Chapter 9
Chapter 9:
Donna, regaining her composure, took over the introductions with a warm smile. “Yelena, this is Bella, our adopted daughter. From now on, she’s your younger sister. Your brother, Cayson, is overseas on business, but he’ll be back soon. And your grandmother is on a retreat and will be returning at the end of the month p>
Yelena nodded subtly, her expression calm but inscrutable. A family of this stature was bound to come with tangled relationships and hidden agendas—she was under no illusions about that. Quietly, she resolved to have Brody delve deeper into the Harris family’s history when the moment allowed.
“Oh, Yelena, there’s something I’ve been meaning to give you,” Donna said suddenly, her eyes lighting up with anticipation. With practiced elegance, Donna unfastened an emerald bracelet from her wrist.
“This bracelet has always been with me, and now I want you to have it p>
Donna could not quite recall the details, but she knew it had been given to her by someone significant, and she had cherished it ever since.
Yelena hesitated, the weight of the moment catching her off guard. The bracelet wasn’t just beautiful—it was easily worth millions. Its value wasn’t lost on her.
“This is too much,” she murmured, her voice cautious. “I can’t accept something so precious p>
“Dear, everything I have will one day be yours. This is only a token of what’s to come p>
Before Yelena could protest again, the bracelet was already secured around her wrist. The vibrant emerald stood out against her skin, its brilliance almost overwhelming.
From across the room, Bella’s smile froze in place. Her fingers twitched before curling into tight fists, her nails biting into her palms until the sting blurred into numbness.
New updates in gαℓησν𝒆ℓs․cøm
How blatantly unfair!
Bella had coveted that bracelet for as long as she could remember. Donna, however, had never wavered in her refusal to part with it, as she cherished it deeply.
And now, in the blink of an eye, it had been handed to Yelena, effortlessly and without hesitation. Why? Was it simply because Yelena was Donna’s biological daughter?
A bitter wave of resentment surged through Bella. She refused to let Yelena steal all the attention from the Harris couple.
“Yelena, I’m sorry,” Bella said softly, her voice trembling as her fingers anxiously twisted the fabric of her dress. “I didn’t realize how hard life must have been for you and what you must have been through. If my presence is ever a burden to you, maybe I should just leave p>
Her tone was laced with humility, but beneath the surface lay a faint trace of resentment, subtle yet unmistakable.
She appeared humble, thoughtful, and extremely vulnerable, yet each word carried a barely perceptible sense of grievance.
Yelena pinched the bridge of her nose, her narrowed eyes studying Bella intently. She hadn’t missed the flicker of malice in Bella’s gaze just moments ago.
This girl was strikingly reminiscent of Sonya.