SWNOVELS Chapter 1101-1120
Chapter 1101
“Let’s go and follow her.’ A touch of annoyance flickered in Angela’s eyes.
The ski slopes here were long and they were quite a distance from the main
lodge.
Angela and Darlene quickened their pace, chasing after Arabella, but to their
dismay, she was an excellent skier.
The ski slope was particularly smooth, and Arabella moved with a lightness and
grace that provoked a pang of jealousy in them.
Damn, how could she ski that well?
Enter title…
After a while, Arabella found a quiet spot, took off her ski goggles and gloves,
and prepared to take a break.
Angela and Darlene caught up quickly. Darlene even raised her chin arrogantly,
asking disdainfully, “Hey, what’s your name?”
Being able to get into Sampson’s ski resort and being friends with Kelly
indicated that she was from a well-off family. But the extent of her wealth was
still unknown.
“You must know Angela, right? My name’s Darlene, you must have heard of
me.” Darlene was attempting to intimidate her with her prestigious status.
Seeing them catching up again, Arabella took out her phone and sent a
WhatsApp message to Kelly, [Who is Darlene?]
[Is that little pest bothering you?] Kelly replied quickly. [She’s just Angela’s
lapdog and sidekick. She once spilled wine on my dress at a party, and has
spread loads of rumors about me. Is she giving you trouble?]
[Just ran into them] Arabella smirked after reading Kelly’s message. [I’ll get back
at her for you.]
“Hey, I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?” Darlene, arms crossed over her chest,
glared at Arabella.
“Is there anyone here?” Arabella looked up lazily. “All I hear is a dog barking.”
Darlene was fuming. “I’ve been to countless high society balls and charity
dinners, and I’ve never seen you. You must have charmed Mr. Sampson to be
able to ski here!”
Angela thought this made sense.
Arabella and her family had never attended any of the international events that
all the high-ranking families had attended.
They had also never seen Arabella in any pictures with Sampson until that night
on the yacht, when the internet exploded with pictures of Sampson shopping
with his girlfriend.
Bodyguards were carrying hundreds of shopping bags.
“Could you be the one who charmed Mr. Sampson that night?” Angela sneered
at Arabella. “Shameless, pretending to be all high and mighty, but who knows
how many times you’ve been played? And you dare to act high and mighty in
front of us?”
A cold glint appeared in Arabella’s eyes. They were really asking for it.
“Last time, Mr. Sampson said that one should know when to make a scene, and
I think this is a good time”
Angela was ready to teach her a lesson.
After all, Sampson had only warned them not to bother Kelly.
But he hadn’t said anything about Arabella.
Darlene thought, for a girl who only knew how to use Mr. Sampson’s credit card
and spend lavishly, Sampson would surely get bored of her soon.
Even if Arabella complained to Sampson later, there were no cameras here, she
had no proof, and Sampson couldn’t do anything to them.
It was a good idea to take out their frustration on Arabella since they couldn’t
hurt Kelly.
“So, are you planning to fight?” Arabella smirked, showing some interest.
“Enough talk.” Angela picked up her helmet and swung it at Arabella.
At the same time, Darlene also swung her ski pole at Arabella.
Elsewhere, Kenneth and Louisa were taking a break in the luxurious on-site
restaurant after a tiring ski sessionChapter 1102
The restaurant was warm and cozy, with servers offering coffee and various
pastries. They had been resting when Sampson walked in through the door.
“Where’s Bella?” Sampson asked, not seeing his niece in sight.
“She’s probably still playing outside.”
The snow outside was beautiful and Bella, being a young girl, still had energy to
burn.
Sampson sent a message to the staff.
Enter title…
The staff replied quickly, [Ms. Bella said she wanted to play by herself for a
while, so we didn’t follow her.]
Perhaps fearing Sampson’s potential blame, the staff added, [Ms. Bella said she
would call us if anything came up, and we reminded her she has a whistle in her
pocket.]
[Go find her, have her take a break and eat something to replenish her energy,]
[Understood.]
The staff immediately checked the surveillance cameras and found that Arabella
had gone down the farthest ski slope and hadn’t returned.
They immediately assembled a search party and, to their surprise, they saw
three people brawling in the distance.
No, to be precise, two figures were attacking Arabella with their ski gear.
Bella was trying to dodge them, but they were relentlessly pressing.
“Stop!” A chorus of whistles rang out from the staff as they ran towards the
scene, trying to stop the assault.
But they were too far away, and the sound of the wind and snow drowned their
voices.
They were still quite a distance away, running as fast as they could.
One of the team leaders called Sampson, “There are two suspicious people
attacking Ms. Bella!”
“What did you say?” Sampson stood up immediately, his face turning cold.
Arabella had already noticed the staff coming from afar. She dodged Angela and
Darlene’s attacks leisurely, as if she was watching a circus act.
She looked completely relaxed.
As if they were too weak for her to even bother dealing with.
Angela and Darlene were furious. They hadn’t expected that they were panting
from exhaustion while Arabella had yet to be touched!
Seeing their exhausted and frustrated faces, Arabella finally picked up her ski
pole, gave them a disdainful smile, and skied further down the slope.
Angela and Darlene, unwilling to let her go, gave chase.
Their figures once again disappeared from the staff’s sight.
Arabella finally stopped when she had shaken off the staff, with no surveillance
cameras or other people around, and gave them a good beating.
She specifically targeted areas covered by their clothes.
Before long, Angela and Darlene were curled up on the ground, begging for
mercy.
When the staff arrived with Sampson in a snowmobile, Sampson was relieved to
see his beloved niece standing unharmed, while the two troublemakers were
lying at her feet, seemingly badly injured.
He immediately got off the snowmobile and quickly walked over to Arabella,
asking softly, “Are you okay? Were you hurt?”
Arabella shook her head and obediently replied, “No.”
Having witnessed Arabella’s skills on the cruise ship, Sampson knew that
ordinary people were no match for her. He was immediately put at ease.
“You have the audacity to lay hands on Mr. Sampson’s girl!” Sampson’s security
team arrived and immediately grabbed their arms. Chapter 1103
“Ah. It hurts, Mr. Sampson, it’s me, Angela!”
“Tell your people to let go, I’m Darlene”
Upon recognizing them, Sampson instantly pieced together the situation.
His niece, Arabella, must have been trying to keep the peace, not wanting to
hurt them, but they kept pushing her, leading to a physical altercation.
“Mr. Sampson, she bullied us! I’m hurting all over, Angela cried out, pointing at
Arabella. If it weren’t for the fact that her injuries were located on her chest,
stomach, and thighs, she would’ve shown them to Sampson.
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“Mr. Sampson, you can’t let her off the hook, I’m injured all over.” Darlene also
whimpered, glaring at Arabella with righteous indignation.
The atmosphere around Sampson became icy cold, his frosty aura eclipsing the
winter landscape, sending chills down the spine.
He turned to the staff next to him and asked in a cold voice, “What happened?”
“Mr. Sampson, all our staff can testify that from a distance, we saw these two
ladies start it, Ms. Bella was just trying to avoid them.”
So, the girl’s name was Arabella!
