Chapter 7


    Brielle and Lillian indeed grew up in the same orphanage and were as close as sisters.


    They celebrated life’s little victories and consoled each other’s defeats as if they were blood. On


    Brielle’s seventh birthday, a two-year younger Lillian had saved up enough to buy a $13 cake. It was


    the cheapest of the cheap, the kind of cake where you could still taste the bitterness of economy in the


    frosting And when Lillian brought it out, clumsy as she was, it tumbled to the ground, a heap of broken


    dreams.


    They sat there, tears mingling withughter, making a pinky promise-when they had the means, they


    would feast on the finest cakes and cherish every birthday like a treasure.


    So, when the Haywoods found Brielle on her tenth birthday, she didn’t hesitate to bring Lillian along,


    pleading with the Haywoods to enroll them both in school.


    In different sses but never apart, the girls were inseparable. But the corrupting allure of wealth can


    change a person. Those who once fretted over every meal suddenly found themselves in opulence,


    and their hearts hardened.


    “Miranda, Lillian’s cheeks flushed with guilt, her eyes brimming with tears.


    Brielle thought of the used condoms in the car, and the deliberately left lipstick, “Mom, since you like


    her so much, why don’t you adopt her as your daughter?”


    It was a retort made in anger. Yet, a flicker of serious consideration passed through Miranda’s eyes.


    Brielle felt a sting of humiliation, sharp as a thorn. She’d forgotten that in this house, Lillian was the


    golden child. Even the house staff couldn’t stop singing her praises.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Hadn’t Brielle, too, given her heart and soul to Lillian?


    Lillian, always ying the damsel with her fragile fa?ade.


    “I’m giving you three days to move out of that vi,” Brielle suppressed her anger, feeling as if her


    mouth was filled with the taste of blood.


    Ironically, she always felt like she burdened her family by bringing Lillian back. So, no matter what she


    did, she wanted to be the best. However, her achievements couldn’tpare to Lillian’s sweet words.


    In the end, she was the outcast in her own home.


    Lillian, hearing her words, sneered inwardly. The vi had been a gift from Spencer-what right did


    Brielle have tomand her?


    While harboring such resentment in her heart, she wore a look of grievance on her face, biting her lips.


    “Bri, please don’t be angry, I’ll do as you say.”


    Brielle had no desire to watch the performance. She stood up, “I won’t keep you for dinner.”


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    Chapte


    Miranda, looking on, held Lillian close, “Bri, what’s gotten into you tonight?”


    “Miranda, it’s my fault. I had nowhere to live, so I moved into Spencer’s vi in the suburbs. Bri’s


    misunderstood, Lillian exined.


    Disappointment filled Miranda’s eyes, “Spencer has so many properties. Lillian can stay in one. It is no


    big deal. If you secure him as your husband, all his assets will be eventually.”


    yours


    “Mom,” Brielle stood tall, her voice steady, “then maybe Lillian should just marry Spencer.”


    “You!” Miranda’s chest heaved with anger. “You’re bing more and more outrageous.”


    Brielle felt her heart tear open. All those years of obedience, the Haywoods wouldn’t tolerate even the


    slightest mistake from her. On the other hand, Lillian, who was always clumsy and had consistently


    poor grades, was seen by them as naturally innocent and in need of protection.


    “Why don’t you ask Lillian what she’s done? And while you’re at it, check how many times she’s slept


    with Spencer in that vi.”


    The moment the words left her mouth, Miranda’s hand flew across her face.


    Brielle didn’t see iting. She touched her swiftly swelling cheek in disbelief, a harsh pain making her


    bend slightly to cope. A bitterugh escaped her as she grabbed her bag, “When Lillian moved out at


    eighteen, you all were heartbroken. If that’s the case, I might as well make it a double celebration and


    leave Spencer to her. After all, you wanted to adopt her as your daughter. I won’t disturb your


    celebration.”


    “Brielle!” Miranda roared, unable to believe the daughter who had always been sopliant could be


    so confrontational.


    Brielle was already at the door, Lillian’s sobs, apologies, and Miranda’sforting words chasing after


    her.


    Miranda didn’t believe Lillian capable of such things. “I can’t believe Bri would fabricate such lies to


    nder you,” Miranda said.


    The irony wasn’t lost on Brielle as she clutched her bag, white-knuckled.


    Once in her car, she licked her dry lips, tasting blood. With a press on the gas, she drove


    away.


    Arriving at her apartment building, she saw Spencer’s Porsche, him leaning against it, smoking. His


    greeting was anything but warm. “Lillian’s missing, Brielle. Did you hassle. her again? I told you, she’s


    with me because I forced her. If you’ve got a problem, take it out on me, not her. She genuinely cares


    about you, and treats you like a sister.”


    Without missing a beat, Brielle pped him hard.


    Spencer’s head turned with the impact, his chiseled jawline swelling. The p was


    2/3


    Chapter 7


    merciless, leaving him dazed. After a few seconds, he touched his face, Incredulous, “You hit me?”


    “Didn’t you say to take my anger out on you?” Brielle spat back.


    Spencer’s lips trembled, “You bitch-”


    He couldn’t finish his curse, his mind a nk te of fury.


    “Thank you. I feel much better now,” Brielle said, stepping past him into the building.


    “Brielle!!” Spencer shouted, kicking a trash can in a fit of rage.


    Brielle ignored him, entering her apartment to calm her boiling emotions. She even started working


    overtime, going throughpany emails on herptop.


    Since her graduation, she’d been positioned at Spencer’s side, naively thinking the Dorsey family saw


    her as one of their own. It was only now that she realized how masterfully Faith had yed her hand.


    Michael had all the young bloods up and at ’em early, cing them in Dorsey International with high


    hopes they’d make something of themselves.


    Brielle, the top student from Beaconsfield College with a degree in Finance, was a wiz. With her


    smarts, Spencer’s performance outshone all the other greenhorns. The glory was Spencer’s, and so


    was the year-end bonus. What was in it for her?


    In the future, if Spencer grew tired of her, the Dorsey family could dissolve the engagement with an air


    of superiority. All those years she’d put in they’d amount to


    zilch.


    What a genius move.


    –


    Brielle pressed her lips together, trembling with rage. In thepany’s internalwork, she found


    Max’s private profile and shot off an email with her whistle-blowing letter attached. It was a detailed


    ount of Spencer’s embezzlement and negligence.


    Brielle waited and waited, until she dozed off on her desk, but no reply came.


    When she woke up, it was 6 a.m. and her eyes were sore. She saw a new message notification on her


    computer screen. With a surge of excitement, she clicked it open, only to be met with one icy word-


    “Rejected.”


    That son of a bitch.