Chapter 49
“Quinlyn, you are truly remarkable. I bet that once you present your paper, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson will favor you over
Harriet,” Mandy encouraged, trying to lift Quinlyn’s spirits.
In the car, Mandy’s face was scrunched up, as though Quinlyn’s lack of affection was also her own struggle.
Children naturally vie for attention, and siblings can especially compete for parental love. Quinlyn, being an orphan raised in hard circumstances, didn’t really show those tendencies.
She simply wanted to finish her assignments without drawing attention to herself.
As they approached the restaurant, Quinlyn listened to Mandy’s suggestions. A sign on the steps announced the celebration of Harriet’s college admission. Today, Maurice had booked this fancy place just for Harriet and her classmates and teachers.
The upper floor was packed with parents, including some who were trying to win Maurice’s favor with praise for Harriet during their toasts.
“Oh my, Harriet truly is the child of a distinguished parent. Just look at the advantages in her genes, being Mr. Anderson’s daughter,” one parent exclaimed.
“Absolutely, you can see Harriet’s beauty comes from Tina,” another added.
Such comments circulated at the party. Some parents, who were aware of the truth, snickered at the misguided compliments, while others spotted Quinlyn in a corner and whispered sympathetically.
Despite winning over most of the people at the previous party, Quinlyn still lagged behind academically. The Anderson couple, however, seemed completely oblivious to their biological daughter, treating her as if she didn’t exist.
Mandy’s keen sensitivity meant she picked up on these comments fast. Hearing them made her angry, and she grabbed Quinlyn’s hand, insisting, “We should join them.”
Ever since winning several awards for her bravery in facing Eugene, Mandy walked with confidence, much like her dad, Claude. As Quinlyn was pulled along, a meatball rolled off her plate and onto the table.
Feeling a bit disappointed, Quinlyn glanced at it and gently pushed Mandy back down, saying, “The food is all the same; let’s eat here.”
“This isn’t just about the food,” Mandy insisted.
Quinlyn patted her shoulder and replied, “I don’t like being with them; I want to be with you.”
This heartfelt honesty left Mandy momentarily speechless, her cheeks turning bright red before she stammered, “W–What do you want to eat? I’ll help you.”
Though both girls were only ten years old, Mandy’s well–fed frame made her clearly taller.
Quinlyn indulged in a hearty meal, diving into her food. Lately, she had been using up so much energy that she felt not just tired but especially hungry; mealtime felt like a race against hunger for her.
Mandy mistakenly thought Quinlyn wasn’t getting enough food at home. Her eyes sparkled with concern as she kept adding more dishes to Quinlyn’s plate, exclaiming, “Eat slowly; you might choke. There’s plenty more.”
Halfway through the meal, many children started to fidget, gathering together to play. Two parents chatted while keeping an eye on their kids, occasionally glancing at the table at the front.
“That’s a big shot the Anderson family has befriended–the head of DigitalKey Group, Warren Sullivan, and he’s here just for Harriet.”
Chapter 49
“The Andersons have such strong connections?”
“I heard Harriet saved his life once, and to say thanks, DigitalKey Group has been contributing lots of money to projects. linked with the Andersons.”
“Harriet really is a lucky charm; no wonder Mr. Anderson dotes on her so much.”
The two parents were close enough to Quinlyn’s table for her to overhear their conversation. Lifting her head, she looked over and immediately recognized a familiar figure.
Dressed sharply in a suit, the man seemed to be recovering well. After confirming this, she returned her focus to her meal and felt a wave of relief wash over her.
Meanwhile, at the front table, Romilly was looking for a chance to speak to the Anderson couple. “Actually, I came to talk to you about Quinlyn.”
The moment her name was mentioned, a hush fell over the table.
Tina instinctively glanced at Warren sitting across from her, noticing he was oblivious to their chat, then smiled at Romilly and said, “If Quinlyn misbehaves, please don’t hesitate to discipline her. If there are other issues, we can always talk about them another time.”
She was trying to change the topic.
But Romilly was determined, believing there was no better time than now to bring it up. “Quinlyn’s struggles in school are directly related to Harriet; I think it’s important everyone is here for this discussion.”
Warren looked up, pondering for a moment before saying, “If I remember correctly, Quinlyn is your foster daughter?”
Romilly was caught off guard. ‘Isn’t Quinlyn the biological child of the Anderson family who has been lost for many years? Am I mistaken?‘
Before she could think it through, Tina quickly responded, “Yes, Quinlyn is quite challenging to teach. We often have Harriet look after her.”
Tina wore a look of maternal frustration that irritated Warren, making him furrow his brow as he replied coldly, “Harriet is still young; her own education is just starting. How could she possibly take care of someone else?”
“You’re right; I didn’t think that through. I’m sorry for putting that on Harriet,” Tina said.
She then turned to Romilly. “If Quinlyn really can’t keep up at Mandon International School, we might think about transferring her to a regular school to lessen Harriet’s load.”
Warren nodded, appearing satisfied at hearing this. Although the professors had said Harriet’s skills weren’t exceptional, Warren felt that because she had saved his life, he owed her continued support for whatever she wanted to pursue.
“You’ve got it wrong. I didn’t mean for Quinlyn to switch schools,” Romilly interjected, seeing them casually decide Quinlyn’s future.
She said, “I believe Quinlyn is bright and liked by her classmates. Just recently, Harry even wanted to help Quinlyn develop her athletic skills; she’s just been a bit distracted lately.”
“An athlete?” Maurice asked.
Romilly blinked in surprise. “She didn’t mention it to you?”
Maurice shook his head, feeling his authority being questioned, and his expression darkened.
“Maybe it would be better for her to speak for herself.” Romilly sighed in resignation as she looked around the room for
Quinlyn. Before Tina could stop her, she raised her hand and called out, “Quinlyn, come over here for a moment.”