Angela and Darlene exchanged a look, seemingly reaching a consensus. They
must investigate this Arabella and teach her a lesson!
“When Ms. Bella couldn’t avoid them any longer, she tried to escape on her skis,
but they kept chasing her.
Eventually, they disappeared from our sight due to their speed.”
“We’re not lying, Mr. Sampson. You can check for yourself.”
“Indeed, they were the ones who started it. Ms. Bella is the victim.”
Upon hearing the staff’s account, Angela immediately denied it, “That’s not true,
she started it. Darlene and I had to fight back in self-defense.”
Darlene also nodded emphatically, “She kept provoking us and even attacked
us. We had no choice but to fight back. We didn’t even hit her, she’s the one
who left us severely injured!”
Sampson’s icy gaze fell on them, silencing them with fear.
Anyway, there were no surveillance cameras here. What could Sampson do to
them?
They were already beaten up to this extent, if their parents came to settle scores
with Sampson later, he would have to give them some face out of respect and
wouldn’t make things harder for them.
The most likely outcome was that Arabella would apologize and then they’d
move on.
A smug glint flashed through Angela and Darlene’s eyes.
“Bella, tell me what happened.” Sampson turned to the girl by his side, his tone
and gaze noticeably gentler compared to how he spoke to the others.
Angela and Darlene were slightly miffed, there was definitely something going
on between them.
“They said that I have to climb up your ladder to play in the ski resort, and that
my body was tainted countless times.”
At this, Sampson’s fury flared.
How dare they use such malicious words to hurt his niece?
“Uncle Sampson, they also said, last time you told them on the cruise ship that
they should pick the right place to make a fuss, they said that this place is quite
suitable, so they started it”
The way Arabella spoke, her innocent appearance, made Sampson furious and
at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache!
Damn it, how dare they say such things about his niece in his ski resort, and
even laid their hands on her!
The surrounding bodyguards knew, today, these two ladies were done for. They
could already feel their boss’s wrath, barely suppressed.
The staff also looked at them with sympathetic eyes. On Mr. Sampson’s turf,
humiliating Mr. Sampson’s beloved niece and even starting a fight.
Either one was enough to spell their doom. Chapter 1104
“What did you just say?”
At that moment, Angela and Darlene were struck dumb, staring at Arabella in
disbelief, then at Sampson.
Did Arabella just call Sampson uncle?
Their faces turned ashen, and it was Angela who stuttered out the question first,
“W-what did you call him just now?”
Arabella didn’t answer, but it was Sampson who spoke up in his cool, detached
voice, “Is there a problem with my niece visiting my ski resort?”
Enter title…
His niece?
His actual niece?
Angela and Darlene turned even paler, as if they’d been struck by lightning. It
took them a while to realize the extent of the trouble they had stirred up.
Arabella was Sampson’s niece? What on earth was going on?
Why hadn’t any media reported this before.
They were in deep trouble now.
“Take them away.”
Standing around in the heavy snowfall wasn’t a good idea. Sampson was
worried about his beloved niece getting cold.
However, upon hearing Sampson’s orders, Angela became frantic.
She’d heard plenty about Sampson’s ruthless ways. Being taken away meant
either a meeting with the Grim Reaper or losing an arm or a leg.
“Mr. Sampson, I didn’t know she was your niece. But she was the one who
provoked us first, we were just defending ourselves,” Angela insisted.
If Sampson knew that they were the ones who started the quarrel and the fight,
it would be more than just losing an arm or a leg.
“You can call a doctor to examine our injuries. We were the ones who were
beaten up, and we’re not lying, Darlene chimed in.
As long as the doctor confirmed their injuries were from a fight, even if Arabella
was in the right, she would be in the wrong.
Arabella was waiting for them to say this. Raising an eyebrow and smirking
slightly, she replied, “I agree to the examination.”
Not just Angela and Darlene, but even Sampson was surprised. An examination
would definitely work against Arabella.
But seeing her innocent and sensible demeanor, they couldn’t guess what she
was up to.
What was she planning?
“Uncle Sampson, let them get examined’ Arabella suggested.
The bodyguards and staff around them were confused, not understanding Miss
Bella’s move.
“Alright.”
Sampson pulled out his phone and dialed a number, “Ski Resort, get over here.”
The man on the phone was overjoyed, “Mr. Sampson, are you finally decided to
sell that large western piece of land to us?”
“No business talks today.”
Sampson’s voice was calm, but those who knew him could tell that it was the
calm before a storm.
“Bring a doctor.’ Sampson’s voice was always cold, “And call Darlene’s parents.”
The man on the phone hesitated, “What happened?”
“Your daughters got hurt at my ski resort and are demanding a medical
examination.Chapter 1105
The man on the phone was terrified, “These two naive young girls. I’m heading
over there right now to pick them up. What’s this about injuries and checkups?
They’re just kids, don’t take their words seriously.”
“No, I want them all accounted for’ Sampson insisted firmly.
The man on the other end tried to lighten up the mood, “Mr. Sampson, at most
the girls took a tumble while skiing. There’s no need for a doctor. I think they’re
just being brats, need some disciplining.”
But Sampson cut him off, “Do I need to repeat myself for the third time?”
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“No, not at all’ The man on the phone realized the gravity of the situation, hardly
daring to breathe, “Please wait for us, Mr. Sampson, we’ll be there as soon as
possible. We’ll definitely make things right!”
Sampson hung up and opened the door of the snowmobile, letting Arabella in
first.
Angela and Darlene were somewhat uneasy. Was Sampson calling their parents
over because of that phone call?
Especially recently, both families were hoping for Sampson’s help.
Angela’s father wanted to acquire a piece of land in the west. He was competing
with other corporations, trying to win Sampson’s favor to secure the deal.
Angela’s uncle recently had a confrontation at a casino owned by Sampson,
causing some damage there.
Sampson hadn’t made a statement about the incident yet.
Darlene’s family owned a mid-range car manufacturing company. They were
quite wealthy, but her uncles were trying to undermine her father, hoping to
collaborate with Sampson for mutual benefit.
There were countless matters like these.
Angela and Darlene knew very well that if Sampson decided to get serious, their
families would be the ones to suffer!
Seeing the snowmobile leave, Angela and Darlene hurriedly asked, “What
should we do?”
They couldn’t possibly walk through the snow, could they?
“If you don’t want to die ugly later, you better catch up and come clean with Mr.
Sampson. Maybe he’ll go easy on you, a staff member suggested.
Angela and Darlene were in pain, and even walking was difficult for them.
As the snowmobile got further and further away, they had no choice but to grit
their teeth and chase after it.
“Mr. Sampson, we can explain. We wouldn’t dare to hurt your niece even if we
had the guts,”
“Everything we said is true. You can check if you don’t believe us.”
Because of their injuries, they didn’t use their snowboards, but ran after the
snowmobile.
“We don’t know why your men lied. It wasn’t us who started the fight, we’re the
victims. Wait until the medical examination results come out. You’ll see that
we’re the disadvantaged party; “Mr. Sampson, don’t call our parents over. We
can talk about anything.”
Since the snowmobile resembled a tour bus and had no windows, Arabella
could hear their words clearly.
