The path leading to the welfare home was lined with plane trees, and as Serena stepped out of the taxi, a withered leaf landed on her shoulder.
She strode towards the welfare home, shaking off the leaves that had clung to her trench coat.
"If there are no issues, sign here," Serena spoke calmly upon seeing Amelia again.
Seated across from her, Amelia was surprised, "I thought you'd slap me when you saw me."
Her gaze fell on the documents as she twirled a pen between her fingers. The period of evasion had left Amelia visibly thinner, but the charm in her brows remained, explaining why there were those bold enough to aid her, disregarding warnings from Phoenix and Evan.
Serena lifted her eyes indolently, her tone flat, "I did consider it on my way here, but seeing you in such a sorry state made me think that I could do that, but it is unnecessary."
Taking a sip of coffee, Serena’s gaze drifted towards the welfare home where children were likely doing morning exercises, accompanied by the counts of one, two, three, four.
The document was flipped open to the last page, awaiting only Amelia's signature.
"Don't you want me to see what this document is about?" Amelia queried, "Are you really that kind to let me off with just a signature? You're not going to sell me off after I sign this, are you?"
When Serena contacted her, Amelia had been plotting her comeback.
To her amazement, Serena proposed signing a document in exchange for her freedom.
Serena scoffed at her words, "And you think you're worthy?"
Pen poised above paper, Amelia gazed leisurely at Serena, "After all, Mr. Nightingale died indirectly because of me, and the downfall of the Nightingale family was directly linked to me. And you, you were almost... How could you let me off so easily?"
The mention of it opened old wounds, reddening Serena's eyes.
Fingers gripping the coffee cup tightly, her whole body trembled with restraint.
On the way, she had repeatedly told herself that even without Amelia, her mother's stroke and cancer diagnosis would have limited her lifespan.
But hearing Amelia admit that Mrs. Nightingale's death was indirectly caused by her provocation, Serena couldn't suppress her rage.
She sprang up, spilling coffee onto Amelia's face, "I really don't understand why you did this. How did our Nightingale family ever wrong you? Putting aside the debt of raising you, even if you were treated like a servant, you shouldn’t have turned against the Nightingale family!"
"The debt of raising me? Do the Nightingales think bringing me back to their house was a favor to me? Who do you think you are? Trying to ease your conscience after what you've done by taking me in?!"
Anger kept her from wiping the coffee stains, her face twisted in a snarl, fingers trembling with fury.
"If your father didn't want me, why let my mother give birth to me? Then, pretending to pity me, bringing me back to the Nightingale household, pretending to care for me?"
"You treated me well? Since childhood, I had nothing compared to you! I'm his daughter too, why should you have everything and I have nothing! I wanted to leave you with nothing, everything you had should have been mine!"
Having vented, she wiped her face, taking a deep breath to calm herself before sitting down.
Serena wore a faint smile, watching Amelia gradually regain her composure. Her fingers tapped the table gently before she abruptly rose, slapping the coffee-stained document onto Amelia's face—
"How did our Nightingale family end up with a thankless wretch like you!"
"You say the Nightingale family wronged you, then open your eyes and read this document, check the date!"
"You say you were inferior to me in everything, then think carefully, since coming to the Nightingale family, did you ever lack anything I had? Your inferiority wasn't because you focused your energy elsewhere?!"
"Your mother was too ambitious. My father was responsible for what happened back then, but we gave her money to abort you. What happened after? She became addicted to gambling, spent it all, and came back to the Nightingale family, pregnant with you, to threaten us. Your mother's death was karma! Afterward, our Nightingale family forgave and adopted you, did we ever mistreat you?!"
Amelia's mother had taken advantage of his father's inebriation to drug him, disguising herself as Mrs. Nightingale, resulting in Amelia's conception.
After receiving a substantial sum, and falling ill, she abandoned Amelia at the welfare home.
Unable to bear the thought of Nightingale blood abandoned, after consulting with Mrs. Nightingale, they adopted Amelia.
Mrs. Nightingale, a devout christian with a kind heart, although initially disliking Amelia, eventually raised her as her own due to the girl's apparent obedience.
Whatever Serena had, Amelia was never denied.
In the Nightingale household, apart from the arranged marriage with Phoenix, Amelia was never slighted.
Out of breath from her tirade, Serena sat, "This document outlines the division of the Nightingale family's assets. During Father's illness, of which I was unaware, he called to discuss this decision with me."
Mention of her father reddened Serena's eyes, tears pooling. She tilted her head back, mastering her emotions.
Amelia's fingers shook as she unfolded the crumpled document.
It clearly stated that the Nightingale family's assets were divided equally between the two sisters.
"This can't be, it's not like this, you're lying..."
It was not true; the Nightingale family couldn't have been this generous to a bastard like her.
This was fake!
"You lied to me!" Amelia yelled, slamming the document on the table.
"Yes, I lied," Serena rose coldly, "The Nightingale family rules prohibit harming family members. I brought this document for you to relinquish your shares and spare you. But I never expected you to sink so low. So be it, spend the rest of your life in prison!"
The soiled document was now meaningless.
Serena turned to leave, sparing her no further glance.
Amelia cried out, "You're lying! Dad liked my mom! If not for you and your mother, I would be the rightful heiress of the Nightingale family!"
Serena refused to look at her, not even turning, "I am older. By your mother's account, she intruded on my parents' marriage. She was morally corrupter. Besides, living in the Nightingale family for so long, couldn't you see how my father treated my mother?"
His father doted on his wife excessively; infidelity was simply inconceivable!
Amelia froze, finally falling silent, lost in her memories.
The document still lay open, testifying that the Nightingale family had never wronged her.
She was, without a doubt, an ingrate.
Her perceived injustices, her assumed right to retaliate, all amounted to a cruel jest.
She had even harmed those who had been kindest to her.
