"You think now that Mom and Dad brought you back, you can just take my spot?"
"Dream on!"
Fiona snarled through gritted teeth, eyes burning with hostility. And before another word, she stumbled backward into the pond. The fur collar of her dress instantly spread in the water, splashing up a spray that shimmered in the cold sunlight.
"Help! Somebody help!" she thrashed and shouted, looking like a mess.
Standing right at the edge, Evelyn watched her sink and splash, her face emotionless. Her right cheek puffed slightly—she was chewing on something.
Her skin was sun-kissed, hinting at years under the countryside light. She wore a hoodie layered under a thin jacket, one hand still twiddling a candy wrapper that sparked rainbows in the sun.
Today marked Evelyn’s return to the Bennett family after going missing sixteen years ago. Arthur Bennett had invited every relative under the sun to their villa to celebrate—uncles, aunts, cousins galore.
Evelyn was the center of this party.
But Fiona’s splash and screaming drew all the attention away in seconds.
“Oh my god! Fiona! She fell in!”
“Someone get help! It's freezing! She’ll catch her death in that water!”
“Quick, quick! Call for someone!”
Lillian Dodgson rushed over first. A former diving champ, she didn’t hesitate for a second. Ignoring the cold, she dove right in and dragged Fiona out in front of everyone.
Drenched, both climbed out, water dripping from their clothes and hair.
Fiona leaned into Lillian’s arms, looking pitifully broken. Her eyes shimmered with tears, locking straight onto Evelyn who was still fidgeting with her candy wrapper.
"You’re their real daughter… and I know I’m just the adopted one. I’d never try to take their love from you. So why…" she choked between sobs, “why would you want me dead?”
Her lips trembled, her shoulders shook with cold, but she just stood there, staring at Evelyn like she was begging for answers.
Lillian lifted her head suddenly, her gaze sharp as a blade and aimed straight at Evelyn.
"Evelyn, I really can’t believe you’d do something like this…" Her voice was low, disappointed.
Those pesky relatives all glanced over. Eyes weird, expressions mixed. They wanted to speak up but swallowed it back, seeing Lillian’s stone-cold face.
“Lillian, your clothes and Fiona’s are drenched. Go shower and change before you both catch something.”
“Yeah, don't stand around, you’ll get sick. Go upstairs, both of you!”
All the while, Evelyn remained still, not saying a word. The candy wrapper kept sliding between her fingers.
Once the crowd herded Lillian and Fiona back inside, soft murmurs slipped through the air behind Evelyn.
“Remember when the old lady dumped Evelyn in the snow the day she was born? Cold as ice and just left her there. Lucky someone found her. But wow… just look how nasty that temper turned out, all that raising meant nothing.”
“Lucky? Pfft! I say they shouldn’t have brought her back at all. Raised by some backwoods guy, and look at her now. Would’ve saved everyone the trouble if she’d just frozen that day.”
“Serves the old lady right, feeling guilty too late in life. She insisted on seeing her real granddaughter before she died. And what’d she get in return? This mess.”"Yeah, even though Fiona was adopted, she’s been raised with the best education since forever. She’s amazing at everything—music, calligraphy, painting—you name it, way better than that so-called biological daughter."
The chatter was nonstop. Evelyn crunched the last bit of the candy in her mouth, ignored the gossiping women entirely, and headed upstairs.
Lillian Dodgson had just changed her clothes and walked out of the room. She used to be a diver before health issues knocked her out after giving birth to Evelyn. Now, older and nowhere near as strong, she wrapped a shawl around herself while coughing.
Arthur Bennett stood beside her, gently patting her back and holding out a cup of ginger tea.
"Drink your tea."
"Where’s Fiona? She should have some too," Lillian said as she took a sip—then caught a glimpse of Evelyn coming in and suddenly started hacking even harder.
Lillian had pale, almost porcelain skin. Arthur was a few shades darker but still fair. With Evelyn standing between them, she looked noticeably tanner, almost out of place.
"Mom, I didn’t push Fiona into the water." Evelyn stepped forward and finally spoke, not bothering with any pleasantries—just jumped into defending herself.
Arthur pressed his lips together like he wanted to say something but ended up focusing on his coughing wife, frowning with concern.
"So, you’re saying she just jumped in herself?" Lillian shot back.
Evelyn nodded. Instantly, Lillian's coughing turned into a harsh fit.
"Get out! Just leave! Go back to whatever backwater village you came from. I don’t have a daughter like you!"
Evelyn’s eyes lit up. "So I can go now?"
That tone! Like she couldn’t wait to pack up and vanish.
Lillian choked on her words, then burst into tears. "What kind of cursed kid did I give birth to, huh? Boohoo..."
"We brought her out of that poor, backward countryside out of the goodness of our hearts! Tried to let her find her roots—but no, she wouldn’t even drop her foster family’s surname! And now this attitude? Such a heartless brat!"
Evelyn’s face twitched a little. She unwrapped a candy without thinking, rolled the wrapper into a tight ball, and shoved it into her pocket. Her mood was complicated—mostly irritated.
Arthur finally sighed, his look stern as he turned to Evelyn. "Evelyn Bennett, she carried you for ten months in her belly. Is this really how you think you should treat your mother?"
"I know we weren’t there for you these past sixteen years, but does that mean you have to act like this? Your sister did nothing wrong. Can’t you just make things easier for all of us?"
Evelyn nodded like an obedient child. But before Arthur could breathe out in relief, she asked again:
"Then… can I leave now?"
Arthur nearly choked on air, glaring at her.
Ever since she came back, Evelyn had clearly disliked the fancy house in Jingdu. She brought up going back to the countryside almost every other day. Even when they arranged to change her household registry, she looked resentful the entire time.
And now with this—yeah, she wasn't asking to walk out of the room. She was asking to head straight back to that village.
As much as she tested his patience, she was still his own flesh and blood. No matter how stubborn or cold she acted, there was no way he could just send her back to live like that again.
"Your foster parents already have their hands full running a farm, raising livestock, and trying to get your brothers married. Who’s gonna take care of you? Stop wishing for an exit—we’re your real parents!"
