CHAPTER 130: SERAPHINA, MY GIRL!

Author’s POV

"You’re angry just because he sold a house he bought," Alistair scoffed, his tone laced with disgust. "But what about what she did to our sister?" He rolled his eyes, the frustration finally bubbling over. "You people are so damn cruel to one and blind to the other. It’s really sickening.

Mrs. Lancaster’s jaw tightened at Alistair’s harsh words. "How am I biased?" she snapped, talking through her grinding teeth. "I just don’t like that lass. She’s low-level—too low for this family."

"Mom!" Alistair’s voice cracked. I sounded raw and loud. "You called me low-level, too, remember? Just because I didn’t become what you wanted. And now you’re doing the same to Sera!"

He paused, trying to breathe through the heat building inside him.

"Have you ever given her a real chance? A proper opportunity to prove herself? Time to learn anything that might live up to your expectations? Have you given her any time?"

His voice dropped lower, but he still went out with the heavy words.

"You decided from the start that she’d never measure up to your so-called daughter. Even though she’s your blood and she’s your daughter, you are always against her."

The room fell into a strange silence.

Mrs. Lancaster didn’t respond right away. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, eyes still hard and proud, even when Alistair’s words echoed like a slap.

Asher stood nearby, arms folded. But he didn’t say a word as if he were agreeing with Alistair.

He didn’t need to intervene. Alistair had said what he wasn’t able to, and just like him, no one said anything.

Because deep down, everyone in that room knew Alistair wasn’t wrong.

The truth was uncomfortable, but it was the truth after all.

"Whatever she is now... it’s because you made her feel like she was never enough," Alistair added, his voice low.

Mrs. Lancaster turned sharply toward him. "So now she’s the victim?" she spat back. "Don’t forget what she’s done—"

"To whom?" Alistair cut her off, eyes sharp. "To you? Or to the so-called image of perfection you shoved down her throat?"

"Alis!" Mr. Lancaster finally stepped in, his voice stern. He could tell things were slipping out of control. "Why are you suddenly being so rude in front of your mother?"

"Why?" Alistair’s jaw clenched as he turned to face him. "You want to ask me why? Or are you just as blind as your wife?"

The room tensed again.

"Brother!" Melissa’s voice cut through the air, her voice shrill and fast. "First, Brother Asher sold the house... and I was just asking about it! That was my house, my property! But he went ahead and sold it without telling me!" She said it all in one breath, like she’d been holding it in all this time and finally gotten her time. "And now you—"

Her tone turned sharp as she spun toward Alistair.

"You can’t talk to Father like that! It was already too much when you ignored me, or got rude to Mother, but now—!"

She was still her mid-rant when Asher’s voice broke in coldly.

"And you think you can talk to your big brother however the hell you want? Huh?" His words sliced straight through her. "Or is that what it is... You don’t even see me as your brother? Or him?" He gestured to Alistair. "Was I just the guy you ran to when you needed money? Is that all I’ve ever been to you?"

"Let’s not waste our breath on her anymore," Alistair said, turning toward Asher in a sharp voice. "She’s just being greedy. That’s all this is."

Melissa didn’t respond. She didn’t know why she was being attacked out of the blue. Her life was so good and going smoothly, but ever since Seraphina had arrived, everything had changed!

She was in the mood to let her go at any cost!

Melissa stood there, fists clenched at her sides, chest rising and falling with silent fury. Her nails dug into her palms that which stung, which kept her from screaming and losing control.

As every part of her wanted to yell or slap right across Alistair’s face to shut him up! But she didn’t!

She just stood there.

Let them say what they wanted. Let them act like she was selfish, but they had no idea what that house meant to her.

She had bought it with dreams in her eyes and a hope she’d never said out loud. She thought that if she had a place of her own, the Lancasters might not be able to eject her from the family. Or even if they did someday, she would be able to stay there happily.

Since then, she’d bought more properties in silence but obsessively.

However, no matter how many she bought.... She couldn’t legally own anything yet.

She was still underage.

Everything was under Asher’s name. He had the power. He had the right. It was his money anyway! So, she let him do that!

And now... he’d sold it without even telling her.

She’d always believed Asher would protect her, no matter how distant he became or how cold his words sounded; he’d still be her big brother, who’d do anything for her.

But everything she had imagined and dreamed of was nothing but a hoax!

"Yes!" Melissa’s voice cracked as tears spilled down her cheeks, her words echoing through the room like glass shattering. "You guys are so mean!"

She finally snapped.

All that anger and bitterness she’d swallowed for so long exploded out of her chest as she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

"If you all hadn’t taken all your attention off me and thrown it onto Sera, I wouldn’t have been so angry at her! But even then.... Even then, I never did anything to hurt her!" Her voice trembled as more tears poured down. "I always saw Sera as my sister. But now? Now you’re all turning around and blaming me?"

She looked between Alistair, Asher, and then at her parents, choking on her own words.

"You’re blaming me because she ran away? Because she disappeared and couldn’t be found?" She shook her head in disbelief. "And then you go and sell my house and the other properties that I dreamed of having! How could you do that to me?"

Her chest heaved. She was breathing hard, as she clenched her fist to the side.

"You say Mother’s biased?" she shot back in a bitter and sharp voice. "Then what about you? Are you not the same?"

Her eyes locked on Alistair, then flicked to Asher.

"You think I didn’t see it? The way you both defend her like she’s some innocent saint and I’m the villain here? I may not be perfect, but I’ve tried."

"Are you done?" Asher asked in a flat tone, as if he hadn’t just heard such a long rant from Melissa a moment ago.

He didn’t look moved, even a little.

He just ran a hand through his hair, slowly and lazily as if it didn’t bother her.

Then he turned to Alistair. "Alis, let’s go. We’re already getting late."

And just like that, they walked out without even giving her a single glance.

Alistair followed him without saying a word, and Melissa stood there in the middle of the room, tears still fresh on her cheeks, as her body shook.

******

Lucien’s POV

It had been days since I last saw Seraphina.

And with each passing hour, it felt like something inside me was bubbling. I wanted to see her and touch her.

I missed her.

It had been a while since I had seen and talked to her. Even my cell phone broke when I arrived here!

What a damn luck I had!

Moreover, I was stuck here in the main mansion, surrounded by greedy smiles and hypocritical voices, pretending to care about a meeting I never wanted in the first place.

Ever since I took over this goddamn family, they all came crawling to me whenever they had any problems!

Because I was the head now, as if they were nothing without someone to hold the leash.

I sat there, bored out of my mind, listening to two uncles argue over land rights they’d probably forged ten years ago, like stupid people.

I was only here because I had to be.

And because walking out in the middle of the meeting would start a fire.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Boss," my assistant stepped in, his voice clipped, his expression grim. "Something’s going on... back in the capital."

My jaw tensed, but I didn’t look up.

"What now?" I asked, rubbing the bridge between my brows, already annoyed. "If it’s another investor pulling out... deal with it. I’m not interested in fixing more stupidity today."

"Well..." He said and glanced toward those two uncles, who were still fighting.

I just held back from rolling my eyes and asked them to leave as I had something important to take care of. And even while leaving, they couldn’t stop reaching each other’s throats.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at my assistant.

He didn’t move or speak right away.

I glanced up, and then I noticed the shift. The way his shoulders dropped just a bit, it was clear his eyes were avoiding mine.

"It’s about her," he said finally, his voice quieter than before. "It’s about Seraphina."

Everything stilled the moment he took her name. My fingers froze where they rested on the table.

Seraphina... My girl.

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