章 6: Reversed Time (2)
When morning came, Adrienne slipped out of her mother's room and cleaned herself back in her room. Today was her birthday, and she thought it fitting to be reborn on this day. It felt surreal to her that she was alive again, yet the opportunity to exact revenge was enough to keep her awake the entire night.
She knew that her father was having breakfast now with her stepmother and step-siblings, and they weren't expecting her to come down and join them that morning. Adrienne dressed in a plain cotton dress and a pair of shoes that suited her well. Despite wearing such simple clothes, it wasn't enough to dull her noble aura as she walked down the stairs.
Her father, Camilla, Cayden, and Elise, stopped their conversation and looked at her in surprise. None of them had anticipated that Adrienne would show up and join them for breakfast. They couldn't help but seize her appearance.
Adrienne stood quietly, looking calm but full of confidence. She looked radiant and elegant in her simple clothes. Even her father couldn't help but think she looked as pure as the white snow.
"Good morning, Father, Aunt Camilla, Big Brother, Elise." She greeted, but a hint of coldness reflected in her eyes.
Lewis Jiang frowned but said nothing, while Camilla was stunned.
Was this the same cowardly and foolish stepdaughter of hers? Camilla instantly noticed something was off with Adrienne but couldn't pinpoint it.
"Addie, you overslept today, didn't you? You must have partied hard with Myrtle last night. Are you hungry? Shall I get the servants to bring some food for you?"
At 45, Camilla was still beautiful and had a youthful complexion. There were almost no traces nor lines of age on her face. It was no wonder that this woman had managed to bewitch her father. She knew how to care for herself and take advantage of her beauty.
Seeing her hide behind her fakeness, Adrienne knew that this woman was the same Camilla she knew. She remembered how she used to be deceived by Camilla's warm character as the older woman tried her best to win her acknowledgement. She would've fallen for it if Camilla hadn't started talking to her about removing her mother's life support. She knew then that Camilla was trying to get rid of her mother once and for all because her mother's existence was the bane of Camilla's existence.
In her previous life, Adrienne discovered too late that Lewis Jiang married the young miss of the Zhao family to advance his career. Rosemary Zhao was known as a belle in the upper social circle and had known people of great influence.
Adrienne sighed and sat opposite her father at the other end of the table. Everyone was stunned by her actions, but no one dared to point out her impertinence though her father was visibly annoyed by it. She had developed a rebellious streak and had been testing her father's patience since then.
"A light meal will do, Aunt Camilla. I probably had too much alcohol last night." She replied, watching a servant rush to her side to serve her meal.
Her father eyed her suspiciously, watching her every move like a hawk. Adrienne chose to ignore him, far from what she usually does when their paths crossed. She ate in silence but not in a hurry, as if she couldn't be bothered by their company.
Lewis stared at her face, her features reminding him of his first wife. Initially, he chose to marry Rosemary over Camilla because she had a better family background and was more beautiful than the latter. She also had an excellent reputation within the circle, which was a great help to him during their marriage.
Looking at his eldest daughter today, he thought that Adrienne truly resembled her mother. Rosemary was a kind and elegant woman. Lewis felt a sense of inferiority whenever he was with her, as she was smarter than him. He wouldn't have become the CEO of Jiang Corporation if it wasn't for her.
"You are of legal age now. You should know better that to get wasted. What would people say if they saw that the eldest miss of the Jiang family was acting wild in public? You should be careful not to taint our family name!" His tone chided her for her recent actions.
"Dad, Addie is just celebrating her birthday with her friends. It's normal for people our age to party like there's no tomorrow." Elise said with a gentle smile, casting a wicked look toward Adrienne.
"Elise is right, dear." Camilla chimed in, knowing their intervention would only fuel Lewis's disappointment. "It was me who gave her permission to celebrate with her friends. I couldn't host a banquet for her birthday this year and the previous year, so I thought allowing her some leeway would improve our relationship."
"Such nonsense!" Lewis sneered. "Wasn't she the one who objected the banquet for her birthday? She'll only become more unruly if you allow her to act like this!"
Adrienne brought down her spoon with a clang, immediately silencing everyone.
Her father suddenly felt flustered. He didn't know why, but his instinct told him to flee and never face his unwanted daughter. How could it possibly be? How can Adrienne instill fear in him with a mere look?
"Does Father truly think that I'm the one tainting our family name?" Her eyes were so cold, putting her father in a trance. "Do you really hold our family name's reputation in high regard?"
Adrienne sighed in disappointment and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She glanced at them with a pair of indifferent eyes.
"Father, you should see what the news says about you and our family—marrying your mistress and bringing her home just one year after my mother's accident? Clearly, It isn't me who needs to reflect on their actions."
Lewis was left speechless.
"I haven't said a word to those reporters pestering me day and night, and you haven't given me a private chauffeur or a bodyguard to keep me safe. I'm the eldest young miss of the Jiang family, yet the stepdaughter receives better treatment than me. Since you remarried, my monthly allowance has also stopped, forcing me to use the money I've been saving for years. I wonder what the public would say when they hear of this."