“Don’t let it get to you,” Sampson soothed Arabella, “I’ll take care of it for you.”
“I did hit them,’ Arabella confessed.
“The staff saw everything. They started it and you were only defending yourself,’
Sampson defended her, “Even if you started everything, so what? As long as I’m
here, if you want to hit anyone. Just go ahead, I’ll take care of it”
Arabella thought, “What? Wasn’t he being a bit too indulgent?”
“If you want to hit someone, it’s because that person deserved it. If you dislike
someone, it’s that person’s fault”
Sampson said seriously, “In any case, it’s never your fault.”
“Uncle Sampson, don’t you distinguish between right and wrong?”
“With me, whatever you do is right,’ Sampson said, not forgetting to add, “The
one who’s wrong can only be someone else.” Chapter 1106
Ten minutes later.
The snowmobile pulled up to the resort’s own luxury restaurant, where staff
rushed to serve Arabella a smorgasbord of delectable dishes.
Other members of the staff hurried forward with thermal clothing, electric
blankets, and hand warmers, afraid that Arabella might be cold or hungry.
Louisa also rushed anxiously to her daughter’s side, “Sweetie, are you okay?
Who had the audacity to harm you?
Sampson, did you find out who was responsible?”
Enter title…
“Quickly, tell Daddy where you’re hurt. I’ll call for a doctor right away,’ Kenneth
was beside himself with worry, fearing that his daughter was in pain.
But Arabella gently replied, “They’re the ones who got hurt, not me.”
“Really?” Louisa cupped her face, scrutinizing her carefully, even rolling up her
sleeves and trouser legs to conduct a rough inspection. It seemed she was
indeed fine.
She heaved a sigh of relief, hugging her daughter tightly, “As long as you’re
okay, that’s all that matters. When Sampson received that call, it scared us.
Sampson, you still haven’t told us who they are. Did you find out?”
“They are Angela and Darlene. You don’t know them. I’ll handle it.”
“They must be punished severely, no mercy!” Louisa was distressed, “Such a
peaceful Christmas Eve, and they had to cast a shadow on it for my precious
girl. Come Bella, warm up and eat something.”
Meanwhile, Angela and Darlene were running out of breath. Just as they
reached the entrance of the restaurant, they overheard the conversation and
upon closer inspection, realized that the elegant woman, affectionately referring
to Arabella as “Sweetie”, was none other than Louisa.
It was common knowledge that Louisa was pampered by her husband, who
reportedly followed her everywhere.
Looking more closely, they indeed saw Kenneth by her side, offering all kinds of
delicious food to Arabella, coaxing her to eat more.
How could this be?
How could Arabella be their daughter?
The Collins family’s wealth was at least three times greater than theirs!
At that moment, two couples hurried over, followed by a panting doctor carrying
a medical kit.
The restaurant door swung open, letting in a gust of snow.
“Mr. Sampson, I apologize for keeping you waiting!” The speaker was Angela’s
father, who bowed deeply in apology upon entering.
Because Sampson didn’t speak any foreign languages, all the foreigners who
wanted to curry favor with him had consciously learned English and spoke it
fluently.
Angela’s mother shot Angela a fierce look, also bowing in apology, her
demeanor elegant and aristocratic.
Darlene’s parents, on the other hand, gave Darlene a hard slap on the back,
blaming her for her reckless behavior.
“Don’t be too hard on her, or the blame for her injuries will fall on us” Sampson
sat on a single chair, his eyes cold.
Darlene’s father wanted to say something, but Sampson raised his hand to stop
him, “Let’s check the injuries first.”
“Mr. Sampson, this is just child’s play, we can’t take it too seriously. Even if they
ended up bruised and battered here today, it would be due to their limited skiing
skills and has nothing to do with you~”
Darlene’s father tried to appease Sampson, but Sampson raised his hand to
stop him from continuing.Chapter 1107
A bodyguard suggested, ‘Let’s have a medical examination.”
Left with no choice, both families had to allow the girls to be taken into the
restaurant’s restroom for the doctor to examine any injuries.
After a while, the doctor emerged, medical bag in hand, and bowed respectfully
to the gathered crowd.
“Apologies for the wait. I can assure you, on my honor and professional
reputation, there are no bruises or wounds on them, not even minor injuries.
They were complaining of pain, but upon examination, I found nothing wrong.”
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At this, Darlene emerged from the restroom, anxiously running towards the
group, “She really did hit us! I feel pain in my chest, stomach, back, everywhere
hurts! How is it possible that you can’t find any injuries?”
Angela, having finished changing, also suspected foul play. Logically, if Arabella
had hit them so hard, there should be some visible signs of injury. at least some
bruises.
If the doctor was hired by Sampson, she would suspect that he had bribed the
doctor.
But Dr. Alan, was known for his honesty and never bowed to any influential
figures. Both families have known him for years, and he always told the truth
about any medical conditions.
Once, Angela tried to bribe him with a million dollars to get a sick note so she
could take a month off school, but he declined.
How could such a person lie?
But if he was telling the truth, how could Arabella hit them so hard without
leaving even a single bruise?
Angela ran to her parents, anxiously insisting, “We really are hurt, if you don’t
believe us, we can go to the hospital to check.”
Upon hearing this, her father slapped her harshly.
“Enough with these antics! When will you stop?”
The sound of the slap was so crisp, it startled even Darlene.
She never expected Angela’s father to be so harsh.
“What on earth have you two been doing? First, you claim Mr. Sampson’s niece
attacked you, then you insist on getting a medical examination. What is going
on?”
Darlene’s father also demanded sternly, “Speak up now!”
Both girls were so scared they couldn’t speak. Angela covered her face, tears
streaming down her cheeks.
“Let me explain,’ Sampson, sitting in his chair, finally spoke. “Today is Christmas
Eve, and I brought my niece to my ski resort for some fun. Then these two
young ladies approached and provoked her, claiming that my niece was the
reason I was invited to this event, and even insinuating that she has been used
and abused numerous times.”
At these words, the parents of Angela and Darlene were stunned, a mix of fear
and anger coursing through them.
“When they harassed my niece on the cruise last time, I warned them to be
mindful of their actions and their surroundings. Today, they told my niece they
thought this was a good occasion and started to bully her.”
At Sampson’s ski resort, they dared to say such things about his niece, and
even attack her!
The parents of Darlene and Angela were furious to the point of faintness.
They each scolded their children.
“Are you out of your minds? What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You
already troubled the girl once and Mr.
Sampson saw it, yet you didn’t learn your lesson. She’s here today to enjoy her
uncle’s ski resort. What business is it of yours?” Chapter 1108
Both sets of parents were fuming mad.
Sampson claimed that Arabella was his niece, while Kenneth and Louisa sat
there, as if waiting for an explanation.
What did this mean?
It meant that Arabella was their child!
Not just in Solterra, but also overseas, some tycoons only announce one child to
the public, while the others grow up under their wings, unbeknownst to the
media. Arabella could have been one of these children, protected since she was
Enter title…
little, which was why not many people knew she was the daughter of Solterra’s
wealthiest couple.
Why did Angela and Darlene have to provoke her?
