Chapter 6

Dexter was well known in high society as a man who doted on his wife. He supported all of Myra’s decisions without question, just like when she signed that check for 50 million earlier—he didn’t say a word. Since his biological daughter was about to be rightfully acknowledged as part of the family, there was no way he would object. “Alright, I’ll take care of it,” he said. The moment Dexter agreed, Kayla’s face paled. She knew if she protested now, it would only irritate Myra and Dexter further, making it impossible to change anything. However, once Felicia’s true identity was revealed, Kayla’s false status would be declared too. Everyone would know her real parents were nothing but lowlife scoundrels. Clenching her fists tightly, Kayla cast a resentful glance at Felicia, her eyes filled with growing hatred. She figured that was why Felicia had pretended to want to leave. It was a door-in-the-face technique. Sensing something, Felicia glanced back and caught a brief glimpse of the malice in Kayla’s eyes. It quickly disappeared, replaced by her usual innocent smile. “Isn’t this wonderful, Felicia? We’ll be a family from now on!” Kayla said. Felicia shot her a small smile. “Yes, wonderful.” “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” Felicia thought to herself. It was a tactic she had learned from Kayla. In her previous life, Felicia had kept her head down, not competing for anything, desperately craving even a sliver of attention from her parents. In the end, she was accepted back into the Fuller family but only as their adopted daughter. This time, though, she had used a different approach. By taking a step back to gain the upper hand and shedding a few well-timed tears, she managed to claim a fair outcome that should have been hers all along. Was she beating the devil as his own game? Felicia yawned. “I’m tired.” It was getting late after all the drama, and Myra quickly agreed. “Oh my, it’s almost midnight! Come, Licia, let’s go upstairs and see your room.” Dexter, still smiling warmly, led the way himself. When they reached the second floor, Myra expected Dexter to have picked out one of the guest rooms with good lighting and a nice view for Felicia. Instead, he stopped in front of Kayla’s bedroom door. The room had obviously been redecorated. All of Kayla’s belongings had been moved out, and the furnishings were different. Myra hesitated for a moment. “What is going on?” “Mom, it was my idea,” Kayla said, sticking out her tongue in a playful, mischievous way. “I’ve taken Felicia’s place for so long, it’s only right that I let her have the room now that she’s back. As long as you don’t kick me out, I don’t mind where I sleep.” That one sentence practically melted Myra’s heart. “You silly child! We have plenty of rooms in this house. You don’t need to make such a big sacrifice.” “That’s not the same,” Kayla insisted with a bright, innocent smile. “This is the best room, so of course it should go to Felicia! Besides, as long as you love me, it won’t be a big sacrifice!” Myra was saying it would be a big sacrifice, and Kayla was saying that as long as she loved her, it wouldn’t be a big sacrifice. The whole exchange made Felicia feel like she was being painted as the villain who was taking something that wasn’t hers. Cutting through the sentimental moment, Felicia asked plainly, “If you’re not willing to give it up, then why did you offer it to me?” Was she just trying to play the part of the considerate and selfless daughter? “No, no, I really want to!” Kayla hurried to explain, looking flustered. “As long as you don’t mind, I’m happy to give you anything!” “Oh, in that case, thank you,” Felicia replied, stepping into the room without hesitation. She turned back toward them and added, “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.” Seeing how she accepted it so naturally, Kayla was left speechless. She had expected her to politely refuse it. After all, Kayla had prepared a whole list of things to say. If Felicia had just resisted a little, she could’ve kept the room while still appearing generous and considerate. However, Felicia wasn’t playing by Kayla’s rules. As Kayla’s face fell, Felicia tilted her head. As if puzzled, she asked, “Hmm? You don’t look happy. Are you not willing to offer me your room?” If Kayla said she wasn’t willing, her whole “good girl” act would crumble. However, if she said she was, she’d never be able to complain about this again. After all, she had volunteered to give away her own room. For once, Kayla couldn’t form a response. Hence, she had to grit her teeth and keep smiling. “No, no, I’m happy to do this. You should get some rest, Felicia. Goodnight!” With a faint smile, Felicia nodded, gave a quick goodnight to Myra and Dexter, and closed the door. The room had clearly been carefully arranged. All the bedding had been changed, and even the furniture had been moved. The only thing left from Kayla was a framed family photo deliberately placed on the desk. The picture was a family portrait of four people—Dexter and Myra standing in the middle, with a smiling Kayla on the left and a serious Sebastian on the right. Sebastian Fuller was Felicia’s biological older brother. He worked abroad most of the time and rarely returned home. Even in her previous life, she had only met him a handful of times. They weren’t close, and Sebastian was distant from everyone, so they hadn’t interacted much. There was no doubt the photo had been left there on purpose. Kayla probably meant it as a subtle way of asserting her position and showing Felicia that she was the real outsider. It was a simple gesture, but one designed to hit right where it hurt. Felicia remembered how much this photo had stung her in her past life. However, in her current life, she couldn’t care less. This place wasn’t her home, and she wouldn’t be staying for long anyway. With a small laugh, Felicia put the photo back in its place. Then she took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and climbed into bed. Once everything was settled, she sat cross-legged on the bed, closed her eyes, and began to meditate. In this state, Felicia’s mind seemed to open into another world. A dense cloud of archaic script floated toward her from all directions. If anyone could understand these texts, they would be shocked to recognize them as part of a long-lost medical manuscript. It was one that every top-tier alternative doctor would kill to get their hands on.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Bab Sebelumnya6/100Bab selanjutnya