Chapter 2 Wasted Kindness.
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Xavier yanked Lisa up and dragged her across the floor like a lifeless rag doll, hauling her all the way to the living room. The servants glanced over, startled and unsure of what was happening.
“Come take a look at this! Xavier shouted, his voice sharp with fury. “Look at this disgrace! It wasn’t enough that she steals from people–now she’s even going after the dog’s stuff!”
The servants exchanged confused murmurs, unsure what she could’ve done this time.
Although Lisa had been missing at the age of 4 and had been raised in a rural village, she was still the Olsens‘ biological daughter. Yet her actions now were bailling–how could she have turned out like this?
In contrast, Tiffany–though merely the orphan of the Olsens‘ close friends and unrelated by blood–had always been graceful, thoughtful, and remarkable in every way. It made people wonder if the two girls had been accidentally swapped at birth.
“If I catch you stealing again, Xavier growled. yanking Lisa up by the collar, “you’re not getting off easy next time.”
He said each word with clarity, “Don’t even dream of replacing Tiffany. You’re not even worth a fraction of her. I will never see you as family. You can’t have her things–and you don’t deserve the dog’s either. Got it?”
Lisa wiped the blood from her lips, just about to say something, when a slim figure came running toward them. “Xavier What are you doing? Let go of Lisa!”
Tiffany pulled Lisa away from Xavier, her brows knitting together. “How could you treat her like that?”
“She started it!” Xavier shot back. Tiffany, she took Fido’s blanket–and who knows what else she’s stolen from you? And you re still defending her?”
“The missing blanket… Tiffany glanced at Lisa in surprise, then quickly changed her tone. I gave it to her. Her room is drafty, and the blanket she had was too thin–she could’ve gotten sick.”
“You’re still making excuses for her? Xavier said, clearly annoyed. “Keep coddling her like this and she’ll only get worse.
“I didn’t take anything. Lisa’s voice was raspy as she stared at Xavier. “I didn’t steal it.”
Xavier let out a cold laugh. “I caught you with it, and you still dare deny it?”
“Then what if I sneak this blanket into your room,” Lisa shot back, “and later pull it out again–should I say you stole it?”
Xavier let out a furious laugh. “Why would I ever steal that blanket?”
Lisa calmly replied, “Exactly–why would I?”
“Tiffany just said your room’s drafty,” he snapped.
Lisa knew there was no way to convince them otherwise, so she simply explained, “I washed my blanket and didn’t have at spare. I saw one lying in the living room and thought it was for anyone to use, so I grabbed it.”
“Quit making excuses, Xavier snapped. “You expect me to believe you’ve only got one blanket?”
Lisa stayed calm. “Just one”
“That’s absurd!” he shot back. “We never treated you poorly. There’s no way we’d only give you one blanket in winter. Stop with the nonsense!
Lisa lowered her gaze. “I asked the housekeeper. He said there was only one.”
The housekeeper, who had been quietly enjoying the drama, suddenly panicked. “Ms. Lisa, how could you say such things! If you’d asked me for a blanket, of course, I would’ve given you one!”
Lisa calmly extended her hand. Then give it to me now?
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Chapter 2 Wasted kindness
The housekeeper faltered, glancing nervously in Tiffany’s direction.
Xavier narrowed his eyes. “Oscar, does she really only have one blanker?”
Cold sweat broke out on the housekeeper’s forehead. Just then, Tiffany spoke gently, “Lisa’s always been quiet. Maybe she brought it up once, and Oscar was just too busy and forgot. Oscar, go ahead and apologize to Lisa–and prepare a new set of bedding for her”
Caught off guard, the housekeeper quickly nodded in agreement.
Xavier let out a sigh. “You always go out of your way for her, but she never appreciates it.”
“We’re family. Tiffany replied with a soft smile. “Lisa, if you ever need anything, just ask me
Then she handed the blanket over “Since you like it so much. I’ll give it to you.”
