“I was only gone for three years. It’s not like I lost my memories, why would I not remember?”
Sage was gentle when she dealt with Leah. “I don’t have a lot of strengths, but I do have a good
memory. I remember those who were good to me, as well as those who have done me wrong. I’ve
never forgotten how it was.”
She continued, “Those who treat me well, I’ll be sure to treat them well; those who did me wrong, I’ll be
sure that they get what they deserve.”
Leah felt her chest tighten. It was as if Sage had somehow known about the conversation between
Yeva and herself. Leah was blind and insensitive, but judging from Sage’s cold and distant attitude, as
well as her words, Leah was able to guess a thing or two.
Compared to her, Sage was observant. Yeva’s plan had been obvious when she had contacted Leah
and asked her to move into Rosa Garden after years of silence.
“I know. You’ve always been clear on where you stand. The world to you is black and white.”
Sage shook her head. “It used to be that way, and I thought that the world operates in black and white.
But now that I’ve grown older, I know that between the black and white, there are always shades of
gray.”
Staring straight into Leah’s eyes, Sage uttered, coldly, “And is that shade of grey known as the betrayal
of your family?”
In shock, Leah’s eyes shot wide open.
Leah’s room was next to Yeva’s.
Even after putting on a thick layer of ointment on her palms, it did not help to relieve the burning pain in
Yeva’s palms. Yeva, though continued cursing at Sage.
“You finally saw how she bullied me, right? It’s just absurd! How could she hit me with that ferrule?
Even my dad has never beaten me! Just wait and see, I’ll get my revenge on her!”
Yeva continued complaining about Sage whereas Leah was in a daze as she recalled what Sage had
told her earlier.
The betrayal of one’s family… could it be that her father and Yeva’s father had something to do with the
death of Sage’s parents?
“Leah, are you listening?”
lung?
Yeva called out to Leah again, “What are you thinking about?”
Forcing a smile, Leah replied, “It’s nothing. I just thought that you are rather different now.”
“Told you so!”
Yeva had finally found someone who agreed with her. “It’s as if she had retumed from hell. There is
something sinister and gloomy about her. Who knows what she did in the past three years that she was
missing.”
“Oh right, she didn’t do anything to you, right? Did you really manage to memorize all one hundred of
them?”
There was a flicker in Leah’s eyes. “She didn’t. I got a few of them wrong, but Sage let me off the hook
as I had only arrived today.”
Growing up in a loveless environment, the ability to fake her emotions had always been her weapon.
Upon Leah’s response, Yeva felt relieved. “That’s only right. How could she only give us two days to
memorize all one hundred of them? Does she think that we’re some genius? It’s obvious that she’s
being hard on us! Don’t worry, Leah, I’ll have your back. We will team up to fight against her.
Remember what I say about behaving well in front of her to get her trust? As soon as you gain her
trust, we will then get rid of her once and for all!”
Studying Yeva’s face which was distorted in anger, Leah suddenly understood what Sage meant. There
was nothing more frightening than having to fight against people who are the closest to you.
Back in the study room, Sage had her legs curled up on the sofa as she watched her cousins through
the surveillance camera. Leah’s words had somewhat stirred her.
Tuming off the video, Sage started typing away on her keyboard until Leah’s information showed up on
her laptop screen.
Going through Leah’s history, Sage sighed as she noted how Uncle Zane’s wife was the living
embodiment of a wicked stepmother.
The night was silent and peaceful.
Aside from the bodyguards, almost everyone in Rosa Garden had gone to bed. Sage, on the other
hand, was reading a book in her
bed. She looked like she was waiting for someone.
As soon as the clock struck twelve, someone started knocking on her door. She was here.
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