Chapter 2

Alaya threw herself into Millie's arms, burying her face in her mother's shoulder.

"Mom, don't waste your tears on that ungrateful brat. She's not worth it! You still have me. I'm always here for you, and I'll always be your little girl!" Alaya said.

Millie was so touched, she pulled Alaya into a tight hug.

Honestly, I was just speechless.

So I just turned my head away and looked at Jasiah, who hadn't said a word this whole time.

"So, am I really just the charity case your family took in?" I asked.

Before Jasiah could say a word, Bailey's expression changed in a flash, and he immediately lost it.

He exploded, "What's that supposed to mean? You don't believe me?"

His chest was heaving, like he'd just been hit with the biggest injustice ever.

Bailey snapped, "If you hadn't come over to our place to thank my mom for helping you, none of this would've happened! You fell down the stairs, and we paid for your treatment and did everything we could to help you. Instead of being grateful, you're actually doubting us?

"Let me make this clear. The Hopkins family doesn't owe you anything!"

Falling down the stairs by accident? Yeah, right.

Sure, like I'd ever believe that.

It was this guy, my dear brother, standing right in front of me, who shoved me down those stairs himself!

He was acting like he was the real victim here.

If I really had amnesia, I might've actually believed him.

After he finally finished his tirade, I just gave him a blank look, pretending not to get it.

"No one asked you. Why are you so defensive? Feeling guilty much?" I shot back.

"You..." Bailey choked, totally speechless.

His face flushed with rage.

I was just about to push his buttons a bit more when Jasiah finally spoke up.

"You really are the Hopkins family's sponsored student," Jasiah said.

I froze for a moment.

Jasiah's gaze landed on me.

His eyes were calm, not the way a father looks at his own daughter, but more like he was weighing my value, like I was just another thing to be appraised.

"Anyway, you got hurt at our place, so of course we have to take responsibility..." he said.

He hesitated for a moment, then looked up at me.

"Since you're the Hopkins family's sponsored student, you'll stay here with us while you recover and go to school. Think of it as compensation," he said.

Then he stopped and looked at me, clearly waiting for my response.

Millie was eyeing me nervously, too.

I gave a hesitant, uneasy look. "Wouldn't this be too much trouble for you?"

"Not at all. Just make yourself at home," Millie said, shaking her head, eager to reassure me, like she'd finally found an outlet for her motherly affection.

"So you do know you're always causing trouble, huh?" Bailey scoffed.

Bailey let out a cold snort.

"A country bumpkin like you should be thanking your lucky stars you even get to live with the Hopkins family," he sneered.

I just ignored him and kept my eyes on Jasiah and Millie, giving them a gentle nod.

"Thank you, Jasiah, Millie. Sorry to bother you," I said.

Bailey let out another mocking laugh, like he was saying, "Figures. You act all innocent, but in the end, you still went along with it."

Jordan tugged at his sleeve, telling him to cool it.

Then he turned to me, his smile warm and reassuring.

"Sophia, don't take it personally. Bailey's just blunt. He doesn't mean anything by it," Jordan said.

He glanced over at Bailey.

"He's just worried about you and wants you to settle in with the Hopkins family. There's no bad blood," Jordan added.

Bailey rubbed his nose, looking awkward as he turned his head away.

But he kept his mouth shut after that.

I gave a half-hearted nod. "Yeah, sure."

Who cared what that idiot thought?

I didn't have to be one of the Hopkins family.

But I was going to stay. I was staying in Silverville, no matter what.

Back in my village, the old folks always said the same thing.

If you stayed stuck in that mountain valley, you'd never amount to anything.

No future meant no money.

And that just wasn't gonna fly for me.

I was determined to make it big. I was going to stand out, no matter what.

I trailed after them back to the Hopkins family's villa.

When we stepped inside, I caught sight of the staff room and noticed my battered old backpack sitting there. I couldn't help but grin, tossing out, "Guess this is my room, huh? Not too shabby."

"Guess this is my room, huh? Not too shabby," I joked, flashing a smile.

Everyone from the Hopkins family just froze, and for a second, nobody had anything to say.

The vibe instantly got weird.

Finally, Alaya, sniffling and on the verge of tears, broke the silence.

"Maybe Sophia should just move back into my room. Even though it's packed with all my childhood memories, it's okay..." she said, her voice trembling.

Tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Millie hugged Alaya close, her voice full of concern as she comforted her, "It's okay, baby. Your room is yours, I promise. We're not letting her take it."

Bailey's face darkened.

"Sophia, we're already letting you live here with us. Isn't that enough for you? Now you're trying to take Alaya's room too?" he snapped.

Jordan looked at me, shaking his head, sounding really disappointed.

"Do you always have to be so bossy?" he said.

I was left totally stunned by their sudden lecture.

What just happened?

I patiently waited for the whole family to finish their show before finally speaking up, my voice as genuine as it could possibly sound.