They provoked and even started spouting nonsense, saying how Sampson was
a playboy and Arabella was a slut. Could they just say such things out of the
blue?
They were too reckless.
At this point, a staff member remembered something and quickly took out his
cell phone.
“Mr. Sampson, when we saw Ms. Angela and Miss Darlene attacking Ms. Bella,
we also blew a whistle to stop them, and I even filmed it while running.”
He opened the video. The camera was shaking badly, but he could hear his
panting and scolding of Darlene and Angela.
In the footage, it was indeed Angela and Darlene who were attacking.
Arabella was dodging them, finally picking up her ski poles and sliding away, but
Angela and Darlene were still relentless. They even chased after her.
With this conclusive evidence, Darlene’s mother fainted on the spot.
Her husband quickly supported her.
“Mom, Mom.”
Darlene wanted to rush forward but was slapped twice by her father, Look at
what you’ve done!”
Angela’s parents were also furious, scolding her non-stop, “You just said in front
of Mr. Sampson and his family that it was their niece who started it, you
apologize now, apologize immediately!”
“Dad, Mom, stop hitting, I apologize, I’m apologizing right now.” Angela, seeing
the evidence was clear, didn’t dare to arque and came to Sampson, crying, “I’m
sorry, Mr. Sampson.”
“Kneel down!” Angela’s mother smacked her back fiercely.
Angela’s legs gave out from fear, and she knelt in front of Sampson, “I’m sorry,
really sorry.
Her parents also bowed deeply, constantly apologizing, “We’re really sorry, we
failed in teaching our daughter.
Mr. Sampson, Mr and Mrs Collins, Ms. Bella, we’re truly sorry! We’ll make sure
to discipline her at home and this won’t happen again. Also, our corporation
recently opened a new villa district, we’re willing to give the three best villas to
Serena as an apology.”
“I know Serena won’t fancy ordinary cars. Today is Christmas Eve. I ordered a
Rolls Royce for my wife, it’s a new custom model, I’m willing to give it to Ms.
Bella, please forgive my daughter.” Darlene’s father hurriedly tried to appease.
Sampson remained silent. Darlene’s father added, “If Ms. Bella doesn’t mind,
I’m willing to cash out 10% of the corporation’s shares and give it to her, just as
long as Arabella can forget today’s unpleasantness.”
“I’m also willing to cash out 10% of the corporation’s shares for Ms. Bella.
requesting her forgiveness.” Angela’s father quickly followed suit.
Sampson’s expression remained inscrutableChapter 1109
Angela’s parents and Darlene’s father were a bundle of nerves as they berated
their own daughters, instructing them to apologize to Arabella.
“I’m sorry, Arabella.”
Angela’s words were cut short by a sharp slap on her shoulder from her mother.
“You’re not worthy to utter her name!”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Bella.” Angela was in tears. “I promise I won’t bother you again. If
I ever cross paths with you, I will keep my head down. Please, show us mercy
and forgive us.”
Enter title…
At a forceful nudge from her father, Darlene also knelt down in front of Arabella,
offering a string of apologies.
“How much stake did you just mention?” Arabella asked suddenly.
Caught off guard, the fathers of both girls hurriedly repeated their offers.
“15% of the company, plus a Rolls-Royce.” As he spoke, Darlene’s father
observed Arabella’s reactions, sweetening the pot as he went. “And another car,
a custom-made Koenigsegg, plus, ten stores downtown.”
“I, too, offered 15% of the company, and three luxury villas.” Angela’s father,
also closely watching Arabella’s reactions, added, “And, a Pagani, and a
Bugatti.”
“That’s quite generous.”
“Oh no, as long as you are willing to give them another chance, it’s us who are
gaining!” Both sets of parents kept heaping praises.
“If you gentlemen are sincere, then let’s leave it at that.”
Hearing Arabella’s words, the parents erupted with joy, expressing their
gratitude.
“We will have everything delivered to Mr. Sampson’s corporation today. Please,
Ms. Bella, accept our apologies and thank you for your generosity. We’ll take
these miscreant girls home and deal with them.”
They dragged their daughters by their ears and left.
Before they left, they apologized once again to everyone present.
Louisa looked at her daughter with confusion. “Bella, have you been short on
money lately?”
“Damn it, I haven’t given you any pocket money for the past two weeks!”
Kenneth suddenly realized his negligence, blaming himself. “ls there something
you wanted to buy? I’ll buy it for you! I’ll transfer your pocket money right away”
“Mom, Dad, they started it, but they didn’t lay a finger on me. I was the one who
beat them. Now their parents have compensated us around 50 to 60 million
dollars. I’d say we made a profit”
She had asked around and found out that if these two families went bankrupt
directly, not only would she gain nothing, but other families in Lidaria would rise
up, which would be disadvantageous to her uncle.
Now, with these two families keeping the others in check, her uncle didn’t have
to deal with this mess himself, and they’ve even gained several million dollars.
Who wouldn’t find this appealing?
Sampson seemed to understand his niece’s thoughts, lacking at her with a
softer gaze.
Having experienced such an event, Louisa lost her mood for leisure. The group
quickly returned to the Sampson residence.
Even the windows and stair railings were not spared, covered in beautiful
blossoms.
Seeing Kenneth and Louisa walking in front, Sampson chuckled. “I was a bit
surprised when Dr. Alan said there were no bruises on them, but then I
remembered you are Dr. Bell, and it all made sense.”Chapter 1110
Making them writhe in agony without any detectable injury was something Dr.
Bell could achieve with ease.
“Uncle Sampson noticed it too?” Arabella couldn’t help but chuckle.
“They probably still can’t figure out what’s going on,’ Sampson laughed. His
refined demeanor was juxtaposed with his easy charm.
“What do you think, Bella?” Sampson’s gaze landed on his niece.
Arabella knew that many tycoons, in a bid to make their Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day celebrations stand out, would hire experienced event organizers
Enter title…
to create themes and decoration.
Some would even go on vacations or splurge on exclusive luxury items to enjoy
the perks of being wealthy.
Arabella observed as the entire venue was transformed into a dreamy
Christmas wonderland. All the maids were dressed as elves, and ballet dancers
were entering from another door, it seemed a dance performance was on the
cards for the evening.
“Pretty good.”
Arabella’s approval led to a hefty bonus for the event organizers.
The head organizer thanked her profusely, brimming with joy, before rushing off
to manage the next segment of the event.
“Bella, dinner won’t be ready for another hour. Would you like to go back to your
room and rest?” Sampson offered gently. “Or, I could have May show you
around. We have a movie theater and game room here. Would you like to go
and play?”
“I’m good. I’ll just look around on my own, Arabella placed her baseball cap on
the couch, her attention inadvertently caught by the numerous Christrnas trees
around the room.
She could tell that every ornament on the trees was handcrafted and unique.
The stars at the top of Christmas trees were made of dazzling diamonds,
roughly a hundred in total.
Putting aside everything else, just one of these Christmas trees would cost more
than $200,000.
And that’s not even mentioning other trees scattering around the room that had
various styles and height.
Arabella then wandered into the garden, which was populated by seven or eight
three-meter-tall toy soldiers, adding a touch of childlike gaiety to the setting.
