Chapter 3

Both Samuel and Hannah were taken aback. Hannah, still struggling to believe it, asked again, "Isabel, did you say your dad can get well?" Isabel nodded. "Yeah, just give it a try. But I can't promise anything." "Do you know medicine?" Samuel asked, his eyes wide with surprise. Isabel shrugged. "A little. I studied with someone for a while. From now on, take care of your legs."

For the Galvez couple, it felt almost too good to be true. They had found their biological daughter, and she also knew medicine. She was truly a savior. As the evening progressed, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. Feeling overjoyed, Hannah headed to the kitchen to prepare a celebratory feast.

"Mom! Mom! I heard my little sister's back! Is that true?" A loud voice boomed as a man burst into the house, his tone brimming with excitement. Hannah stepped out from the kitchen and shot him an exasperated look. "Keep it down, will you? You'll scare her. She just got here."

Ignoring her, the man continued with even more enthusiasm, "Where's my sister? Where is she?" His eyes scanned the room, and upon spotting Isabel on the couch, he rushed over and enveloped her in a huge hug. "You're back, finally! I'm so happy!" he exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement. He thumped her on the back repeatedly.

"Cough, cough…" Isabel let out a couple of soft coughs. Luckily, she was in decent shape, or else she would have been in trouble. Hannah quickly pulled him away. "Watch it! She's delicate. She's not like you—so rough."

She turned to Isabel, her expression a little sheepish. "Isabel, this is your big brother Alex. He's a tough guy, and a rough one, but not too bright. Don't get intimidated."

"Hi, Alex," Isabel said flatly.

Alex was definitely a rough-and-tumble type. He stood about six feet tall, with broad shoulders, a bit on the heavy side, and a dark complexion. Looking at her parents, Isabel could see they were attractive. Hannah, in particular, was quite beautiful, though the years of hard work had aged her. But Alex had somehow inherited all their flaws and none of their good traits. If it weren't for the fact that his eyes and eyebrows resembled Hannah's, Isabel wouldn't have believed he was part of the Galvez family.

"Isabel, if anyone messes with you, just come to me, your big brother. I've got plenty of muscle, and I'll chase them off for you," Alex said proudly. Isabel stared at him, speechless. He was a little rough around the edges, but she couldn't help feeling touched. He was genuine, far more so than the hypocritical siblings she'd had in the Clyde family.

Soon after, Isabel's other older brother and older sister arrived. Jack was handsome, with good looks and a well-rounded personality. Isabel had heard from Hannah that Maxwell worked at a gaming company, and her older sister, Roy, worked as a pizza delivery girl and was still wearing her uniform.

"Isabel, this is a gift for you. I hope you like it," Jack said, trying to please her with a smile. He looked a little nervous, as if afraid Isabel wouldn't like him. "Thanks, Jack," Isabel smiled warmly. She opened the gift to reveal a cute little rabbit figurine, perfect for her desk.

Roy scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "Isabel, I'm sorry I didn't get you something as great as Maxwell's. I just got off work, and I'm all sweaty. I hope you don't mind." Roy, like Alex, was down-to-earth and hardworking. "It's okay," Isabel said softly.

It was only her first day with the family, and she didn't know them well yet, but she could already tell they were simple, nice people. "Come on, come on! Wash up, dinner's ready. Today, we're celebrating Isabel's return!" Hannah called cheerfully. The table was filled with dishes—each one prepared by her. Samuel was wheeled out to join the family for dinner. Usually, his meals were brought to him in his room, but today he insisted on being part of the gathering.

Alex picked up a piece of steak and said, "Isabel, try this. It's my favorite." Maxwell brought over a bowl of mashed potatoes. "Isabel, Mom's gravy potatoes are amazing. You've got to try them." Roy pointed to the fish. "Isabel, this fish is really yummy. You have to try it." Soon, Isabel's plate was piled high with food. Although her life with the Clyde family hadn't been bad, no one had ever shown her this much care before. "Thank you," Isabel said softly, warmth spreading through her heart.

"It's a shame your little brother, Simon, is boarding at school. He doesn't come home often. And since today's Monday, you wouldn't have seen him anyway," Hannah added, a hint of regret in her voice.

After dinner, Isabel was about to help clear the table, but her siblings insisted she rest. Hannah had prepared a small room for her. It wasn't big, but it was incredibly cozy. Isabel sat by the window, pulling out her phone to make a call.

"Hello, boss. What can I do for you?" A respectful voice came from the other end. Isabel's warm expression quickly turned cold as she gave her orders. "From now on, halt all cooperation with the Clyde Group."

"You've made up your mind. For all these years, we've been losing money just to prop up the Clyde family." The voice on the other end sounded pleased. "Great! I'm so glad you've done this. That old bastard Calus has gotten so used to it, treating us like an ATM. He even acts arrogant and throws tantrums. The Clyde family! They should know their place."

Hanging up, Isabel's mind drifted to the dismemberment case. Hatred swelled in her chest. She had secretly done so much for the Clyde family, only for them to poison and dismember her. If she had the power to raise the Clyde family, she could just as easily bring them down.

Meanwhile, Amelia had successfully returned to the Clyde family. As she gazed at the luxurious mansion, with its soft cashmere carpets and beautiful crystal chandeliers, she was in awe. Everything here took her breath away. She felt like she was in a fairy tale, stepping into her childhood dream. Rosy led her through a tour of the rooms. "Amelia, this is your room. We had it specially decorated as a princess room. Do you like it?"

Amelia stared, speechless. "Mom, this is beautiful! This room is even bigger than the house I lived in before!" Amelia's eyes were wide with amazement. "And these clothes—everything's been prepared for you!" Lucian had someone bring in the clothes he had ordered for her. Amelia couldn't hide her excitement as she gazed at the beautiful outfits. Indeed, she was lucky.

"Go ahead and change into something new. Don't wear those clothes anymore," Rosy urged. Amelia nodded and picked out a dress before heading to her room. At that moment, Caius received a phone call.

"What did you say! The Oceania Group wants to stop cooperating with us?" Caius's voice rose, nearly cracking. He paused, then continued, "How could that be? The Oceania Group has always treated us like treasure, flattering us at every turn. Why would they stop cooperating? You must be mistaken." The person on the other end responded, and Caius's voice grew louder. "No mistake? Then why are they stopping?"

His assistant hesitated, unsure how to answer. "What are you hesitating for? Spit it out! Why are they stopping the cooperation!" Caius shouted, growing furious. The assistant finally blurted out, "They said, and I quote… 'Because Caius Clyde is an idiot.'"

Caius choked, stunned by the words. The next moment, he threw his phone in a fit of rage. "Sweetheart, what happened?" Rosy asked, her voice filled with concern. Caius rubbed his forehead, clearly frustrated. "The Oceania Group has stopped cooperating with us. These bastards, they were begging to work with us before, and now they're turning their backs on us."

"Why did they do that?" Rosy was equally shocked. The Oceania Group was a massive enterprise—far beyond their reach. A few years ago, the Clyde Group had been a small, struggling business with no chance of going public. But five years ago, the Oceania Group had suddenly wanted to partner with them, providing funding and helping the Clyde Group rise to become one of the top companies in Ardenfall. This success was the foundation of the Clyde family's current standing. In other words, the Clyde family owed their rise to the Oceania Group.

"We just brought Amelia home, and now the Oceania Group is cutting ties with us… Is she a jinx?" Caius muttered, starting to wonder if Amelia was some kind of bad luck.