He suddenly fell silent. He gave me a glance, then turned and headed up the stairs.
Me: “…”
How strange!
7
I thought life would go on peacefully like this.
Until one day, after Alex Cooper returned to the country, she came to see me.
She certainly lived up to her reputation as a famous star. She was beautiful, with a strikingly assertive kind of beauty.
Her reason for coming to see me was simple enough: she said she wanted to visit me, her “sister-in-law.”
But her attitude was anything but friendly. “I hear you used some underhanded tactics to make Riley Carter marry you. If you’re smart, you’ll know what to do.”
“You won’t be able to hold on to the position of Riley Carter’s wife forever.”
[I’d wondered why all those busybodies had thought Alex Cooper’s return would get me dumped.]
[So Alex Cooper had been putting on a false front all along, making it seem like Riley Carter had feelings for her.]
[She likes Riley Carter but doesn’t dare tell him. What a coward. She even came to see me behind his back.]
Seeing through her, I smiled.
“I think you may have misunderstood something.”
“Do you think I care that much about being his wife? If Riley Carter hadn’t begged me not to divorce him, I’d have left him ages ago.”
“I can’t help it. Riley Carter loves me too much. You have no idea—I only agreed not to divorce him because he begged me to.”
Alex Cooper’s face twisted. “You’re lying! How could Riley Carter possibly like you?”
She couldn’t even keep her cool. Looks like she’s not very good at this!
I goaded her. “Why don’t you talk to Riley Carter for me, Ms. Cooper? Just tell him I really want a divorce, and see what he says.”
The fact that Riley Carter loved me and begged me not to divorce him, rather than me being the one who’d married him, was something Alex Cooper couldn’t accept. It wounded her deeply.
She arrived like a proud swan, but left looking utterly bedraggled.
Hmph! You think you can take me on?
I’ve already seen her underwear, too. What could she possibly do to compete with me?
I just never expected Alex Cooper to actually go and ask Riley Carter.
“I heard you love her so much you begged her not to divorce you?”
Riley Carter looked provocative, while I blushed with embarrassment.
“I was just making it up. Who knew she’d actually believe me?”
To my surprise, Riley Carter wasn’t angry that I’d tarnished his reputation. Instead, he gently ruffled my hair.
“Mm-hmm. I do love her that much. You got it right.”
I angrily smacked his hand away.
“Quit touching me! Do you think rubbing my head will make me any taller?”
“Oh, right. New Year’s is coming up, and your older sister will be back in two days.”
“She’s a great cook, so you can look forward to her signature dishes.”
The Lục family had three siblings. Riley Brooks was the eldest, gentle and generous, and married to a university professor named Avery Reed.
After they married, the couple got along well and treated each other with respect.
Maybe Avery Reed will go home with her older sister this time?
8
Not long after Riley Carter finished speaking, I was woken early the next morning by a commotion downstairs.
I’d lived here long enough to know the Lục family never made a racket early in the morning and disturbed people’s sleep like this.
What was going on?
After washing up, I opened the door and saw Riley Carter coming upstairs with a cup of soy milk.
“Sorry I woke you. Have something to tide you over.”
“My older sister is back. Something’s happened, so we might not be able to have breakfast today.”
He looked grim, so I didn’t ask any questions.
After finishing the soy milk, I went downstairs with him.
When we entered the living room, Mother Lục was sitting in the seat of honor. I’d never seen her look so displeased.
“Avery Reed, I entrusted Morgan Anderson to you. Is this how you treat my precious daughter?”
Avery Reed, a university professor, was a very refined man. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, kept his hair neatly combed, and dressed in a tasteful suit. His manner was polished and genteel.
When Mẹ Lục confronted him, he replied calmly, “I know that adopting a child is hard for you to accept.”
“But this is a decision Morgan Anderson and I made together. I hope you can support us.”
Lục's father turned to his eldest daughter. “What do you think?”
“Dad, Mom, I... I don't know.”
Beside him, Riley Brooks bit her lip. She looked as if she'd just been crying, the tip of her nose red.
Standing beside Avery Reed was a little boy with his chin held high.
I watched, still not understanding what was going on.
I was about to open my gossip system when Riley Carter leaned down and whispered in my ear, explaining what had happened.
It turned out Avery Reed had suddenly proposed adopting a child from an orphanage—the very boy standing beside him.
Avery Reed wanted to adopt the boy, but he couldn't do it outright. He had to bring him to ask for the Lục family's approval.
That was because all of his success was thanks to the Lục family's support.
Only if the Lục family accepted the boy could Avery leave his assets to him.
And if the Lục family acknowledged the boy, they would have to help him in the future.
But Riley Brooks's attitude was ambiguous. What she said and did also suggested she wasn't happy that Avery Reed had brought the boy to the Lục family without asking her first.
Avery Reed pushed up his glasses. “Morgan Anderson, didn’t we agree when we came here? Once we’re old and little Anh has grown up, she’ll take care of us in our final years.”
“But... but we were clear about this. We agreed to live child-free—to have no children and adopt none.”
Riley Brooks hesitated for a long time before finally managing to say something.
“But we’ll get old eventually. Who’ll take care of us then?”
Avery Reed’s voice was gentle. “You said before that you didn’t want children, and I agreed even though my family pressured me. I’ve been so good to you—can’t you think about what I want for once?”
For some reason, whenever I looked at him wearing that expression, I felt like something was off.
His words left my oldest sister feeling awful.
I could see how confused she was.
[This is bad. So, so bad. I can’t see even the slightest sign that Avery Reed loves my oldest sister.]