String lights adorned the plants, and there were beautiful ribbons, Christmas
trees, and decorations everywhere.
Several maids were hustling around the garden.
They were pushing racks of neatly hung clothes, every piece without a wrinkle.
Arabella’s beautiful face held a touch of confusion as she asked a passing maid,
“What’s going on?”
“Ms. Bella! The maid greeted her with utmost respect. “Mr. Griffith has picked
out some more clothes, handbags, and shoes for you today, along with those
from last night. They’ll be too much to carry, so he asked us to wash, iron, and
send them straight to the plane. The plane will arrive at Reflections Villa
tomorrow. The staff there will put everything in your wardrobe.”
The maid smiled warmly, “We’ve ironed everything to ensure there are no
wrinkles. Now we’re just counting and checking the styles to make sure
nothing’s missing, then they’ll be sent to the plane.”
Arabella was rendered speechless.
She hadn’t expected Sampson to buy her so much stuff today.Chapter 1111
With so many clothes, shoes, and handbags, including those given by her
parents and Romeo, even if she wore a different outfit every day, it would take
her years to get through them all.
“Oh right, there are still more on their way. We’ll hurry up with the cleaning and
ironing.”
“He doesn’t have to do this.” Arabella felt somewhat guilty, “Sorry for the trouble:
All these clothes would surely require a lot of manpower to clean and iron.
“No trouble at all, it’s our honor to iron clothes for you!” the maid laughed, “Mr.
Griffith really spoils you. He truly cares for you.”
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“I know.” Arabella replied with a faint smile, “I can see that, and feel it”
“Ms. Collins, you’re a good person too. We’re glad you’re here and hope you’ll
visit often.”
Arabella nodded, the maid bowed with a smile and returned to her tasks.
Looking up at the sky painted by the evening glow, Arabella suddenly felt how
wonderful it was to have a family.
After a while, all the lights suddenly went out, plunging the entire garden into
darkness, even the mansion was pitch black.
From a distance, a maid called out, “Did we use too much electricity and cause
a power outage?”
Looking at the garden filled with twinkling lights: star lights, moon lights, lights of
all shapes, Arabella figured it was probably an overload causing a circuit
breaker to trip.
While it was not yet completely dark, she decided to stroll around the garden a
little longer. Suddenly, the entire garden and the villa lit up again, casting a
warm light.
Joyful music came from the rock-shaped speakers; seven Santas were dancing
and singing cheekily, carrying red gift bags and walking towards Arabella.
“We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you
a merry Christmas, and happy new years.”
As surprised as Arabella was, she also felt touched, a smile spreading across
her face.
The seven Santas sang and held hands, circling around her.
Outside the circle of Santas was a group of maids dressed as elves, also
holding hands and singing. After finishing the first song, they switched to
another.
“Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way, Oh what fun it is to ride in a one
horse open sleigh.”
They let go of each other’s hands, dancing joyfully in front of Arabella.
Arabella was amused by their performance. She recognized the seven Santas
as her father, mother, uncle, Hans, Chasel, Clark, and David.
How did they find the time to stand before her and surprise her like this.
Arabella’s eyes started to well up.
When the music stopped, everyone shouted in unison, “Bella, Merry Christmas
Eve, Merry Christmas! Are you surprised? Are you happy?”
Before Arabella could respond, she was lifted and tossed into the air by her four
brothers.
Their hands formed a safety net, catching Arabella as she fell, and then tossing
her up again.
“Okay, stop tossing her so high, you’re going to scare her! Put her down!”
Louisa, fearing Arabella might be frightened, hurriedly commanded.Chapter 1112
The brothers set Arabella down.
Arabella couldn’t help but giggle at their costumes, particularly the white beards.
Snowflakes were cascading down, making the scene even more magical, as if
straight out of a fairytale.
Hans gazed at his sister with affection, “When David came up with this idea, I
thought it was boring, and I kind of rejected it when he forced me to wear this
white beard,. But now, seeing you laugh, I think I might keep it on just to see you
smile more.”
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“Shoo, stop being so cheesy!” David playfully pushed Hans away, then grinned
at Arabella, “So sis, what do you think of my idea?”
“It’s pretty silly.” Arabella chuckled, “But it’s a nice surprise. I love it. Thanks,
Hans, Chasel, Clark, David, and mom and dad, and uncle Sampson.”
When Arabella wasn’t being aloof, she had the most beautiful smile.
The brothers made a mental note to make her laugh more often.
Her laughter was therapeutic, infecting everyone around her with joy.
“Sweetie, no need to thank us.” Chasel affectionately ruffled Arabella’s hair,
instigating protests from the other brothers.
“Stop messing up Bella’s hair! Bella, let David help you.”
“Hands off, did you wash your hands? Bella, my hands are the cleanest. I’m a
forensic scientist, always disinfecting”
“Who’s the cleanest of us all? Don’t you know that?” Hans attempted to keep
fixing Arabella’s hair.
“Where’s Sean?” Louisa suddenly asked, “Where did he go? He never answers
his phone or replies to messages.
Bella’s been back for half a year, and he hasn’t even shown his face or called!”
“Mom, Sean’s busy, Hans quickly covered, “I’ll talk to him later.”
“Isn’t it better with one less person accompanying Bella?” Chasel took the
opportunity to smooth out a lock of Arabella’s hair with his hand, only to be
swatted away by Clark.
“I’ve just created a group chat and purposely didn’t add Sean Collins. Let him
regret it.”
David was smirking when Louisa asked, puzzled, “What group chat? Why
wasn’t I added?”
Kenneth also checked his phone, “I’m not in it either?”
“David, that’s not right. We’re all family, and you’re creating separate groups,’
Sampson took on the authoritative tone of an uncle, “Add me in.”
“It’s a chat for us siblings. It wouldn’t be appropriate with you all in it) David
chuckled, “With all the grown-ups around, Bella wouldn’t dare to joke around. It’ll
make her uncomfortable”
Hearing this, Hans seemed to have caught on, “Did you add Serena as well?”
“No.” David hastily replied, “The vibe would be different with her around. Do you
think it’s necessary, Hans? If you think Serena should be in the group, I can
create another one and add the rest of us.”
At that time, he could always remain silent in the group.
He would stay active in Bella’s group chat.
Serena had been overthinking things recently anyway.
If they were all in the same group and they joked around with Bella, Serena
might get upset. Chapter 1113
Plus they were quite fond of posting pictures with Bella.
If Serena saw those, she’d definitely think they were doing it on purpose.
“No need, I don’t have that much time to chat. Serena has a lot of exams
coming up, don’t disturb her.
With Hans’ words, everyone immediately understood what he meant.
“Did you invite Serena today?” Sampson suddenly asked.
David became confounded, “Uncle Sampson, how could we ask her to come
and surprise Bella? That would be like stabbing her in the heart, right? Girls
Enter title…
tend to overthink. If she thinks we’re all revolving around Bella and neglecting
her…”
“If she thinks we play favorites, then no matter what we do, she’ll think that way.
I just hope that she’s an adult now, she should be able to understand some
things on her own’ Hans declared.
