Chapter 381
After the private investigator left, Nicole remained in her seat, staring at her already-cold coffee for a
long time.
Then, she pinched her arm hard. Only after feeling the pain in her arm and looking at the stack of
documents on the table did Nicole finally believe that everything that just happened was real.
She had been living with the Lambert family for such a long time, and she had long thought of herself
as the daughter of the Lambert family. Never had she considered that ire and William''s daughter
would still be alive and have a chance to return to take away everything she currently had.
The thought of Cayden made Nicole lower her gaze as her heart ached.
She had loved that man for so long that she would even feel satisfied if he were to spare her a little of
his gentleness.
Avery. Rumpley.
Nicole let out a sneer.
She is such a lowly being, but Cayden still loves her so much. If she really turns out to be the biological
daughter of my adoptive parents, and if she suddenly bes the Lambert family''s real daughter, who
knows if Mom will shift all of her love to Avery instead? A pauper like me will be abandoned when that
happens, right?
With those thoughts in mind, Nicole scoffed quietly under her breath. She was never going to let that
happen.
After Nicole reached home, she saw no signs of her mother around. It was then she recalled that her
mother was usually in the yoga room at this time, so she hurried there.
Indeed, ire was practicing yoga.
She was a woman who was almost fifty years old, but her face was still exceptionally smooth and clear.
Time had barely left a mark on her.
Furthermore, her figure, which was d in white yoga attire, was maintained to its perfect form.
ire could easily do the difficult yoga forms, which impressed Nicole.
If she did not know her adoptive mother''s real age, she would have thought that the elegant woman
was only in her early thirties.
“Mom,” Nicole softly called out before shing the older woman a sweet smile. “Not only are you
bing more and more elegant, but you''re looking younger and younger. Other moms are looking
older every year, but my mom is doing the opposite.”
When ire heard Nicole''s voice, she slowly opened her eyes. “You''re teasing me the moment you get
home, huh? Are you tired from work?”
When ire heard Nicole''s voice, she slowly opened her eyes. “You''re teasing me the moment you get
home, huh? Are you tired from work?”
Nicole tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and chuckled. “Work isn''t tiring. Mom, I''ve epted
a major medieval fantasy film, and I''ll be the female lead in it.”
“That''s my girl. It has always been my wish to be in a film, but s, that isn''t a wish I''ll be able to fulfill
in this life of mine. Still, I''m d to have you fulfill my wish,” ire wistfully said.
Nicole then put out a yoga mat and started doing yoga with ire.
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When she saw the anticipation ire had for her in ire''s eyes, Nicole pressed her lips tightly
together as an indescribable look shed past her face. “Unfortunately, all my shows save for the first
film were average at best. I''ve let you down, Mom.”
ire smiled and pinched her daughter''s cheek. “Silly girl, I don''t expect the best from your shows, and
I don''t expect you to be one of the top actresses. It''s fine as long as you enjoy it. If you want to
quit acting in the future, you cane back to manage the business with me. And even if you don''t like
to run a business and just want to stay at home, I''ll be able to provide for you.”
Touched by ire''s words, tears welled up in Nicole''s eyes. “Mom, you''re so nice to me. Will you be
this nice to me forever?”
In her usual gentle way, she replied, “Of course. You''re my only beloved daughter. Who am I going to
be nice to if not you?”
At that very moment, Nicole felt the desperate urge to blurt out the question guing her to ire. If
you knew that your biological daughter was alive, would you still love me unconditionally like this?
Nevertheless, rationality won her emotions, and Nicole hid the words on the tip of her tongue deep
within her.
As Nicole rose to her feet, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat off ire''s
forehead. “Mom, you must be thirsty after practicing yoga for so long. I''ll get a ss of juice for you, so
give me a moment.”
“Okay,” ire responded with a smile.
She could feel herself loving her sensible adoptive daughter more and more with each passing day.
Without raising ire''s suspicion, Nicole sneakily picked up two strands of ire''s hair from her mat
and kept it in the handkerchief.
Then, aplex look crossed her face.
I''ll find a way to get Avery''s hair so that I can do a DNA test for Avery and Mom. If my mother''s
biological daughter really is Avery...
Again, a vicious look shed past Nicole''s face. I''m not going to hold back if that turns out to be true.
In the office, Avery wrapped up the project inspection report and sent the PowerPoint file to Yvette''s
work email.
Right as she was done with her work, she heard the sounds of Cecelia retching.
When she noticed Cecelia''s pallor, she worriedly asked, “Cecelia, are you okay? Are you sick?”
“Other than the retching, I feel fine—” Before Cecelia could finish her sentence, nausea rose in her
throat again.
Immediately, she pped a hand over her mouth and darted into the restroom.
Worried, Avery went after her.
A whileter, Cecelia finally stopped vomiting. Her long wavy hair was messy, and she looked
exhausted and sickly.
Avery kindly passed a few pieces of tissue to Cecelia before suggesting, “I think it''s best if you visit a
doctor.”
“I''m fine! It''s probably stomach issues.”
“That can''t do, Cecelia. You look pale, and you''re vomiting! You must be sick,” Avery insisted.
Cecelia did not reply to her immediately. She wiped her lips and washed her face before nonchntly
saying, “It might be gastric issues. It''s an old problem of mine, and I get an episode once in a while
back then.”
Avery furrowed her brows in suspicion. Still, gastric issues shouldn''t be this serious.
All of a sudden, a thought popped into her head. Cecelia''s symptoms were like hers when she had
been pregnant with Zachary and Rory.
Could it be that Cecelia''s pregnant?
A moment of hesitationter, Avery said, “Cecelia, with the kind of symptoms you have... Is it possible
that you''re pregnant?”
“What?”
Avery''s words were like a bolt from the blue for Cecelia, and thetter widened her eyes.
In the next second, she shrieked in panic, “No way! There''s no way I''m pregnant!”
Then, aplex look crossed her face.
I''ll find a way to get Avery''s hair so that I can do a DNA test for Avery and Mom. If my mother''s
biological daughter really is Avery...