Back to My Worst Birthday and Starting Anew
Chapter 396 Blind
༨ ཊཱི 65%╚
Finished
A group of people was gathered in the yard, laughing and chatting when suddenly they heard the hurried sound of footsteps approaching.
Olympia glanced up, slightly surprised. “Leah? Why are you home so early? Didn’t you have a late shoot today?”
One of the Nelsons‘ great aunts, Beatrice Chapman, who rarely visited, squinted her eyes and smiled. “Is this our little princess? It’s only been three years, and she’s grown into such a beauty.”
Other women nearby chimed in with compliments, “Leah is by far the most accomplished young woman in her generation. She’s beautiful and smart.”
“I heard Leah is going to intern at Cross Group next year. That’s not a place just anyone can get into.”
“What’s the big deal? I heard from my son, who’s been in the entertainment industry for years without much success, that Leah is currently working on a big reality show with Zayn. It’s a special project from Havenwood, in collaboration with Eragos. There’s no one as successful as Leah in all of Eragos–she’s the only one!”
They continued to shower her with praises.
Leah’s eyes, already red, turned redder upon hearing the flattery.
Despite feeling overwhelmed, she kept her manners and softly greeted her elders. “I’m not feeling well, so I’ll head upstairs to my room.”
Without waiting for a response, she lowered her head and hurriedly ascended the stairs.
Olympia, sensing something was wrong, immediately put down what she was holding and followed her. As the mother and daughter walked up the stairs, the rest of the group exchanged uncertain glances. Though their family wasn’t as wealthy as the Nelsons, they had seen enough drama in their time to understand what was really going on.
A woman in a green dress lowered her voice and whispered, “I didn’t expect Olympia to be so concerned about her daughter. One little disturbance, and she can’t stay still?”
“I think Leah is just trying to play the victim and earn sympathy. Olympia is smart enough to see through that, right?”
“You don’t get it. When you’re too close to the situation, it’s challenging to see clearly. If Olympia cou through it, why would she bring her real daughter back and focus all her attention on this adopted b daughter?”
“It’s one thing for her real daughter to be off on her own, but I heard Leah’s made a fool of herself multiple times. She even caused the company’s stock to drop–she’s been embarrassed repeatedly by the real daughter. Doesn’t that prove the real daughter has the real skills? Why don’t they get that?”
One woman spoke up, her words making the others jump in surprise.
Luckily, there were no servants around, or things could have gone wrong.
– Thich I file. h. L
16:39 Fri, 21 Mar
Chapter 396 Blind
65%
Finished
“Exactly! They’re all blaming their real daughter, thinking she’s doing those things on purpose. If they heard you, they’d be furious!”
The speaker’s face paled, and she quickly patted her chest in nervous relief. “I won’t say anything more!”
Beatrice watched the younger women gossiping, her face showing a hint of concern. “Alright, enough. This is their family’s business, not ours. Let’s focus on work on hand, shall we?”
“Yes, of course.”
Olympia followed Leah up the stairs and stopped at her daughter’s door. From inside, she could hear the soft sound of crying.
Her heart tightened. Without hesitation, Olympia pushed the door open.
“Leah, who did this to you?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Leah was startled, clearly not expecting her mother. In a panic, she wiped her tear–streaked face and stammered, “Mom, it’s nothing-”
“Nothing? Don’t lie to me.”
Olympia took her daughter’s hands. She immediately noticed the swelling around Leah’s eyes. It was clear she had been crying for a long time, and her heart ached even more.
“Why are you hiding this from me?” Olympia asked gently.
Leah sobbed, and with her mother’s insistence, she finally broke down. She threw herself into Olympia’s arms and cried uncontrollably. “Sob, sob, sob. Zayn must hate me. He left me to go work as Robin’s assistant instead. He won’t help me anymore. I don’t know what to do. No one wants to be with me. I don’t want to stay on the show anymore. Mom, please, can I quit the show?” she cried out, her words a jumbled mess of frustration and hurt.
All the pain she had been holding inside came rushing out.
Olympia, listening carefully through her daughter’s slurred
words.
She caught the crucial details in her
“What? Zayn went to Robin?” she asked, her voice rising in surprise.
Leah nodded between her tears, confirming, “Yes.”
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16:40 Fri, 21 Mar A
Back to My Worst Birthday and Starting Anew
