"Am I the one abandoning you? Mom, don't you feel ashamed saying so?"
Nicole looked at her mother and suddenly felt that this woman had become so distant and strange. She
couldn't help but think of Audrey.
Could blood ties really change everything?
People would only give out everything for their own blood. Once they found out that there was no blood
relation between them, they would change into another person in no time.
Was this human nature?
Nicole could not possibly understand but only felt deep pain about it.
Mrs. Bush naturally couldn't look into Nicole's eyes so she didn't speak anymore.
The room was so silent that one could even hear others' breaths.
Finally, Nicole showed a bitter smile and walked out of the ward without saying anything.
They had already abandoned her the moment they found Melissa. She had nothing to hope for.
Nicole's leave made Mrs. Bush and Mr. Bush heave a sigh of relief. Only Melissa looked at Nicole's
back with a thoughtful look.
Nicole walked away for a long distance and then she suddenly wondered if her parents had sold the
house. If not, they might be in need of money now. No matter what, the two had raised her for more
than twenty years. This was the last thing she could do for them as her way to say goodbye.
Therefore, Nicole took out a bank card from her pocket and returned back to the ward. However, before
she entered, she heard Mrs. Bush's voice.
"Aren't we going too far with Nicole? Anyway, she is still raised by us. If we ask her sincerely, she might
agree to help Melissa for the sake of us."
"If so, she would have done that. Mom, don't be so naïve. She's just an ingrate. Think about this. Did
she ever care about you after she found out about her biological mother? Did she ever help you when
you lacked money? No, she did nothing. She is just busy with being a rich lady. You are nothing to her."
Melissa said coldly.
"Nicole has her own difficulties. Her life in the Green family is not as glorious as you think."
Mr. Bush argued.
"Dad, what do you mean? I can't believe that you still think well of her now. Then why did you come to
me? Last time, when I went to find the violin teacher, Nicole must have done something behind our
back. Otherwise, Seuss wouldn't tell me that I was not qualified and refused me. He had already said
that we would hear from him soon. Dad, you've also heard this. It must be Nicole. She was the only
one we met in the building when we were leaving. She must go to Seuss and played some tricks. She
pretended to be very helpful to me on the surface, but pulled strings behind. Why can't you see through
such a woman? She wants nothing good for me so that I couldn't take good care of you. She just wants
you to rely on her and only her."
Hearing Melissa's words, Nicole stopped at the door.
Did Seuss turn down Melissa?
But what did this have to do with her?
She only went there to talk to Elvis. How could this also be her fault?
He who had a mind to beat his dog would easily find his stick.
Nicole decided not to rush in anymore. Instead, she leaned against the wall and was eavesdropping
openly.
When Mr. Bush heard what Melissa said, he stopped talking.
"Is this true? Answer me." Mrs. Bush asked in surprise.
Nicole suddenly felt amused.
Shouldn't they ask her? She hadn't even say for herself when they already made a conclusion on this
matter.
Mr. Bush pondered for a moment and said, "It should be true. In the Seapolis City, no one can ask
Seuss for anything except Nicole and Samuel. This must be the case. I told you so. Nicole has always
looked down on Melissa. We've established on that. Alas, how did this child become like this? All our
efforts these years are in vain as she winds up as an ingrate."
Nicole was still smiling, but there was no warmth in her eyes.
Mrs. Bush cried when she heard this.
"How can Nicole be like this? She has everything now with the support of the Green family and the Don
family. She can live a happy life even if she doesn't work. What about Melissa? Audrey exchanged our
kids in the past and we are the one who suffer now. To put it bluntly, this is all Audrey's fault. The
Shaws and the Dons owe us. But Nicole is bullying our Melissa. What Nicole did is not paying her debt
but making more sins. This is not right. I need to talk things over with her even if I have to leave the
Seapolis City. I can't accept this."
As she spoke, Mrs. Bush was about to lift the quilt and get out of bed, but Melissa stopped her.
"What for? She will never admit her ungratefulness on the surface. Talking about this is just an
opportunity for her to brag about her good name. People would only appraise her. Just drop this now.
When I was captured by Elvis, she never tried to save me. Can't you see who she is? Now that Seuss
won't teach me and Samuel demands us to leave the city, what can we do? The only money we have
was used for connections for my future. But no one in the Seapolis City was willing to give us a hand.
Samuel must have done something or those people wouldn't turn back on us. Mom, stop dreaming
anymore. Nicole is no longer your daughter and you should remember that now."
Nicole narrowed her eyes slightly due to what Melissa said.
Recently, she had been too busy. She didn't even know what's happening. However, Melissa's words
and the Bushes' stance on this really disappointed her.
