Chapter 79

Rachel couldn’t even tell if Samantha had truly forgotten to buy gifts for her mother, or if William simply wanted to please his future mother-in-law by using Rachel’s gifts.

At night, after she was done with her IV drip and was preparing to hail a cab home, she walked past Samantha’s mother’s ward. She saw William seated on the chair, chatting with the elderly woman. Samantha was standing by William’s side with a knife in hand, peeling an apple. They were all smiles as they chatted with each other, looking just like a happy family.

A sudden gust of wind blew in from the end of the corridor. Rachel couldn’t hold back a shudder as she wrapped herself tighter in her thin cardigan. She retracted her gaze and turned to leave.

It was past nine at night by the time she reached home. Since she hadn’t had dinner, she ordered something simple and fuss-free.

Since William gave her father’s gifts to Samantha’s mother, she had to wake up early the next day and make another trip to the shopping mall. That was exactly what Rachel did the next day when she woke up, buying all the gifts she did previously at the mall before taking a cab straight to her family home.

The living room was bustling with excitement, as if it didn’t make a difference whether she was there or not. She smirked self-derisively. Things hadn’t changed one bit.

The servants were the first ones to spot Rachel at the door, and swiftly announced, “Ms. Lloyd is back.” Everyone in the living room turned their attention to her at once. Despite her greatest efforts to ignore it, Rachel could still sense the hostility and antagonism.

She nodded at Mrs. Jones. “Today is my father’s birthday. I came back to visit him.”

Mrs. Jones said with a bright smile, “Mr. Lloyd will be very glad. I’ll tell him straight away.”

“Sure.”

Rachel was naturally very familiar with the house, but it all felt so strange to her at the same time. She had just stepped into the house when she felt a slight piercing pain on her face. She cupped her right cheek and heard gleeful laughter coming from the living room.

“I hit the target! I hit it!” A little boy was all smiles as he stood a short distance away with a slingshot in hand.

“Henry, you hit somebody! Watch out, or I’ll tell your dad about it.” A lady with a svelte figure approached her, speaking with a gentle voice as melodious as that of a nightingale. “I’m so sorry, Rachel. Henry is still young, so please forgive him.”

Rachel’s heart trembled. She was nothing but a mere “somebody” in this house. What else could she expect? She was not a legitimate daughter of this family, unlike her younger sister Yvette.

Chapter 78

Yvette was the only one her mother and father treated as their own. Rachel naturally had no reason to pick on a nine-year-old. She was back just to see her father, perhaps for the very last time.

“Yeah, it’s Father’s birthday today. I’m back to see him.”

Yvette drew closer to Rachel and surveyed the latter from head to toe. She then crossed her arms and chuckled coldly. “Grandpa’s home today. He probably won’t be very happy to see you. Why don’t you leave your gifts here and come another day?”

Rachel knew her grandfather hadn’t forgiven her, even though many years had passed. Although he had Henry after that, it remained like a thorn painfully stuck in his throat.

But this time, things were different. “It’s fine. I’ll leave right after seeing Father,” Rachel said calmly.

With that, she took a step past Yvette, who also moved to block her way.

Yvette’s brows furrowed, clearly losing her patience. “Did you not understand what I said?” She then covered her mouth and smirked, as if recalling something. “Oh, I remember it now! You’re deaf and can’t hear a thing. You risked your own life for the sake of a man. How did our family raise a woman as foolish as you?”