Louisa looked a bit helpless, “Actually, all of this was just a coincidence. Bella
was called by a friend to help with a medical issue, and we didn’t expect her to
run into her grandma and uncle Sampson here. And your dad and I also didn’t
expect to run into her.”
Since they had run into each other, as an uncle, naturally, he would want to take
his niece around to see the sights.
Adding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day coming up.
There was no reason for everyone to go back home and spend it with Serena
alone.
“Alright, enough of that. Didn’t you prepare gifts to give to Bella? Who’s going
first?” Sampson led the inquiry.
Hans always had his own air about him. He suggested, “By seniority”
First, the parents, then the uncle, and lastly the brothers.
Louisa took out a gift box from a red gift bag, as Arabella looked, even the
wrapping paper was embedded with crystals.
Actually, this kind of wrapping paper was quite common in the upper ten, usually
composed of ten thousand crystal-clear crystals, but this gift was quite large,
probably using no fewer than twenty thousand.
“Why don’t you open it and see if you like it?” Louisa looked at Arabella
expectantly.
The Christmas-themed planners standing by had long since arranged for a few
well-known photographers to capture this scene.
They planned to make it into a video for them to keep as a souvenir later.
“Here’s dad’s too!” Kenneth also pulled out a large gift box from the gift bag.
Arabella opened it. Kenneth had gifted her a deed to a private island, and
Louisa gifted her the largest castle-themed amusement park in the world, which
covered areas like a fairytale hotel, fairytale restaurant, dream wheel, etc.
It’s fair to say it was priceless.
“Thank you, mom and dad,’ Arabella said, moved, “I love them.”
“This is a little something from me,’ Sampson took out a luxurious gift box from
the gift bag.
Inside was a property deed and a key.
This house was located in the most expensive area of Zion City, covering more
than six thousand square meters, a place that could be ranked among the
world’s luxury villas. According to the current market price, it was already worth
over a hundred million dollars.Chapter 1114
“Bella, this is my gift to you: a private yacht.
The yacht boasted a gigantic helicopter pad, hundreds of rooms, a movie
theater capable of accommadating hundreds of guests, two swimming pools, an
oversized garage, and the list went on.
The interior decoration was luxurious and beautiful, with a total value of 20
million dollars.
“Thank you, Hans.’ Arabella accepted the gift but felt overwhelmed by its
extravagance.
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“Bella, this is a small token from me and Myrna.” Chasel stepped forward,
handed Arabella a gift box, his gaze filled with adoration and warmth.
Inside the box was the deed to a private jet, bearing Arabella’s name.
“All the paperwork, including the registration, airworthiness certificate, radio
station license, and insurance, have all been taken care of Chasel’s gaze was
affectionate as he gently explained, “The interior of the plane was decorated by
Myrna. You should love it”
“Thank you, Chasel and Myrna.”
“L originally wanted to get you a yacht, but thought it might be too oversized. So,
I went for a custom yacht instead. It comes with a missile defense system,
armored protection, a laser system to prevent paparazzi from taking
unauthorized photos, and all guest rooms are fitted with bulletproof glass. It’s
very safe.”
Given his sister’s status, Clark specifically customized this yacht for her safety.
Don’t be fooled by the smaller size of the yacht compared to the cruise ship; its
worth a fortune, and the operating cost was jaw-dropping.
He leaned in to whisper in Arabella’s ear, “It’s also from Carol.”
“Thank you.”
Since Carol hasn’t been introduced to the family, Arabella hadn’t thanked Carol
in person.
“Bella, my gift might seem a bit mundane to you.” David handed over a gift box,
“But these are my treasures.”
Inside the box were keys to three sports cars, along with their documentation.
One was a Hennessey Venom GT, one of only ten in the world, worth seven
million dollars.
The second was an SSC Tuatara, worth five million dollars.
The third was a custom Aston Martin, also worth five million dollars.
“These three cars are my favorites. I haven’t driven them even once since
buying them.”
He treasured them greatly.
But now he was handing them over to his sister because he believed she would
look cooler driving them than he ever could.
“Thank you, David.”
“As long as you like them, I will get you more in the future.”
David had just put his arm over his sister’s shoulder when the other brothers
swatted his hand away, “Back off!”
Suddenly, the night sky lit up with dazzling fireworks.
“Bella, look!”
These fireworks were specially customized for her by her brothers, bearing
various messages.
“Welcome home.”
“Merry Christmas Eve.”
“Merry Christmas.”
“Bella, be happy.”
“Stay healthy and safe.”
Although these were common blessings, they held special meaning for Arabella.
Because Arabella loved marigolds, many of the fireworks burst into the pattern
of these flowers. Chapter 1115
There was a young woman standing amidst a field of sunflowers.
Gazing at the spectacular fireworks, many of the maids were taken aback. “Ms.
Collins is truly blessed to have such a loving family around her.”
In the grand finale of the firework display, scenes of five brothers and a sister
were depicted: one brother holding an umbrella for the sister, another bending
down to tie her shoelaces, one making her laugh, another presenting her with a
bouquet, and the last one wielding a sword, seemingly protecting her.
The images vanished quickly with the smoke in the night sky, but Arabella’s
heart was deeply touched.
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“Thank you, Hans, Chasel, Clark, David’ Arabella added, “and Sean:”
“Why thank him? We just included him to make up the numbers,’ said David,
causing Arabella to burst into laughter.
“Alright, let’s not stand around here. Let’s go eat, Sampson suggested with a
smile. “Tonight’s wine is personally selected by Bella.”
“Really? Then I’ll drink it all, none of you can fight me for it,” declared David.
“Do you think you can handle it?” Hans chuckled. “Don’t frighten Bella by getting
drunk.”
“Hans, how could you belittle me in front of Bella? Last time it was the vodka
that made me…you know!”
As everyone walked towards the house, joking and laughing, Arabella quietly
retreated to Clark’s side, queried in a low voice “Clark, you are here. What about
Carol?”
“I’ve left a few trusted people to watch over her. If something happens, they’ll
call me. After dinner, I’ll go back”
“But there’s a 12-hour time difference delay from here.”
By the time he returned, Christmas Eve would be over.
“Before I came here, I spent the evening with her,’ Clark said, affectionately
ruffling his sister’s hair. “Thanks to the time difference, when I return, I’ll just be
in time to celebrate Christmas with her.”
There would be nothing to miss in this way.
“I’m worried about you taking these non-stop trips like this.”
“I’m more than happy to spend time with both you and Carol. I don’t mind the
travel at all’ Clark reassured her, seemingly knowing what she was thinking.
“What about Romeo? Hasn’t he come to see you?”
“I was wondering where Bella has been,’ said David, suddenly appearing
between them and deliberately separating them. “What were you two talking
about?”
““Nothing,’ Clark and Arabella said in unison.
David looked surprised, as if they had prearranged their answer.
Even the dessert, including the tarts, was shaped like reindeer, with ruby noses.
Each one cost 100, 000.
After-dinner fruits were also Christmas-themed.
Everyone sat down to eat, making toasts. The atmosphere was warm and
happy.
Not far frorn the villa, Romeo parked his car. surrounded by snow-covered trees.
He stood among the snow, the spotless white contributed to a picturesque
scene.
