Chapter 212: Then What About Me? What About Me, The Biological Daughter?

Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Then What About Me? What About Me, The Biological Daughter?

Ian Prescott stared at Ophelia Warren in the video again, then asked pensively, "Brother, what do you think?"

Javier Prescott’s expression didn’t change. His long fingers tapped on the tabletop as he said in a cool tone, "We’ll know once we look into it."

"Okay, I’ll have someone look into it." Ian Prescott’s eyes narrowed slightly as he handed the phone back to Sienna Everett.

After dinner, the three of them left the restaurant.

Just as they stepped out of the restaurant’s main entrance, Sienna Everett’s phone rang with a call from an unknown number.

She answered it casually, "Hello?"

Sheila Whitaker’s displeased, scolding voice came from the other end. "Sienna Everett, you heartless brat! You even blocked your own mother’s number!"

Sienna Everett’s expression instantly turned cold. "Sheila Whitaker, you have no right to talk to me about conscience."

"You!" Sheila Whitaker was so angry her fingers were trembling, and her breathing grew ragged. "Do you want to anger me to death before you’re satisfied?! What sin did I commit to give birth to such a disrespectful daughter!"

"If you only called to say this, I don’t have time to listen." Sienna Everett was about to hang up.

"Sienna Everett!" Sheila Whitaker stopped her, her tone furious. "I’ve been in the hospital, and you, my own daughter, haven’t visited me once. Even if I were dying, you wouldn’t come?"

"When you and Mason Everett ganged up to frame me for pushing my own mother, why didn’t you remember I was your daughter then?" Sienna Everett retorted coolly.

Sheila Whitaker was rendered speechless by the retort. After a long moment, she spoke in a desolate tone, "The past... let’s just let it go. Come see me at the hospital. My condition..."

"Your condition has nothing to do with me," Sienna Everett refused, her face devoid of expression.

"Sienna Everett, you..." Sheila Whitaker’s breathing grew ragged again, like a worn-out bellows, her gasps heavy. "Fine. You won’t come see me, I won’t force you. But you are not to bully Shannon anymore! Wyatt, Lucas, and Dustin... they actually hit Shannon, and it’s all because of you!"

Sienna Everett scoffed, her eyes filled with scorn.

’No wonder she suddenly called.’

’After all this time with no contact, no sign of care, my mother calls—and it’s all for her adopted daughter.’

Hearing Sienna Everett say the name "Sheila Whitaker," Ian Prescott and Javier Prescott knew who was on the phone, and their gazes toward Sienna filled with concern.

Sienna Everett shook her head at them to show she was fine, then walked a few steps away.

Sheila Whitaker was still railing on the other end of the line, "Wyatt, Lucas, and Dustin... they used to be so good to Shannon. They never would have hit her; they wouldn’t even say a harsh word to her! Now they’re actually hitting her. Did you put them up to it, you brat?!"

Sienna Everett watched the withered, yellow leaves fall from a sycamore tree by the road. She suddenly felt exhausted and closed her eyes. "I truly regret coming back to the Everett Family three years ago."

Hearing this, Sheila Whitaker fell silent. After a long while, she finally murmured, "Are you blaming me for being biased?"

Sienna Everett said nothing.

Sheila Whitaker started to defend herself. "You don’t understand. Two days before we brought you back to the Everett Family, Shannon was hiding under her blanket, crying all alone. She was afraid she wouldn’t have a place in this family anymore. She cried and told us to send her away. You don’t know... seeing her cry, my heart just broke..."

Sienna Everett gave a cold laugh. "So after I returned to the Everett Family, you defended her at every turn? Afraid she might feel wronged?"

Sheila Whitaker took a deep breath. "It’s true that you’re my biological daughter, but Shannon is the one Morgan and I brought back from the orphanage with our own hands. I watched her grow up, bit by bit. Her first new dress, her first birthday cake, her first trip to an amusement park... I was the mother who was with her for all of it. So many years of raising her... that bond can’t just fade away..."

"Then what about me?"

Sienna Everett’s eyelashes trembled, but her voice was flat, devoid of sorrow or joy. "While you were buying her new clothes, taking her to amusement parks, and giving her birthday cake, I was all alone in an orphanage... You worry about her being wronged, you defend her, you favor her. But what about me? What about me, your biological daughter?"

"You... Why must you compare yourself to Shannon! You were lost and suffered so much since you were a child; you can handle being wronged a little. Shannon’s not like you. She’s lived a life of luxury. She can’t handle things the way you can!"

After a pause, Sheila Whitaker’s voice softened. "You were lost as a child, and Mommy missed you too. But we couldn’t find you back then. In the end, we went to the orphanage and brought back Shannon. Only then did I find an outlet for my feelings, and I poured all my longing for you onto Shannon..."

"So many years have passed, and Shannon is already a part of the Everett Family. Can’t you just love her like a sister? Shannon isn’t like you. She isn’t as knowledgeable, and she doesn’t have a devious bone in her body. So please, don’t bully her anymore. Consider it a plea from your mother. Mom is begging you..."

Sienna Everett hung up the phone.

She raised a hand to her chest, over her heart. A pang of sadness still managed to break through.

’She had never asked for much. If only Sheila Whitaker had shown her even one-tenth of the motherly love she gave Shannon Everett, she would have been content.’

’But she couldn’t even get that tiny, pitiful amount of a mother’s love.’

Seeing her hang up, Ian Prescott started to walk over. Before he even got close, he caught sight of Sienna’s pale face and quickly ran to her side. "Sienna, what’s wrong?"

Hearing this, Javier Prescott immediately strode over.

"I’m fine." Sienna Everett took two deep breaths, calming the sliver of pain in her heart.

’She had decided long ago not to have anything more to do with the Everett Family.’

’She shouldn’t let the Everetts affect her mood anymore.’

"Are you really okay? Did Sheila Whitaker say something to you?" Ian Prescott was still worried.

"I’m really fine." ’She wouldn’t concern herself with Sheila Whitaker ever again.’

It was getting late. Time to go home.

Sienna Everett said goodbye to Ian and Javier Prescott.

Javier Prescott studied Sienna Everett’s face carefully. Seeing that nothing seemed amiss, he was finally able to relax.

Ian Prescott’s thoughts returned to Ophelia Warren in the video. He had to look into it.

...

「Back at Veridian Gardens.」

As soon as Sienna Everett entered the living room, she saw Keith Sterling sitting on the sofa, holding half a watermelon and looking more at home than if he were in his own house.

"Sister-in-law, you’re back!" Keith Sterling immediately tossed the watermelon aside and ran over to greet her.

Sienna Everett grunted in acknowledgment and scanned the room. Not seeing Julian Forrester, she couldn’t help but ask, "Where’s your brother?"