Lisa stared at her in silence for a couple of seconds–then suddenly llung the blanket back at Tiffany’s face. Her voice was ice cold. “What am I to you? A person or a dog? Keep it. I don’t want it.”
Tiffany stood frozen in shock. “Lisa, that’s not what I meant
“You ungrateful brat!” Xavier snapped, rage burning in his eyes. “Don’t move!”
Tiffany turned to him, stunned and tearful “Xavier, I really didn’t mean anything bad I just thought Lisa might like
“I know. The sight of Tiffany’s tears only deepened Xavier’s disgust toward Lisa Without another word, he shoved the blanket into Lisa’s arms and hissed. “Since Tiffany said she’s giving this to you, you’d better treasure it. If you dare throw it away again. I’ll break your legs?
How laughable.
Amoment
of chanty
he was yelling at her to give it back–now that she didn’t want it, he was shoving it into her arms like some act
Like she was a mutt the Olsens kept around–free to scold, free to kick whenever they were mad, and if they tossed her at bone, she should be wagging her tail in gratitude
No forget even a mutt. Tiffany’s dog was worth more than her. When the fire broke out, they rushed to save that dog–none of them even looked back at her.
are you
“What with that expression?” Xavier was already furning, and Lisa’s icy grip only pushed his temper further. “Lisa, are even listening?”
She clutched the blanket, eyes shifting between the two. “So this belongs to me now?
Xavier gave a short, annoyed huff. “Yeah, it’s yours. You should thank Tiffany”
“No need to thank me, Lisa. If there’s anything else you want, feel free to ask.. “Tiffany’s voice faltered mid–sentence. Lisa had picked up the fruit knife from the table, and without hesitation, fore the blanket into pirers.
“Have you lost your mind Xavier snapped, his face full of disbelief
With messy hair and a ghostly pallor Lasa looked like someone dragged out of a nightmare. Her voice was eerily calm as the sud. “It’s mine, isn’t it? That means I can do whatever I want with it”
“You=“” Xavier’s hand shot up in a rage, ready to strike again, but Lisa didn’t flinch. She stared him down and said calmly “What’s wrong‘ Taking bark your word now!
Xavier’s face darkened with fury. “Tiffany, you’re just too soft–wasting kindness on someone who doesn’t deserve it?
“That’s enough. Xavier, Tiffany said gently, her eyes swelling up but refusing to cry. Her fragile look only added to her sorrowful charm as she clung to his arm “Lisa’s not wrong. If it was a gift, she has every right to do with it as she pleases. Don’t be upset
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Chapter 2 Wasted Kindness
+5 Free Coins
Seeing the delicate Tiffany and the unyielding Lisa side by side, the stark contrast between them stirred something in Xavier. He gently pulled Tiffany into a hug and murmured. Till get a new present for Fido tomorrow. I’m sure it’ll love it”
“Alright, thank you, Xavier Tillany dabbed at her tears and gave a sweet smile. You always treat me the best.”
“You’re just too easily satisfied, Xavier said with a chuckle, his eyes full of fondness. “It’s just a small thing”
Lisa watched the two of them share their tender moment, and a sharp ache twisted in her gut.
She couldn’t tell whether it was hunger gnawing at her from bring starved for too long, or if it was just pure nausea from what she had just witnessed.
In her previous life, how could she have been so blind? Everyone else could see she didn’t belong in this family, but she still clung to false hope–believing that one day, her brothers would welcome her as one of their own.
Tired of watching their sickening display of affection, Lisa turned and quietly made her way back to her tiny room.
The housekeeper tossed the new bedding onto her bed with a sneer, not bothering to help. “You sure think highly of yourself these days, he said mockingly. “Even learned how to rat people out
Lisa didn’t say a word. She quietly went about making her bed, smoothing the sheets with steady hands.
But the housekeeper wasn’t done. “You really think Mr. Xavier gives a damn whether you live or die? Don’t kid yourself. In this house, you’re beneath the servants. Stop pretending you’re some kind of heiress”
He jabbed a finger at her in a warning. “Try pulling that stunt again, and you’ll regret it.”
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