Free Web NovelChapter 175: Since her goodness wasn’t appreciated, she wouldn’t remain good anymore.
In all the years Clara stayed with the Scott family, she tried her best to fit in.
She tried her best to become someone her parents and brothers would be proud of —someone they wouldn’t feel embarrassed to introduce to others.
She tried her best, even when it felt exhausting.
She did everything just so that they would accept her the way they should. But even so—
Nothing she did ever made them feel she was enough.
Growing up in an orphanage hadn’t been easy for her when she had always been meant to live the life of an heiress —yet, she didn’t blame them.
She tried to understand them, even when it was difficult for her.
She accepted their divided love, even when she knew it should have belonged to her alone.
She accepted Adelyn —even when, as the legitimate daughter, she shouldn’t have had to.
All just so that they could see her goodness— freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
And love her unconditionally.
But nothing she did ever felt enough.
Nothing.
They still held Adelyn in their hearts —even when she had been there all this while, trying to fill the void Adelyn’s absence had created.
She molded herself into the same shape as Adelyn —learned piano, acting, and the languages she knew; enrolled in the same courses, followed the same paths, and even tried to mirror her habits and demeanor—
All in the hope that, if she became just like her ... they would forget her.
But they didn’t.
Just one appearance of Adelyn made her realize how terribly she had failed in replacing her from their lives.
Her fists tightened as she thought about it.
She had always wanted to be the good daughter ... a good sister. But since her goodness wasn’t appreciated, she would not remain good anymore either.
If her love couldn’t earn their complete affection —she wouldn’t love them the same anymore.
She would instead find ways to take everything that should have belonged to her —and her alone.
As the thought crossed her mind, a dark glint flashed in her eyes, and she reached for her phone.
Dialing a number, she spoke the moment the call connected.
—————
Outside—
Maria didn’t know how much time had passed. Sitting in the corridor, she had almost dozed off when her phone rang, snapping her awake.
She immediately checked it, her eyes darting briefly toward the door when she saw Clara’s name flashing on the screen.
Instead of walking inside, she picked up the call.
"Ms. Scott."
"Where are you?" Clara asked from the other end.
Maria quickly answered, "I’m still here ... right outside your apartment. Do you need me, Ms. Scott?"
"Yes, come inside," Clara said before disconnecting the call.
Maria had intended to ask what it was —if it was something she needed to fetch from outside, she would have gone immediately. freewebnovёl.ƈom
However, she was left clueless when the call ended abruptly.
She glanced at her phone, pulling it away with a small pout of confusion.
Not dwelling on it, she turned toward the door. Entering the passcode, she stepped inside —only to pause mid-step.
Her eyes swept across the floor, landing on shards of ceramic scattered around.
She didn’t need to ask what had happened. From how Clara had looked earlier, she could already guess.
Even so, it still surprised her.
She had never seen Clara lose her composure like this.
Was it because she didn’t get the role in Director Rhodes’s movie?
The thought puzzled her as she slowly lifted her gaze toward Clara, who was now seated on the sofa in the living room.
"Ms. Scott," she called softly, cautiously.
Clara met her eyes —her gaze different from what Maria was used to.
"Maria," she said quietly, "how long has it been since you’ve been by my side?"
Maria blinked, clearly not expecting the question. But after a moment, she replied,
"I’ve been with you since the very beginning, Ms. Scott. It’s been almost five years."
"Five years?" Clara repeated, almost in awe. "Is that long enough for you to know me completely?"
Maria didn’t quite understand, but she nodded.
"I know almost everything about you —from your allergies to your preferences ... everything."
"Then can I take you as my own?" Clara asked, almost impatiently, barely letting Maria finish.
The assistant nodded at once.
Clara didn’t react immediately. She simply stared at her for a long moment before finally speaking—
"Then from now on, you won’t report anything about me to my brother or anyone else unless I ask you to. You will only do what I tell you. If you’re fine with it, it’s great. But ..."
She paused only to add soon after,
"If you can’t promise that, that’s also fine ..." she paused. "I’ll find someone who can."
Maria found everything confusing.
But when she thought about it again, she realized that being an assistant already meant following her employer’s instructions.
Then what was the difference?
Not reporting to CEO Scott?
"Ms. Scott, what do you want me to do?" she asked, her voice carrying quiet confusion.
Clara read the uncertainty in her eyes —but didn’t explain.
She simply smiled and nodded.
"You’ll know soon."
—————
Meanwhile—
Back on Adelyn’s side—
After freshening up, Adelyn stepped out of her room, only to pause as the aroma of delicious food reached her.
Her eyes immediately shifted toward the kitchen—
And just as she had expected—
Nigel was there, preparing dinner, as she had asked him earlier.
Her lips curled into a smile as she walked toward him ...
Reaching the counter, she asked,
"Done?"
Nigel glanced at her before turning away, ignoring her completely.
Once he finished, he removed his apron, set it aside, and moved to leave.
Adelyn turned, her eyes following him, observing the way he walked off.
"Wait," she called out, just when he would have gone further away.
When Nigel turned back, she put on a sweet smile and asked with an obvious tease laced to her tone —
"Is the grandson not staying back to have dinner with his grandma?"
