Chapter 469
Julian pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his gentle, scholarly face clouded with a complex expression.
“Julian… sniffle… sob p>
Seeing that her older brother wasn’t helping her up, Isabella looked at him with tear- filled eyes and called his name pitifully.
Julian crouched down beside her, his gentle eyes under the lenses now level with hers.
He still looked as kind as a spring breeze.
But under that gaze, Isabella’s heart suddenly lurched. A strange sense of panic washed over her.
“Isabella, I know Serena’s return has been a huge shock to you. It’s hard, and you feel like someone has appeared to steal the attention and love that was yours. You feel it’s unfair. I can understand that.” Julian’s voice was warm, but incredibly deep. “But have you ever stopped to think that everything you have now originally belonged to Serena p>
“The privileged life you’ve enjoyed, the status of a Lancaster daughter, even our twenty years of affection for you—all of it was meant for Serena from the very beginning. You are the one who has been occupying Serena’s life for two decades p>
“Now that Serena is back, we want to make it up to her. We want to give her back everything she was owed. Is there a problem with that p>
Julian’s voice was soft, carrying its usual smooth and composed warmth.
But every word landed on Isabella’s heart like a heavy stone.
Isabella’s tear-soaked lashes trembled violently.
She was seething with a hatred so intense it felt like she would explode, but on her face, she could only muster an even more pathetic expression, sobbing, “No… I didn’t… I don’t feel that way, Julian… I don’t think there’s anything wrong, and I’m not jealous of Serena p>
“Isabella,” Julian interrupted. “You were raised as the apple of our eye. I know exactly what you’re thinking. Whether you’re jealous or not, you know the truth in your own heart p>
Her thoughts exposed, Isabella’s crying faltered. She knew any further denial was pointless.
She began to weep with genuine
self-pity. “Sniff… Julian, I know I was wrong. I’m really not jealous… I just… I just felt like you were all favoring her, and it hurt. I wanted to prove that I was the one your carefully raised, that i wasnt inferior to her… I wanted you to see how good I am, to see me, so I foolishly… went along with the bet p>
Isabella was sobbing uncontrollably. “I know I was wrong, Julian, I really do p>
Her only option was to portray herself as a child who had made a mistake simply because she craved attention.
Seeing her cry so miserably, Julian’s expression softened slightly. He said earnestly. “Serena grew up in such a difficult environment, yet she became so exceptional. The
hardships she endured are beyond
our imagination. But you, you’ve had every Tuxury since birth, showered, with love. Why must you compete with her? You just need to be yourself. We want to make things up to her and be good to her, but that absolutely does not mean we will be biased p>
“I know Julian, I really do. I know I was wrong… I’m sorry, Julian. I apologize. Please forgive me Isabella’s tear-filled eyes were red and swollen, a truly pitiful sight.
Julian frowned slightly. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to p>
“I know, I’ll apologize to Serena later!” Isabella promised wretchedly, then pointed to her scraped knees and swollen ankle Julian my legs hurts so much’ve already crawled this far. I truly know I was wrong. Can you please talk to Grandfather and Mom and Dad for me? The rest of it… can we just let it go p>