Nicole was not curious about the following conversation. She put back her card and turned around to
leave.
Since they have found her guilty and ungrateful, why would she ask for trouble?
She did have money, but she was not stupid to give it to those who thought ugly of her.
Nicole now was in a very bad mood, and even a little irritable.
She never knew that one day she would face such accusations from her adoptive parents. The coldest
thing was that they had never asked her for verification. Was she such a person to them?
Nicole couldn't help but feel a little ironic and funny.
She leaned against the pillar of the corridor and watched the people coming and going. For a moment,
she did not know what was left of human nature and what to trust.
When Olivia came out, she saw Nicole looking blankly at the crowd coming and going with a pair of red
eyes. Olivia was slightly stunned, and then she quickly walked over.
"Nicole, what's wrong with you?"
Olivia's voice brought Nicole back.
Nicole looked at Olivia blankly at the first. She tried her best to restrain her emotions and said with a
smile, "Nothing. Got something on my mind."
"You might catch a cold standing here. Go back now. I heard from Jacob that it was you and Samuel
who gave him the money. His funds were frozen and the company stopped operating. I'll return his
medical fee to you when I have the money."
Nicole waved her hand at Olivia's words.
She had been friends with Olivia for a long time. Even though there was family feud between them,
Olivia did not treat her like Melissa and her parents did.
Thinking of this, Nicole couldn't help but feel even more uncomfortable.
"No need. You know that money is all we have left. Here's a card with 300,000 in it. It's the prize from
my last design competition. I have no use for it. Take it. Now that there are so many things going on in
your family and Jacob is injured, you must be in need of money. Even if you can go to work, you have
to find a job first. I can ask Samuel if his company has any job vacancy. With your qualifications... "
"Nicole, I'll find my own job. Don't bother. I'll take the money, and handle the rest myself. Just take care
of yourself for me."
Olivia interrupted Nicole and took the bank card from her.
Nicole paused and nodded her head.
"Alright, you have your ways of handling things. Just do as you want. Don't worry. In the Seapolis City, I
won't let others bully you."
"I know,"
Olivia smiled knowingly.
Right at this moment, Melissa voice came out of nowhere.
"Look what I've found. You two are more like sisters."
Nicole narrowed her eyes slightly and chose to ignore her. But Melissa continued, "Olivia, you must
ride on Nicole's coattails. If she is in a bad mood, you might be the one to suffer like me. My mom and
dad treat her so well but she forces them to leave here. You have to be careful dealing with this kind of
person. Anyway, wish you good luck."
Nicole was so angry that her entire body trembled. Before she could say anything, Olivia smiled and
said, "I have never relied on Nicole. We are both independent individuals. Whatever she does is a
favor, not a duty. You can never understand the relationship we have. Melissa, if you are really idle
enough, do spend some time thinking about your future. I know what you did. Your parents may choose
to be hiding from the truth. That's their freedom. But if you dare to do anything to Nicole, I will make you
regret it."
Hearing Olivia's words, Nicole suddenly felt that Olivia was referring to something.
"Olivia, do you know something?"
Melissa's expression immediately changed.
"What does she know? She's just spouting nonsense. Olivia, stop showing off in front of me. I still have
my parents to protect me. What do you have? A paralyzed younger brother, an idiot father, and now a
disabled boyfriend. If a woman like you wants to support them, you probably need to be a mistress for
an old man? Even so, it's not likely that you will land a rich man. Who would like you, a mediocre
woman? Maybe you can be a performer at the dancing hall."
"Melissa!"
These words really ruffled Nicole's feather.
Melissa could insult her, but she could not treat Olivia like this.
Just as Nicole was about to make a move, Olivia suddenly grabbed Nicole's hand and looked straight
at Melissa.
"Jacob's car accident hasn't been reported yet? How did you know that he became a
vegetable?"
"What does she know? She's just spouting nonsense. Olivia, stop showing off in front of me. | still have
my parents to protect me. What do you have? A paralyzed younger brother, an idiot father, and now a
disabled boyfriend. If a woman like you wants to support them, you probably need to be a mistress for
an old man? Even so, it's not likely that you will land a rich man. Who would like you, a mediocre
woman? Maybe you can be a performer at the dancing hall."
"Melissa!"
These words really ruffled Nicole's feather.
Melissa could insult her, but she could not treat Olivia like this.
Just as Nicole was about to make a move, Olivia suddenly grabbed Nicole's hand and looked straight
at Melissa.
"Jacob's car accident hasn't been reported yet? How did you know that he became a
vegetable?"
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