Concerned, his driver, opened an umbrella over Romeo’s head. Unaware of the
situation, he wondered who Mr.
McMillian was waiting for.
Romeo had just watched a grand fireworks display and knew that Bella was
happy, surrounded by her family, so he didn’t text her. Instead, he quietly waited.
“Mr. McMillian, did you make an appointment with a business partner? Why
don’t we wait in the car?”
It was too cold outside.
The driver was shivering despite his warm suit.
Romeo, looking at the brightly lit villa in the distance, replied softly, “No, it’s
okay. Get back in without me.”
He wanted to look a little longer, wait a little more.
Bella had promised to spend time with him today, even if it was just a bit while.Chapter 1116
Standing outside the villa, Serena allowed her tears to fall in silence, a
melancholy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Tonight was Christmas Eve, and she had taken a twelve-hour flight just to
reconnect with her family.
She knew her parents had kept a secret from her, bringing Arabella to visit their
grandmother and uncle.
She knew she was not welcome here.
She knew everyone would rather not see her.
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But she came anyway, driven by an affection built over eighteen years.
She wanted to bridge the gap between her and her parents, her uncle, her
grandmother.
But as she rushed to the villa, she heard laughter and the sound of merry songs
coming from the garden.
In the distance, a group of Santa Clauses and dozens of elves were singing and
dancing around a girl.
There was no need to guess who that girl was!
Serena had planned to let bygones be bygones and join the fun, pretending her
heart wasn’t breaking.
But then, the fireworks that burst into the night sky, each word they spelled,
deeply pierced her heart.
“Welcome home.”
“Merry Christmas Eve.”
“Happy Christmas.”
“Bella, be happy.”
“Stay healthy and safe.”
Every single word was a sign of care and blessings for Arabella!
Not a single word was meant for her!!
Everyone centered around Arabella, trying their best to make her happy.
Nobody cared about the feelings of her, the adopted daughter!
As the fireworks painted the night sky, they formed marigolds, Arabella’s
favourite flower.
Everyone in the family knew Arabella loved marigolds. The brothers had even
planted a bunch of them at Reflections Villa.
In the night sky, the marigolds became a sea of flowers, with a long-haired girl
standing in the midst of them.
In the finale of the fireworks display, there were scenes of five brothers and a
sister. One brother holding an umbrella for his sister, one bending down to tie
his sister’s shoelaces, one bending over to make his sister laugh, one
presenting his sister a bouquet of flowers, and another holding a sword as if to
protect his sister.
This scene deeply hurt Serena.
Did all her brothers only see one sister??
What about her, Serena??
She wasn’t allowed to be part of their lives, and now, she didn’t even have a
place in the fireworks display??
Tears once again rolled down Serena’s face, her smile growing more bitter and
her heart heavier.
Her parents and brothers had always reassured her that they considered her
part of the family and would treat her the same as before.
But now, everyone had kept her in the dark while they secretly prepared such an
extravagant surprise for Arabella, leaving her alone at home.Chapter 1117
How could they?!
How could they be so unfair?!
Was the eighteen years of affection all just a sham??
Could it really not compare to the blood relation??
It must have been Uncle Sampson’s idea. There wasn’t a single servant in the
garden, and they must have gone inside to dine, joining in the gaiety.
Serena pushed open the intricately carved gate, alone walking in the garden.
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She remembered, when she was in elementary school, one winter break, she
had come here.
Just like now, it was snowing then, spotless snow flakes drifting endlessly. The
garden was so vast that she couldn’t see the end of it. She ran around in the
garden for a long time, even throwing snowballs at her uncle.
Her uncle would play along, smiling gently, looking at her with indulgent eyes.
That moment was so beautiful, all the maids were smiling, saying that Sampson
liked her the most, and she was the only one in the world who dared to throw
snowballs at him.
Another year, in the autumn, she came with her parents to visit her uncle,
picking numerous precious flowers and plants from the garden.
Back then she didn’t know the value of those plants. She just thought they were
pretty. Louisa scolded her, but Sampson indulgently said, ‘It’s nothing. As long
as Serena likes them, the whole garden, even the whole villa can be given to
her: Everything in the past was so beautiful, and it was heart-wrenching to think
about it.
At that moment, a few maids passed by in the garden.
“Tonight’s dinner was really lavish. Ms. Collins is so lucky to have so many
family members dote on her.”
“Even the gift wrapping paper was studded with crystals, it must have been
expensive, right?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Collins were so generous, a private island and the world’s largest
castle-themed amusement park!”
“Ms. Collins’ brothers are generous also, making a special trip to give her a
surprise and such costly gifts.”
“There were private yacht and private plane. David even gave away his favorite
luxury cars, three in total.”
“The villa is also quite valuable. I heard it ranks among the world’s luxury home.”
Serena laughed even more bitterly, more painful.
Tears streamed down her face, and her heart felt as if it was pierced by a
thousand arrows. The more she laughed, the more she wanted to cry; the more
she laughed, the more she felt on the verge of collapse.
When her parents were giving Arabella such expensive gifts, did they ever think
of their daughter they had taised for eighteen years?
When Sampson was giving gifts to please Arabella, did he ever think of his other
niece?
And her brothers, usually tied up to work, all managed to find time today just to
give Arabella a surprise?
As for Hans, a stiff and cold workaholic like him wouldn’t make exceptions for
anyone. Even if he didn’t have work on Christmas Eve, his strict routines would
never allow him to be here, let alone fooling around with the other brothers.
“Let alone the value of the gifts, just the fact that these brothers could spare the
time and fly here to give Ms.
Collins a surprise, to sing and dance for her, to prepare fireworks for her, these
movements are really touching!”
“Isn’t that the truth? Having such brothers is truly wonderful. My brother only
ever cheats me out of my allowance, and whenever he does something wrong,
he would throw me under the bus because he knows our parents dote on me
and wouldn’t scold me.
“After all, this is Ms. Collins’ first time visiting Sampson’s place, and her first time
celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas, it should be a grand event, shouldn’t
it?”
Tears streamed down Serena’s face once again, her smile more bitter. She
looked more heartbroken.Chapter 1118
Neither on Christmas Eve nor on Christmas did she receive a gift from her
uncle.
Considering all the shopping her uncle did with Arabella, she was trying to
manage not to feel aggrieved.
But did recognizing his biological niece mean that he could abandon her, his
adopted niece whom he had cared for eighteen years, once and for all?
She heard from the maid that her brothers even sang and danced for Arabella.
Not to mention the others, even Hans, it was totally out of character for him!
Enter title…
What kind of magic did Arabella possess, to change Hans so completely that
he’s willing to do such foolish things!
How did she do it??
That mom and dad would don Santa suits to amuse Arabella didn’t surprise her
at all.
Yet her uncle, usually so dignified, was willing to go along with it.
She was so jealous, so angry!!!
At the dinner table, Arabella said, “I’m full. You quys enjoy.”
“Dont, don’t go.” David grabbed the hem of her dress, “The concert I invited you
to is in four days. You’ll come, right?”
“Let go, don’t ruin her dress!” Clark swatted David’s hand away, “What’s so
great about your lousy concert? Bella could learn more by studying in the lab.”
