result, she treated Oriel as if she were her biological sister.
The truth was that Oriel, her so–called sister, was not as unfortunate as she thought.
Although Gary and Dahlia had portrayed Oriel as Lucille’s younger sister to the public, she was actually only a few months younger than Lucille.
Oriel was dressed in a snow–white cashmere sweater with a light brown knitted skirt, her black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her sickly look indeed made her seem quite pitiful.
Oriel noticed Lucille staring at her in silence. The unspoken scrutiny made Oriel keenly aware of the stark contrast between them. While Lucille’s face was radiant and lovely, with shining eyes and perfect teeth, Oriel’s was pale and sickly.
Oriel had always been jealous of Lucille–for being born into a prestigious family, for being openly recognized as a daughter of the Cobb family, and for her stunning beauty.
We’re both Gary’s children, yet I can’t rightfully be acknowledged as a daughter of the Cobb family. Instead, I’m stuck with the label of “stepdaughter“.
Why is it so unfair?
Is it just because Lucille’s mom is Gary’s first wife?
Watching Lucille looking at her with such an indifferent gaze, Oriel felt like she was just an insignificant item being scrutinized.
Her deep–seated insecurity and the resentment she had bottled up inside suddenly surged and enveloped her.
Oriel didn’t bother to keep up the pretense of sisterly affection and said with a cold expression, “Lucy, why are you looking at me like that?”
Lucille smirked and replied, “It’s nothing. I just noticed you appear to be slightly uglier than the last time I saw you.”
Oriel’s face contorted with anger when she heard her remark.
appearful
Listening to Lucille deliver her remark in a flat tone was even more hurtful than if she had done so sarcastically. It was as if every word she spoke was an undeniable truth.
Oriel’s already pale face turned even more ashen with rage.
Gary and Dahlia’s expressions also shifted when they heard Lucille’s comment, with a faint trace of anger instantly appearing in their eyes.
“Lucy, how can you speak to Ori like that? Her health is already in such poor condition, and as her older sister, how can you be so cold and sarcastic?”
Gary’s expression hardened. As Lucille’s father, he clearly had more authority to reprimand her than Dahlia did.
Lucille showed no sign of remorse when she heard Gary’s reprimand.
Instead, she looked at Gary with a seemingly innocent expression and said, “Dad, I’m just speaking the truth. How did it come across as sarcasm? People said that with a stepmother comes a stepfather as well. I always thought that was nonsense, but now I realize they were right.”
She turned to look at Dahlia, who also wore a displeased expression. She then said with a scoff, “Since this stepmother arrived, I can’t even speak the truth without being criticized.”
“Lucy, how can you say that?” Dahlia’s eyes reddened with feigned grievance.
“Haven’t I always treated you well? Did I ever deprive you of anything, or did I ever scold or punish you?”
