Reversed Destinies of the Fake Heiress Ch 8

Chapter 8 Raised by Strangers
Shana glanced at the clock on the wall, muttering to herself, “He should be back soon.”
Just then, footsteps echoed from outside the door. “Shana, Shana! Come out here! You won’t believe what I brought you!”
Coming, Shana called out as she moved toward the living room.
It was Richard, of course.
He had a roasted duck in his left hand and a large watermelon in his right.
“Richard, did you hit the jackpot or something?” Shana exclaimed in surprise.
Despite living in the 21st century, meat was still a rare treat in the Leif family, typically reserved for holidays or special occasions. It wasn’t something they had on a regular day.
With a grin that showed off his teeth, Richard said, “A customer from the roast duck shop gave me this! He said us delivery guys work too hard in this heat!”
Before he could say more, he noticed Jocelyn walking out from behind Shana, her expression one of complete surprise. “Shana, who’s this?”
Shana smiled and made the introduction. “This is Jocelyn. Jocelyn, this is your Uncle Richard.”
“Uncle Richard, nice to meet you,” Jocelyn said politely, bowing her head.
Richard stood frozen in place, staring at her in disbelief. “Y-you’re Jocelyn Moore?”
Just a few days ago, she didn’t look like this at all!
“I go by Jocelyn Leif now,” she replied, speaking slowly and clearly.
Richard pulled Shana behind him, eyeing Jocelyn warily. “You’re not trying to pull something, are you? Shana, don’t let this little snake fool you again!”
Jocelyn’s heart tightened at the accusation. She remembered all too well the hurtful things the original Jocelyn had done to Shana, things that had torn them apart.
Looking at Richard with sincerity, Jocelyn spoke earnestly. “Uncle Richard, I know I was wrong before. I did a lot of things that hurt Mom, and I deeply regret them. Please, forgive me.”
Richard studied her closely, confusion and suspicion flashing in his eyes.
What is going on? This isn’t the Jocelyn I know.
After a moment, he warned, “If you’re planning anything against Shana, I swear I won’t let you get away with it.”
Shana chuckled, trying to ease the tension. “Richard, Jocelyn is my daughter. She would never hurt me.”
Richard scoffed. “Who knows? Maybe she’s just like Ruby, that ungrateful little snake.”
…
Jocelyn raised an eyebrow at his words.
It’s clear that Uncle Richard holds a strong grudge against Ruby.
There’s more to Ruby’s story than I realized.
Shana quickly intervened, “Let’s drop the talk about snakes. I promise you, Jocelyn isn’t like that at all! Anyway, you must be starving after all that delivery work. There are some noodles on the stove. Help yourself. I’ll take care of making Jocelyn’s bed.”
“I’ll go with you, Mom,” Jocelyn said.
“Alright.”
The two of them headed toward the room, pulling out a blanket to make the bed.
Normally, a simple mat would be enough in the summer, but this was a basement. The air was damp and cold all year round.
Shana still felt a bit awkward with Jocelyn, unsure of how to act or what to say. The atmosphere between them felt somewhat stiff, making it hard to find the right words.
Noticing Shana’s hesitation, Jocelyn smiled and tried to make small talk.
She wasn’t the same person as the original Jocelyn. Originally, she was an orphan, and now that she finally had a mother, she was determined not to disappoint Shana.
In this life, she was committed to preserving and protecting the bond they shared as mother and daughter.
Once the bed was made, Shana returned to the kitchen to bring Jocelyn some of the freshly cut watermelon.
But Richard stopped her with an irritated wave of his hand. “Shana, she’s an heiress from a rich family! She only uses Evian water to wash her face! Do you really think she’ll want our poor people’s watermelon? Stop trying to make her eat something beneath her!”
Richard was still upset about the Evian incident, and if it hadn’t been for Shana holding him back, he probably would have confronted Jocelyn then.
Shana furrowed her brow and spoke gently, “She has realized her mistakes. Why do you keep punishing her, Richard?”
“People are unpredictable, Shana. Look, you raised Ruby, and she’s still an ungrateful little snake. What about this one, raised by strangers? I’m just worried you’ll get hurt again.”
Though Richard could be rough, he cared deeply for Shana and didn’t want to see her suffer anymore.
Shana looked at him firmly. “Don’t worry. I can see in her eyes that she’s truly changed.”
Richard sighed, realizing Shana wasn’t going to listen. “Shana, you won’t listen until you’ve been hurt again.”
Shana smiled, lifting the watermelon as she made her way toward Jocelyn’s room. Before she left, she turned to Richard and said, “Eat and get some rest. Gambling is a losing game. I don’t want to hear that you went out tonight.”
Richard nodded reluctantly.
Shana entered Jocelyn’s room, offering her the watermelon. “Jocelyn, here’s some watermelon.”