Chapter 3
Lauren clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. Something was off. This Evelyn was nothing like what Susan King had described.
Her birth mother was Susan, the Bennett family nanny who had abducted Evelyn all those years ago. The woman had clearly said Evelyn was a weak, timid country girl who could be kept in line with a few threats.
But this girl had sharp eyes and a powerful presence. She looked nothing like a poor victim trafficked for eighteen years.
Lauren shivered, then quickly forced herself to calm down. What was there to fear?
"She had spent eighteen years securing her place in the Bennett family.
Everyone in that house was on her side."
No matter how capable Evelyn was, she was still just a blood relative who had shown up late. How can Evelyn fight her?
Thinking that, Lauren put her sweet, obedient mask back on and hurried after her.
After entering her room, Evelyn took out her phone and sent a text to the number saved as 'Adoptive Mom': [Everything's going smoothly. The Bennetts are even dumber than I expected.]
A reply came almost at once: [The Grant Family will always have your back. Come home whenever you're done playing.]
Evelyn smiled at the screen.
*****
At dinner, the whole Bennett family sat around the long table. Evelyn was placed at the far end, while Lauren sat at Mary's right hand, the best seat besides the head.
Mary kept serving Lauren food and said, "Lauren, barbecue ribs, your favorite. Have plenty."
"Thank you, Mom." Lauren smiled sweetly, then turned to Yuan Yuqing with a concerned look. "Have some too, Evelyn. Make yourself at home. This is your house."
Her words made it sound as if Evelyn were merely a guest.
Evelyn hadn't touched her chopsticks. She just held her teacup and drank slowly. "I'm not hungry," she said.
She truly wasn't, but unlike in her past-life memories, it wasn't because nerves and inferiority had made her unable to eat.
Back then, Lauren had even mocked her, asking if she found the family’s cooking beneath her. But in this time...
"Does Evelyn not like the food at home?" Sure enough, Lauren delivered the exact same line as before, her eyes reddening again. "I know you might be used to different food out there, but..."
Evelyn set down her teacup and looked at Lauren seriously. "I'm not looking down on it. I'm waiting for you to poison it."
The room went dead silent, and the sound of chopsticks clattering onto the table seemed painfully loud.
"Evelyn!" Andrew shot to his feet and slammed the table. "What the hell do you mean by that?"
"Just kidding." Evelyn let out a light laugh. "You people seriously have no sense of humor."
She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of rib, chewed slowly, then nodded. "Tastes good. Thanks for worrying about me, Lauren."
Lauren's face went red, then white, and she forced out a smile. "Evelyn, you really know how to joke around."
Everything Evelyn said carried a sting, yet every line stayed just reasonable enough that no one could openly call her out.
Richard frowned at Evelyn, his expression complicated. There was something about this newly found daughter he couldn't see through.
It wasn't hatred, hurt, or a desperate need to please. It was superiority, like someone high in the clouds looking down at ants fighting below.
"Evelyn," Richard said, "where did you grow up before this? What did your adoptive parents do?" After the DNA match came back, he'd been so focused on bringing her home that he hadn't had time to look deeper.
"I grew up in the country. My adoptive parents are ordinary farmers," Evelyn said without changing expression. That was the story she and the Grants had agreed on.
"Farmers?" Andrew let out a cold laugh and looked her up and down. "No wonder you don't know a damn thing about manners."
Evelyn nodded and said, "You're right, Andrew. I really don't understand rich-family rules.
"For example, why does an adopted girl get the seat of honor while the biological daughter sits at the far end?"
The air at the table froze on the spot.
Mary's face changed. "You..." She shouted.
"Mom, don't be mad." Lauren quickly grabbed Mary's hand, her voice trembling with tears. "This is my fault. I should've given my seat to Evelyn. I'll switch right now." She started to stand.