Sisters (2)

"Addie, why didn't you wait for me? Are you still upset that I told Dad you went out with Myrtle instead of celebrating your birthday with us?"

Adrienne stared at her with clear, bright eyes, contrasting her once dim, and self-conscious gaze. Seeing this pair of eyes, Elise suddenly didn't know how to react.

Adrienne retracted her gaze and lowered her head, not wanting Elise to see the vicious and murderous intent on her eyes. How could she forget that this young woman in front of her was the reason why Myrtle ended up as a drug addict, leading to her having a child out of wedlock before eventually dying at childbirth?

The sight of Myrtle's lifeless body on the hospital bed and a premature baby crying nonstop to get his mother's attention had been imprinted on Adrienne's memory. Burying the remains of her best friend had been traumatizing for her. All of it happened because of this scheming woman in front of her.

"S-sister?" Elise called after her and Adrienne snapped her head to look at her.

"Sister? Since when did my mother give birth to you? I don't remember it. Please enlighten me."

Elise used the Jiang family name and resources to improve her reputation, but how did everyone easily forget that everything the Jiang family had was because of Adrienne's mother? Of course, what was given could still be taken back and Adrienne plans to do just that.

Elise's face blanched as she heard Adrienne's classmates snickered behind them, no doubt hearing Adrienne's blatant denial of them being siblings. Adrienne had never spoken to her like this before. She usually avoids confrontation with her and lowers her head whenever she sees her. So what changed?

"But Addie…" She tried to object, but Adrienne cut her at once, not giving her a chance to continue.

"Elise, we're not really that close for you to call me affectionately. Though we are now siblings by marriage, I don't want to have anything to do with you. You don't have to bother yourself checking up on me. I am capable of taking care of myself." Adrienne gave her a pointed look, leaving Elise flustered.

"Now, why don't you return to your classroom and stop bothering me? Cayden did your homework, but it would be pointless if you didn't understand any of it."

This was a subtle insult, showing that Elise wasn't as bright as she portrayed herself to be. Elise had always been arrogant, using her innocent beauty to seek favors from her admirers, including their older brother, Cayden. At first, Adrienne was upset at how protective and doting Cayden was towards Elise, but now that it was clear to her what the real relationship between the two was, she couldn't care less about them.

Elise was stunned in her place, her lips quivered as she asked Adrienne, "Does sister not like me?"

Adrienne merely arched her brow, looking at Elise as if the latter had just asked her a stupid question. "What do you think?"

Feeling humiliated, Elise fled in a hurry, tears gleaming in her eyes. She could feel a bunch of sharp gazes mocking her and she hated Adrienne for it. She was already a Young Miss Jiang, so why was everyone still looking down on her?

Some of Adrienne's male classmates thought that she was being too much towards her sister, but most of her classmates were pleased that Adrienne was putting Elise in her right place. They hated how Elise would always find a roundabout way to show off to other students that she was 'Young Miss Jiang' and not an illegitimate daughter anymore.

Adrienne scoffed and continued what she was doing before Elise's arrival. Around lunchtime, Myrtle came to see her and they went to the cafeteria together. Myrtle immediately noticed that some students were throwing curious glances towards her best friend.

"Did something happen? Why's everyone looking at you?" She murmured next to Adrienne, as they waited in line to pay for their meal. Myrtle could see that her best friend didn't seem bothered by the attention she was receiving at all.

"Elise dropped by our classroom earlier and got a reality check. She must be crying somewhere right now." Adrienne replied, expecting another round of scolding she would receive later once she returned home. Obviously, their father would take Elise's side and wouldn't hear her reasons.

She heard Myrtle huff next to her. "Serves her right. She keeps asking for trouble."

Adrienne shrugged, took her tray and led Myrtle to the farthest corner of the cafeteria. She immediately dug into her meal and ignored the people around them. Myrtle stared at her for a moment and couldn't help but sigh.

"What's got into you, Addie?" She asked in a low voice. "Did something happen?"

"How many times would you ask such a question, Myrtle? It's the same thing. I'm worried about Mom. She's getting sicker these days."

Her father must have felt humiliated during their last argument and a servant came to her room that morning to deliver her monthly allowance, including the ones that Camilla didn't provide. It was a huge lump sum and she planned to use that money to pay for her mother's latest bill. However, she needed to find a way to sustain it.

The afternoon classes passed in a blur for Adrienne. She was the last one to leave the classroom when the bell rang. She didn't forget to drop by a salon to get a haircut, before asking Uncle Mo to bring her to the hospital.

Imagine her surprise when she opened the door of her mother's room, and saw the patient from yesterday seated in a wheelchair next to her mother's bed.

"What are you doing here?" She sneered. Adrienne sounded annoyed, but she was also frightened by this man's presence. "I thought I said we should never meet again."

"Hello to you, too, Sister Jiang. What a nice haircut."