章 7: Dearest Sister (1)
"ADRIENNE!" Lewis slammed his fist angrily on the table. Plates rattled, and a few silverwares jumped off the table and fell on the floor. If it were in the past, Adrienne would cower in fear, seeing her father in this state, but now she didn't.
"Is this how the Jiang family raised you? You are the eldest miss of our family, yet you spout such vicious words in front of us?!" Her father chastised her, but Adrienne remained calm in her seat, meeting her father's furious gaze.
Adrienne scoffed inwardly. How could her father utter such ridiculous words when he'd been mostly absent throughout her life? If anything, the one who paid her love and attention growing up was her mother. She picked up the napkin and gently wiped her lips clean.
"This isn't about how you raised me, Father." She corrected him. "If you cared about how the public perceives the Jiang family, then you should have paid more attention to what's circulating on the news. It's been two years since you and Aunt Camilla married, yet you haven't brought her to be introduced to grandpa and grandma."
Camilla's face turned pale while Adrienne could feel her older brother glowering at her. It wasn't a secret that Old Mr. Jiang and Old Madam Jiang disapproved of their father's remarriage. Though they knew that Cayden wasn't her mother's son, her grandparents had to accept him as part of the family as he was still Lewis Jiang's son, regardless of who gave birth to him.
Knowing her grandparents, Adrienne was certain that they never liked Camilla. Though it wasn't a secret that they were displeased with her mother for not being able to fall pregnant for years until Adrienne was born, they had never forced them to divorce for fear of losing the Zhao family's support.
Adrienne's eyes darkened at the thought. This Jiang family was wicked and rotten, and she was no exception. However, since they had all wronged her in her previous life, how could she easily let them off the hook?
Adrienne didn't wait for her father to say another word as she stood from her seat and left the dining area without a word. She'll allow them to worry about the impending visit of her paternal grandparents in three days.
In her previous life, Elise managed to win the favor of those two, cementing her position as a young miss of the Jiang family. Although her grandparents still disregarded Camilla's presence, it didn't matter much.
She took her bag, changed her shoes from her room, and went outside. No one stopped her this time, not even Camilla, whose thoughts were occupied after being reminded of the older Jiang couple's visit.
Adrienne went to the garage, where the chauffeur was cleaning one of her father's cars. The old man immediately stopped when he noticed her arrival.
"Miss Addie…" He lowered his head in greeting.
Uncle Mo followed his madam after Rosemary Zhao married into the Jiang family. He was the silent witness to her tears over the years. Now, he had to endure the unfair treatment his young miss received from this treacherous Jiang family.
"Could Uncle Mo bring me to Myrtle's place?" Adrienne asked politely.
He smiled and nodded. "Of course, Miss Addie. This old man has nothing else to do here anyway."
They left the Jiang Estate in a hurry, and only then could Adrienne lower her guard, even for just a moment.
Uncle Mo glanced in the mirror, seeing the tension leaving his young mistress. As the years passed by, Adrienne was becoming more and more like her mother. No wonder Master Jiang's expression was always flustered whenever he saw his daughter's face.
The car pulled into a familiar apartment complex, and Adrienne thanked Uncle Mo before alighting the car. She took her time and sorted her thoughts while waiting for the elevator. She didn't know what to feel seeing her best friend whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
She had failed her in her previous life and didn't know how to face Myrtle. Just thinking of how not only had she failed to protect Dylan, but also became the cause of his death brought immense guilt to Adrienne. Myrtle might be able to forgive her, but Adrienne wouldn't be able to do so.
'Myrtle should be at home now. She couldn't possibly return to work given how wasted she was last night.' She reasoned out, convincing herself not to chicken out. Since she was already here, she could only face the inevitable reunion with her best friend.
Adrienne hadn't even decided when she found herself standing right outside Myrtle's door. She stood outside for a long moment, not daring to press the doorbell, fearing that she would only meet disappointment this time.
Suddenly, the door flung open, catching Adrienne off guard. She staggered back, her eyes widening seeing Myrtle for the first time in years. Myrtle seemed surprised as well, seeing Adrienne standing outside her door.
"Huh, Addie? What brings you here today? I didn't get the round two of your birthday celebration memo." Myrtle grinned at her once she recovered from her shock.
Instead of answering her question, Adrienne pounced on Myrtle and hugged her tightly. Before she knew it, she started crying in Myrtle's arms, her body trembling at the same time.
"Woah! Addie, what's wrong with you? Did your wicked stepmother humiliate you again?" Myrtle almost lost her balance, but she kept herself and Adrienne from falling. She patted Adrienne's back and sighed inwardly.
"You're still drunk, aren't you? The Addie I know wouldn't wail like a child." She added with a teasing tone.
Adrienne's hold on her only tightened. Myrtle had no idea how much Adrienne missed her and how long the latter wanted to hold her like this again.
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