“It’s called warming up, RAP dopamine, not lousy!” David corrected him, “And if
this dress can be ruined so easily, it must be the material!”
“Bella, he’s saying the material of the dress you designed isn’t good.” Chasel
deliberately added fuel to the fire.
“What? Bella designed this?” David’s eyes widened as he took a closer look, “I
knew it. How could there be such a beautiful dress, from the moment I saw this
dress. I knew, the person who designed it must be very talented, very assertive,
very creative.”
“Well, isn’t this a lively scene.”
At that moment, a melancholy voice came from outside the door.
Everyone looked towards the voice, their expressions a mix of surprise and
disbelief.
“Serena, how come you’re here?”
Before David could finish his sentence, Serena put on a smile and retorted,
“Why, should I not be here? Did my presence spoil the fun?”
“What David meant was, you didn’t give us a heads up. I could have sent a car
for you.” Sampson immediately ordered someone, “Bring an extra chair and set
of utensils. Serena, you haven’t had dinner right? Come join us.”
Serena’s gaze scanned everyone in the room, finally landing on Arabella.
Arabella’s eyes were as calm as ever, no surprise, no unease, just looking at
her peacefully.
For the first time in her life, Serena didn’t put on a show in front of everyone,
didn’t sweetly call out “Bella”, because she didn’t feel the need to humble herself
before Arabella anymore.
The maid brought a chair. Serena sat down, pouring herself a glass of wine.
“Serena.” Sampson was about to stop her from drinking.Chapter 1119
But Serena chuckled, “It’s okay. I’m eighteen now. This toast is for my mom and
dad, my uncle Sampson, my brothers, and Arabella, my sister, and to myself.
Merry Christmas Eve and Christmas to us all.”
She drained her glass in one go, setting it down gracefully as if nothing had
happened.
But those eyes of hers, they looked even brighter than usual, as if they had
been washed by tears.
“Serena, it’s not what you think.” Louisa wanted to tell her that Arabella had
come here to treat a patient at a friend’s request, unexpectedly running into her
Enter title…
grandmother and uncle.
And they had come to visit their mother, not expecting to see Arabella here.
But Serena just smiled, “Mom, I didn’t misunderstand anything. There’s no need
to explain. I was just bored, because Martin had some work to do and needed to
make a trip to Lidaria, so I came with him.”
“You mean, Martin is outside? Now?” Kenneth was about to get up to invite him
in.
“lL asked him to drop me at the door and told him to leave”
“How can you not invite him in for dinner when he’s already at the doorstep? He
could sit for a while before leaving.” Kenneth felt somewhat remiss in his
hospitality.
But Serena just laughed, looking gracefully charming, “I didn’t even know that
you were having dinner here, let alone Martin. It’s okay, he had some work to do
anyway. Besides, we already celebrated Christmas Eve and Christmas at
home.”
“It’s good that you celebrated together.” Kenneth nodded repeatedly, but felt a
little uncomfortable. It seemed like his daughter was blaming them for having a
family reunion and forgetting about her.
“Let’s not talk about it now. Serena has been on the plane for twelve hours. She
must be starving. Come, have some food.” Sampson put some into Serena’s
bowl.
Serena looked at the leftover food on the table, her smile deepening, “Thank
you, uncle Sampson.”
“These are practically untouched.’ Sampson put down his utensils and ordered
again, “Prepare some more dishes: “No need, uncle Sampson. These are
enough for me.”
“It’s okay. They’ll get it done pretty soon.’ Sampson said, not forgetting to urge
the staff, “Try to be quick.”
“It’s Christmas Eve. Let the staff have some fun. I’ve been traveling all day. I
don’t think I’m able to eat much.”
Everyone could tell she was unhappy. Arabella stood up, “I’ll go to my room.”
“Wait, Bella, have you had enough? You haven’t finished the soup.” Louisa
blurted out.
“And your uncle has prepared some shows.” Kenneth kept on, but felt that it was
inappropriate to say that at the moment, so he stopped.
“I’m full.” Arabella had wanted to leave before Serena arrived. She wanted to
prepare some gifts for the elders and her brothers before they left.
She hadn’t prepared anything before. Now she wanted to go back to her room,
not knowing whether she would make it.
Serena thought Arabella was declaring war on her. She smiled and said, “Bella,
you’re not upset because I’m here, are you? If that’s the case, then I won’t eat
from here. I’ll leave now.”
“Serena, what nonsense are you talking about?” Chasel spoke up, “Why would
Bella think that way?”
“I’m just going back to my room to get gifts. Don’t overthink it.” Arabella left the
dining area, leaving a cold silhouette for everyone.
Serena felt even more indignant. Why, after everything, didn’t Arabella feel at
least a bit guilty?Chapter 1120
She was basking in the affection of her parents, her uncle, and her brothers.
Had she ever considered that across the vast ocean, there was a sister in name
only, alone without any family?
Even when her sister came here, she still remained unbothered, not even
showing a hint of kindness.
Where was her conscience??
At that moment, David, feigning drunkenness, stumbled to his feet, “I’m going to
wash my face.”
Enter title…
“When I arrived, you are sober. How did you get drunk so quickly?”
“It must be the alcohol.”
“You don’t want to see me, right?” Serena asked, her smile constant but
oppressive, “Did you give the concert tickets to Bella?”
David was taken aback. How did she know? Had she been giving Bella a hard
time?
Initially, he didn’t invite Serena along because he was worried she would
overthink things, assuming that everyone was revolving around Bella, neglecting
her, not valuing her.
Now, his worst fears were coming true.
“Serena, over the years, David has given you plenty of tickets. Bella just
returned to this family. It’s not unreasonable for him to invite her to a concert, is
it?” Chasel chimed in.
Serena’s smile deepened.
Yeah, if David hadn’t sneakily taken those tickets from her to give to Arabella, it
wouldn’t have been an issue.
But what upset her was that David told her there were no tickets, then secretly
gave them to Arabella.
Wasn’t that excessive??
“Do you think I’m wrong?” Serena asked, her smile innocent but everyone felt
she had changed. She was no longer the Serena they knew.
She had become somewhat distant.
At that moment, an underling briskly walked in, sensing the tense atmosphere,
he wisely retreated to one side.
“What’s the matter?” Sampson sat in his dining chair, still exuding an air of
control. No one could tell what he was thinking.
“Sir, the 15% share transfer, a Rolls Royce, a Koenigsegg, ten downtown shops
have all been transferred to Ms.Collins’ name.”
This was the gift Darlene’s father offered to Arabella as an apology.
But to Serena, it sounded like her uncle had given 15% of his shares, two luxury
cars, and ten shops to Arabella!!
Not only did her brothers favor Arabella, but it seemed like her uncle was also
playing favorites.
Despite their constant assurances of considering her as family, in reality, they
only favored Arabella!
“Also there are two more cars, a Pagani, a Bugatti, three villas, and another
share transfer, all in Ms. Collins”
name.”
This was the compensation Angela’s father gave to Arabella.
But to Serena, it sounded incredibly sarcastic, as if they were extravagant gifts
from her uncle to Arabella