Chapter 2

Scarlet gazed out of the window as she tried to think of all the things that had happened in her past life. She knew that since she couldn’t escape going to the Jenkins, she had to have enough power to make them fear her and not plot against her and her aunt.

The car slowly drove into the premises, making Scarlet's mouth curve up when she saw the familiar place. She sighed as she shook her head, but still walked out of the car when it stopped.

“Welcome home, eldest young miss,” the butler said, and Scarlet nodded her head.

She held her aunt’s hand and walked towards the entrance.

“Dad, did you say that she insisted on coming with that maid?” Ann asked her father, who had just returned from work.

“Don’t spout nonsense, they are already here. Don’t let them hear you,” her mother said in a low tone, causing the family to look in that direction.

“Sister, you have arrived,” Ann said as she ran towards Scarlet, who stood still and watched as Ann performed. She saw disgust in the latter's eyes, making her wonder what kind of a fool she had been in her past life to think that Ann really welcomed her and not see the emotions in her eyes.

Scarlet stared at her, and when Ann was about to hug her, she took a step backwards, making Ann halt and look at Scarlet with hatred, but she hurriedly hid it.

“Sister, don’t you want me to hug you? I am clean,” Ann said in a low tone, but everyone in the room heard.

Mrs Jenkins and her son snickered when they heard those words, as they wondered how Ann could be full of germs instead of Scarlet who came from the countryside. Who knew what kind of diseases and bacterias she had carried with her?

“I am sorry, but I don’t know you. How can I let you hug me? Shouldn’t you at least introduce yourself?” Scarlet asked as she blinked her eyes, portraying her innocence.

However, her words stunned everyone. Scarlet thought that if Ann was going to play being innocent, then she would show her the real meaning of portraying innocence to the maximum.

“Ann, she left when she was a little kid. It’s evident she doesn’t remember you,” Mr Jenkins said as he had been watching his daughter to see how she would act. However, he never expected that she would not show cowardice, but she was full of confidence when she spoke. Even the aura she emanated screamed respect.

He stood up and walked towards Scarlet. “Scarlet. I am your father. It’s been a long time since I saw you. You have really grown up and have become tall,” he said with a smile on his face, and Scarlet stared at him.

“Are you really my father?” Scarlet asked as her eyes blinked and disbelief everywhere. “Why didn’t you visit us?  Even calling? I always thought that I was an orphan till you called,” Scarlet added when she saw the man’s cold stare, stunning everyone, and Mr Jenkins averted his gaze and looked at Sophia, who was standing next to Scarlet.

“You never told her about me?” he asked her coldly while Sophia looked at Scarlet, as she didn’t understand why the latter was lying.

“Why are you blaming my aunt? She has always been busy working so that she can provide me with food, clothes, and school fees. We even rarely had time to speak to each other. If I had known that my family was this rich, I would have called you a long time ago, as I have been living like a child with no family to provide for her,” Scarlet said as she lowered her head, making the man feel guilty. He never thought that their lives were that hard. He had just wanted to send the girl, as she would always remind him of her mother, which he didn’t want.

“Didn’t you go with your card?” he asked Sophia, who rolled her eyes.

“Did your wife let us leave with anything? It was as if she were the one who had bought everything in this house. We left with nothing. Just the clothes we were wearing that day. Weren’t you also there? Why then are you asking me?” Sophia sneered, making the man’s eyes turn dark.

“Aunt, are you saying that that woman isn’t my mother? If she isn’t my mom, then where is my mother?” Scarlet asked, making everyone freeze as they never expected her to ask such a question.

Sophia stared at Scarlet, wondering what was wrong with her, but she didn’t say anything, thinking that she would ask her when they were just the two of them.

“Uhm…” Mr Jenkins stammered as he wondered how he would explain it to her. They had thought that the latter remembered a few things, thus he was unprepared. At the same time, he thought that if he had known that the latter didn’t remember her mother, he would have told her that his wife was her mother and she had been sent to the countryside cause she was sick and she needed to recuperate.

“Oh dear, I am your father’s wife, and these are your siblings. Ann and John,” Mr Jenkins said as she stood up, walking towards Scarlet.

“So you married my father after my mother went? Or were you the cause why she left me?” Scarlet asked innocently, making the woman dumbfounded.

“What nonsense are you speaking? Your mother died,” Mr Jenkins said coldly, as he didn’t like the way Scarlet was speaking.

“Oh,” Scarlet said, lowering her head as tears started falling.

“I can’t even remember my mother. I am envious that they have their mother,” Scarlet said, her eyes full of envy and jealousy when she looked at Ann and her brother.

All this time, Ann stood there watching everything as she had not expected the latter to be like that.

“What nonsense are you talking? I am also your mother. Your father’s wife is also your mother,” Mr Jenkin said as she took Scarlet’s hands into her hands, a smile on her face.

“Are you sure?” Scarlet asked, staring at the woman innocently. But just as the latter had opened her mouth to speak, Scarlet added, “Where I used to live, the villagers always said that getting a stepmother was the same as getting a stepfather. Are you sure you will treat me the same way as you treat your children and not take my father away from me?”

Mr and Mrs Jenkins were shocked while Ann gritted her teeth, thinking that the young lady really knew how to act. However, she didn’t have evidence that she was acting as she looked so genuine, not like someone who was pretending.

“Cause, why was I sent to the countryside when my mother died and my father got married? Doesn’t that show that I wasn’t wanted here? After suffering for all those years, why send someone to come for me? I am very sure that you had all forgotten about me!” Scarlet said, her head lowered as she didn’t want anyone to see the cold glint in her eyes but to everyone, they thought that she was just heartbroken and didn’t want them to see the tears in her eyes.