Chapter 2
At the welcome home dinner, my plate and forks were placed at the very end of the table.
I quietly picked them up and went to crouch in a corner.
Mrs. Carter frowned at me: “What are you doing?”
“Two years in the mountains and you’ve forgotten basic etiquette?”
I buried my head in the bowl, gripping the forks tightly: “I haven’t forgotten.”
Mrs. Carter sighed, about to pull me up, when Jessica suddenly cleared her throat and announced: “Dad, Mom, Liam and I are planning our engagement ceremony for next week.”
Her gaze then shifted to me, a meaningful look in her eyes: “Oh, and Alice, I hope you’ll bless your sister’s engagement. You’ll definitely love the ceremony, it’s outdoors.”
Outdoors?
A lawn wedding?
My spoon paused mid-air.
Flashes of memory flickered through my mind, of me blushing shyly in Liam’s arms.
“Liam, when we get engaged, I want green grass, a blue sky, and birds in the trees, celebrating with us, okay?”
In that memory, Liam’s face was etched with impatience.
“Alice, can you be a bit more sensible?”
“Can’t you see I’m busy?”
I hastily shut up, quickly lowering my head in submission.
“I’m sorry. You go ahead and work then.”
That topic died before it even began.
Later, Liam never asked again, and I never dared to bring it up.
Until Jessica came back.
My fork clattered against the bowl, a sharp sound that jolted me awake. I quickly grabbed my food and started wolfing it down.
When I was done, I presented the sparkling clean bowl to them.
“I licked the bowl clean,” I pleaded, trying to please them. “Can I go now?”
Mrs. Carter’s smile froze.
“Alice, where are you going?”
“Tell Mom what you want, and Mom will have someone buy it for you.”
She subtly gestured to the maids, telling them to stop me.
Watching the maids surround me, my eyes widened in terror. I instinctively fell to my knees, clutching my head, begging desperately: “Don’t hit me, please don’t hit me! I’m sorry… I’m so sorry. Take whatever you want… I’ll never dare again, never again…”
“Alice…” Mrs. Carter choked out, rushing to hug me, but I recoiled even more violently.
“Mom… Mom will protect me? No… Mom is bad, Mom doesn’t love me…”
I mumbled incoherently, my body pressed tightly against the corner of the wall.
Everyone at the dinner table had different expressions, but no one spoke. They exchanged glances, then scoffed at me with thinly veiled contempt.
She even tried to steal her sister’s fiancé; faking madness to gain sympathy wasn’t really that strange.
On the day of Jessica’s engagement, she specifically asked me to be there.
She announced to everyone that I was her sister, and no matter how much I hurt her, she would forgive me.
So, in the eyes of outsiders, Jessica was the generous, kind sister, and I was the wicked, ungrateful adopted daughter.
Stealing her sister’s fiancé, forcing her sister to attempt suicide—it was unforgivable.
The old stories resurfaced, and my ears were filled with all sorts of vile remarks.
Some cursed me to die a terrible death, others sympathized with Jessica for having such a malicious sister.
And some whispered gleefully behind their hands: “I heard she was sent to the mountains for two years. I wonder if she hooked up with any men?”
“I heard the men in the remote mountains work the land daily, they’re strong and robust, probably a real treat. She couldn’t have resisted the temptation, could she?”
“Who knows? If she hadn’t finally given up on her sister’s fiancé, why would Liam have bothered to bring her back?”
These formerly distinguished socialites now spat venom like gossiping hags.
I listened to every word, clutching Pippin tighter. Pippin growled restlessly in my arms. I gently stroked his head: “Hush, boy. Don’t cause trouble, Pippin. Causing trouble gets you beaten.”
After calming Pippin, I looked up and met Liam’s eyes.
Memories washed over me like a tidal wave.
My scalp crawled, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably.
By the time I reacted, I was already on my knees.