Chapter 2

"Who are you talking to on the phone?"

An extended Lincoln stopped slowly in front of me with its windows down, revealing Frank's cold face. I hung up silently on the hospital's donor center as he got out of the car, frowning with an authoritative air around him.

"Answer me!" Frank flung a document bag at me. "Explain to me right now what this is!"

The document bag had been opened. A few test reports and a form from the gene bank used for searching one's biological family fell out. I had secretly left a blood sample at the gene bank after I found out my heart was failing.

I was filled with sorrow then, thinking that I would like to sneak a peek at my biological parents in a hidden corner if they were still alive because I was dying. All I wanted was one look at them because I wanted to know if there was anyone in the world who once looked forward to my birth.

However, my meager wish had now become a betrayal in the eyes of Frank.

"You're such a disappointment, Jenny." Frank looked at me like I was a worm and continued with great disdain, "The Santos family has taken care of you for 18 years. How did we end up bringing up a traitor to the family? Haven't we fed you and clothed you? Were you lacking anything?

"I can't believe you've never treated us as your real parents. This family does not need someone who does not regard us as their family."

Frank treated me with extreme bias as usual.

To be honest, I really wanted to ask them if they had ever treated me as their daughter.

I stared at the papers strewn all over the ground, and felt like someone had gripped me by the throat. It was suffocating.

"You've misunderstood." I crouched to pick up all the papers and put them back into the document bag. "I was just curious about where I came from."

Frank laughed mockingly at me. "All right. Since you'd like to find out so much, I'll oblige you, but don't you regret it! Let's go home."

He grabbed my wrist and stuffed me roughly into the car.

The car drove forward, and it was not long before we stopped at the main building of the Santos Villa.

Marie and Jackie were sitting on the sofa in the living room. Opposite them was a middle-aged couple with weather-beaten faces and tattered clothes.

The man had tanned skin, and his face was covered with wrinkles, while the woman had a head of messy hair and was looking greedily at the antiques around the room.

Frank pushed me into the room and in the direction of the couple, pointing at them with his chin. "Go to them, Jenny."

I walked over and stood at the edge of the table.

"What's wrong? Afraid to acknowledge them?" Frank's nonchalant voice had a tinge of ridicule. "These are your parents, Simon Leek and Susan Lowry."

The woman called Susan came up to me and hugged me, and she started wailing without tears, "My daughter! I finally found you! We couldn't afford to bring you up after escaping from abroad, and were forced to give you up for adoption. You don't hate us, do you?"

A strong stench of cheap tobacco mixed with the odor of sweat filled my nostrils. I struggled to escape from her arms while trying my hardest to suppress the nausea from it all.

Frank and Marie sat nearby, watching all of this happen.

What lousy acting.

If I had not overheard their conversation last night, I might have been tricked into accepting my humble background. However, I was aware of the truth. I was their real daughter, the real Principessa of this mafia family, and those two people were just actors they hired.

Marie pretended to be touched as she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "Jenny, I never thought you would still miss your biological parents when we've taken care of you for so many years. If this is what you really want, we won't be the villains and stop you from going home to take care of them.

"You should go with them to the slums and spend some time with them."

Jackie leaned into Marie's arms and said softly, "Jenny, you won't refuse to acknowledge them as your parents just because they are poor, would you? Don't worry, you're still Papa and Momma's adopted daughter, after all. We won't leave you in the lurch.

"Once you've learned to have a better attitude and know what it means to be grateful, I'll help you talk Papa and Momma into bringing you home."

I stood still, staring at the ridiculous family of three.

My parents were throwing me, their sickly daughter, into the care of strangers just to give their adopted daughter a sense of security while making me learn to be grateful.

I was suddenly exhausted. I no longer wanted to argue with them. I did not have long to live anyway.

If I died here with the Santos family, they would just think I was bad luck and I would frighten their precious Jackie. If I died in the slums, at the very least, they would not find it troublesome.

"All right," I replied dryly. "I'll pack my luggage now."

Marie was taken aback by my calm answer. She had prepared an entire speech to lecture me, but did not get the sense of satisfaction she had expected from 'educating' me.

I returned to the basement and stuffed what little I had, which was several overwashed clothes, into a small bundle.

When I got back to the living room, Simon was pacing impatiently, and he rolled his eyes at me when he saw me. "Why are you so slow? Do you think you're still the daughter of a rich man? Hurry up!"

I followed them out the door silently.

Frank did not even glance at me as he was busy lowering his head to light his cigar.

The moment I stepped out the door, Marie called out to me, "Jenny, the slums aren't anything like our family. Be good when you're there and don't create any trouble. Once you understand your mistake, call us to apologize, and we'll bring you home."

I paused and turned back to look at her. Behind Marie was a huge family photo with Jackie sitting between Frank and Marie. All three of them were smiling sweetly.

There had never been a place for me in this family.

I did not reply to Marie. I just turned away and left. I would not be coming back.