Sierra Shi

At that moment, a door on the second floor swung open. A girl with a portable music player in hand stepped out, frowning, "Mom, it's so noisy! I can't even focus on my English studies."

Lina glanced back at the girl. She was dressed in a pink puff-sleeved top, paired with a light-colored tulle skirt, and a soft ribbon tied into a bow around her waist. She looked like a little princess.

Lina remembered her. She was the child Shelley brought with her, named Sierra Shi. Sierra wasn't a member of the Lu family by birth, but she had been living with them for a while, addressing Jace as "Uncle."

Lina had heard from chatty relatives when she was younger that Shelley had always wanted Sierra to take the Lu surname and call Jace her father, but Jace never acknowledged her as his daughter.

Sierra gave Lina a once-over. Her long, curled eyelashes and rosy lips were striking, but it was her eyes, so similar to Talon's, that made her features truly captivating.

Sierra's expression shifted, and she defensively asked her mother, "Mom, who is she?"

Shelley replied, "Your brother brought her. He insists she's the long-lost Lina."

Upon hearing that the 'mentally challenged' daughter had returned, Sierra instinctively felt hostile towards Lina. "Mom, is it true?"

Shelley coldly responded, "She couldn't possibly be back. It's not her."

Sierra seemed slightly relieved.

Talon, however, paid no mind to Shelley. He sent a quick text to his father, Jace, briefly explaining the situation. Then he began arranging a room for Lina to stay in for the night.

Shelley, though a stepmother, still held authority in the household. She immediately objected, "No way. Until we clear things up, you can't let this unknown girl stay overnight."

"Why not?"

"Your father has many priceless antiques. What if something goes missing?"

Lina glanced at Shelley. While beautiful and indeed younger than Talon's mother, she lacked the grace and sophistication of someone from a prominent family like the Mengs. Shelley's every move reeked of pettiness, which probably explained why Jace rarely took her to formal events. She wasn't fit for the spotlight.

Talon retorted, "If something's lost, I'll compensate."

"With what? Isn't your money also the Lu family's?"

Talon chuckled, "In the end, it's all our family's money. Why are you so concerned?"

Shelley was momentarily at a loss for words.

Sierra, holding up her voluminous skirt, descended the stairs. She approached Lina, examining her closely, then looked at Talon. The resemblance between the two was uncanny.

She felt uneasy. She had never liked the idea of that 'mentally challenged' sister. After all, in a family with two daughters, the biological one would always be the favorite. It had taken years for Jace, her stepfather, to show her some affection. She didn't want this biological daughter returning and stealing that affection away.

Sierra tugged at her mother's dress, urgently saying, "Mom, you can't let her stay."

Shelley patted Sierra's hand, signaling her to calm down. She then took a seat, assuming a matriarchal posture, and tried to reason with Talon, "Talon, are you absolutely certain she's your lost sister, Lina?"

Talon wasn't 100% sure, but he was fairly confident.

"Your father has only recently recovered from the grief of losing his daughter. Now you bring home an unknown girl, giving him hope. What if a DNA test proves she's not Lina? Do you think he can handle that blow?"

Talon looked conflicted.

Indeed, Lina had heard stories about how much Jace adored his little daughter. After she was kidnapped, Jace had searched everywhere for her, losing sleep and graying prematurely from the stress.

Seeing Talon's hesitation, Shelley pressed on, "Send her back. It's late, and her parents must be worried."

Lina gripped Talon's hand tighter, pleading, "This is my home. Where would you send me?"

Shelley's face hardened, "You think it's easy to take advantage of the Lu family? Trying to be stubborn?"

Lina was almost driven mad by this stepmother. She had heard rumors that Shelley might have had something to do with her aunt's disappearance. Back then, Lina was naive and couldn't believe that such malicious people existed. Now, seeing Shelley's behavior, she was starting to believe those rumors.

"I'm not leaving," Lina declared, holding onto Talon's hand, whispering, "Please don't make me go."

Shelley stood abruptly, her voice sharp, "If you don't leave, I'll have someone throw you out."

Just then, the sound of a car echoed from outside. Bright headlights shone through the window, illuminating Lina's face.

She instinctively shielded her eyes from the glare. Under the illumination of the headlights, a middle-aged man hurriedly stepped out of a Mercedes.

Jace Lu had returned.