I quickly opened my gossip system.
I wish I hadn’t looked. The moment I did, I was so furious I nearly lost it.
[Avery Reed is such a schemer. He fooled my oldest sister with his fake persona, then spent all these years living off her. And now that he’s gotten what he wanted, he’s turning around and biting the hand that fed him!]
[My oldest sister used to have such a lovely personality, but after marrying him, she became more and more unsure of herself. Turns out this piece of trash has been brainwashing her every day! He says she’s never had to lift a finger—well, only Avery Reed would put up with that. He also says she was spoiled rotten as a child, doesn’t know how to do anything, and couldn’t support herself out in the real world.]
[I feel so bad for my oldest sister. She was cherished at home, but he brainwashed her and wore her down until she did his laundry and cooked for him, worked herself to the bone, and didn’t dare talk back even when he yelled at her.]
[And that boy isn’t from an orphanage at all. He’s Avery Reed’s illegitimate child with his lover!]
9
I silently cursed Avery Reed in my head, not noticing my oldest sister’s sudden stiff expression.
Lục's father slammed the table in anger. “Are you threatening my daughter?”
“I’m telling you right now, adopting this child is out of the question!”
Mẹ Lục spoke coldly. “With the Lục family's wealth, do you really think we couldn’t support you when you’re old?”
Riley Carter stepped forward, too. “Do you really think you’ll have to worry about enjoying your old age with me around?”
Facing the Lục family's criticism, Avery Reed smiled and replied:
“Dad, Mom, I understand what you’re saying, but when we’re old, it would be nice to have a child around to talk to.”
“Morgan Anderson, how are you feeling?”
Then he turned the question to my oldest sister.
I thought anxiously to myself.
[If he wants a child to talk to when he’s old, why did he agree to marry my oldest sister when she said she’d only marry someone who didn’t want children?]
[Didn’t he marry my sister for the Lục family's money and support?]
Under everyone’s gaze, my oldest sister clutched her head, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know. Please don’t ask me…”
Lục's father grew angry that she wouldn’t stand up for herself. “Just tell me this: do you want to adopt this child or not?”
My oldest sister started to speak, but Avery Reed’s expression suddenly changed. He said coldly:
“Morgan Anderson, didn’t we talk this through at home?”
“Are you going to change your mind again?”
I couldn’t stand watching him bully my oldest sister any longer.
“Brother-in-law, it’s obvious from my oldest sister’s attitude that she doesn’t want to do this. Why are you forcing her?”
“You two agreed back then not to have children. Now you suddenly want to adopt one. No matter how you look at it, you’re the one who wronged my oldest sister, but I don’t see any sign that you feel even a little remorse.”
“Besides, you’re both still young. Why rush to adopt this child? He looks perfectly healthy to me—not like he came from an orphanage. Why are you so eager to adopt him? Is something wrong with him?”
That last question made Avery Reed look panicked for a split second.
But he was too good at hiding it.
“Of course not. I just want to plan for the future.”
I was so angry I ground my teeth. [What a disgusting man! He owes everything he is today to my oldest sister, yet for years he’s been sneaking around with a college student!]
[Right after marrying my oldest sister, he had this child with his lover.]
[I can’t believe he’s bold enough to bring the child home and have my oldest sister raise him in plain sight!]
[What is this, taking his wife’s money to raise his mistress’s child?]
Ugh! I was furious on my oldest sister’s behalf!
After the Lục parents pressed her, my oldest sister finally shook her head and cried, “I don’t want to adopt this child!”
Avery Reed’s expression immediately darkened.
“I see. You don’t care about this family.”
He pretended to sigh.
“That’s right. All these years, whatever you say goes. What right do I have to question you or say no?”
“Then, Morgan Anderson, let’s get a divorce. After all, in your eyes, your husband’s decisions have never mattered.”
Avery Reed put on such a pained, sorrowful look that I couldn’t hold back.
“Hey! What are you pretending for?”
“Even a bag couldn’t hold as much as you!”
But his retreat-to-advance ploy made my oldest sister’s face go deathly pale.
“I… I don’t want a divorce.”
[Morgan, please wake up! He’s using divorce to pressure you. That’s his illegitimate child! Can’t you think straight for once?]
[Fine. My oldest sister can’t hear my thoughts, so she has no idea what a scumbag is really like. I’ll have to figure out how to expose what he’s done.]
As I was trying to think of a plan, I heard Riley Carter speak:
“Brother-in-law, I’ve thought it over. I can accept us acknowledging this child, but only if you agree to a DNA test.”
My eyes lit up.
That’s right—a DNA test. The perfect trump card.
How had I not thought of that?
Avery Reed sounded deeply hurt:
“Riley, are you doubting me? Your oldest sister and I truly love each other. We’ve been devoted to each other for years. How can you say that? Don’t you trust her judgment?”
Oh, what a smooth liar!
I almost wanted to give him a round of applause.
“How could you say that, Brother-in-law? I suggested this because I trust my oldest sister—and I trust you.”
I smiled brightly as I mocked him:
“Otherwise, how could we put Dad, Mom, and my oldest sister’s doubts to rest?”
Did he really think all it took for the Lục family to acknowledge this child was my oldest sister’s approval?
Mẹ Lục spoke up, too:
“If you’re so determined to adopt this child, then get a DNA test.”
Avery Reed fell silent for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, he pulled a test report from his pocket:
“I had this taken care of a while ago. This is the paternity test for me, Morgan Anderson, and the child. We’re not related by blood.”