Chapter 4: A Half-Sister From Neither Side?

"This is Miss Chloe's room. You're not allowed in!" Sally panicked and reached for Miss Celia's hand, but Miss Celia slipped away. Sally's voice dripped with spite, even as she remembered to keep it down. "Giving you a room at all is already generous. What more do you want? You're nothing but a bastard from the countryside. Don't even think about replacing Miss Chloe!" "I'm a bastard?" Miss Celia flicked the door to Chloe Greaves's room shut and pointed downstairs at Serena Cutmore. "Then what's that? A bastard's mom?" The moment the words "bastard's mom" left her mouth, Sally's face twitched. The color drained from her, turning her sickly green. She froze where she stood, not daring to say another word. Miss Celia didn't wait for a response. She walked on. After passing a few more rooms, she found the Greaves family study. A black solid-wood desk, an enormous bookcase, and a set of leather sofas. At least it wasn't as eye-searing as the rooms she'd seen earlier. Miss Celia raised a brow and strolled right in. After what had just happened, Sally had only dared to trail behind her at a careful distance. But the moment she saw Miss Celia step into the master's study, her heart lurched. She hurried forward, calling out anxiously, "That's the master's study! You can't go in!" Miss Celia didn't so much as pause. Sally boiled over. "Do you have any sense at all when you're in someone else's house? This is the master's study. You're an outsider, how can you-" Bang! The study door slammed shut in her face. Sally had been rushing so hard she walked straight into it. Pain shot through her nose. It reddened instantly. She shook all over, whether from fury or the sting, she couldn't tell. The next second, the door opened again. The girl offered her nothing but half a glance, her voice cool and flat. "Honey lemon water. Warm." Sally answered with a sour, mocking tone. "Well, aren't you making yourself at home." Typical country girl. Not a shred of self-awareness. Ordering her around like she was somebody important. "My biological parents' home," Miss Celia said. "Why would I act like a guest? And if it isn't here in five minutes, I don't mind going downstairs to have a chat with my aunt." When she said the word "aunt," the sarcasm was sharp enough to cut. Sally choked on her words. Before she could force out a single retort, the door shut again without mercy. She glared at the study door for a long moment, cursing under her breath. In the end, she still stomped downstairs to prepare the honey lemon water. Miss Celia hadn't made a scene in front of Madam Balam, so Serena Cutmore should have been pleased. And yet, watching Miss Celia walk away without even looking back left Serena with a tight, heavy feeling in her chest. After she saw Madam Balam out, Serena sank onto the sofa. The thought of Miss Celia made irritation churn in her gut. She didn't want to see her, not yet. But Sally hovered nearby, hesitating. "Ma'am…" Serena frowned. "What is it?" Sally's gaze flickered. "There isn't a room prepared for Miss Celia, so I thought I'd have her wait in another one for a bit. But Miss Celia refused. She insisted on going into the master's study…" Serena's expression turned ugly at once. Chloe spoke gently, trying to smooth things over. "Mom, my sister just came home. It's normal if she doesn't know she can't go into other people's rooms." Serena's face darkened even more. A country girl with no basic manners at all, and she was her biological daughter? And Sally's next words only poured oil on the fire. "Miss Chloe, you're too kind. I told Miss Celia it was the master's study and she couldn't go in, but she wouldn't listen. I tried to talk her out of it, and she even lectured me…" Sally dabbed at her eyes as she spoke. Not only rude, but arrogant and unreasonable. "She's really trying to turn the house upside down!" Serena slammed her palm on the table and shot up from the sofa, storming toward the study. Watching Serena's furious back, Chloe lowered her eyes and followed. The moment Serena entered the study, she saw Miss Celia lounging on the sofa with a lollipop between her teeth, phone in hand, absorbed in whatever she was doing. When they came in, Miss Celia lifted her eyelids slightly and greeted her, "Aunt." That single word detonated everything Serena had been holding in. "What 'aunt'? Celia Greaves! I'm your mother!" She shot Miss Celia a look of pure disgust and snapped, "You barged into your father's study without permission and bullied Sally. Do you have any upbringing at all?" "You're right. I didn't," Miss Celia said, clapping her hands lightly as if applauding. "Insulting yourself like that. Ruthless." Only then did Serena realize that "no upbringing" was a curse aimed at the parents. And she, unfortunately, was Miss Celia's biological mother. Serena's head buzzed. "How did I end up raising someone like-" She ground her teeth and swallowed the rest. "Get out here. And apologize to Sally!" Miss Celia didn't respond. She lowered her head and kept scrolling. Being ignored lit Serena's chest on fire. She strode forward and flung Miss Celia's phone across the room. "I'm talking to you! Did you not hear me?" Miss Celia stared at the phone on the floor. A chill slipped into her eyes. "Pick it up." "What did you say?" Serena couldn't believe her ears. She let out a cold laugh. "Pick it up yourself. I'm your mother! What, are you trying to rebel?" Miss Celia didn't bother arguing. She grabbed the cup on the table and smashed it. The cup exploded at Serena and Chloe's feet. Both of them jolted, screaming, "Ah!" Their faces went paper-white. Serena snapped back to herself and shrieked, "Celia Greaves, what are you doing?!" But the girl on the sofa only made a soft "Mm," the lollipop still between her teeth as she drawled lazily, "Sorry. Bad temper." After a brief pause, she added, "Probably inherited from you." Serena clutched her chest, shaking with rage. If Chloe hadn't been there to support her, she might have fainted on the spot. Chloe rubbed Serena's back and turned a reproachful look on Miss Celia. "Sister, why would you make Mom this angry? Hurry and apologize to Mom. Tell her you know you were wrong." Miss Celia propped her head on one hand, gaze idly fixed on the phone that had been thrown to the floor. Chloe's brows knitted. She took a quiet breath, then had Sally pick up the phone and return it to Miss Celia. Only after she got it back did Miss Celia look at Chloe. Two cool, indifferent words. "Who are you?" "Sister, I'm your younger sister. My name is Chloe," Chloe said, a gentle, poised smile blooming on her face. She coaxed Miss Celia softly. "Sister, are you still upset that Mom introduced you as her niece earlier? She only said that because of me. Mom hasn't had it easy. Can you try to understand her?" Miss Celia crossed one leg over the other, still seated on the sofa. She rolled up her sleeve halfway, her delicate brows lifting with faint amusement. "If it was for you, why should I be the one to understand her? What do I have to do with you?" Hearing Chloe's considerate, obedient words, then seeing Miss Celia's careless attitude, Serena's face turned black as soot. "What do you mean, 'what do you have to do with her'? Chloe is your sister! Celia Greaves, since you're back, can't you learn from Chloe and be a little more sensible?" Miss Celia's eyes held something between mockery and ice. "A half-sister from neither side?"