"Bertha!" Jerry Moore looked at his son, then at Nancy Norris, with a very disappointed expression, "You two... have really gone too far this time!"
Bertha Haines had just returned to the bedroom when her biological mother followed her in: "Once again, Bertha's been wronged."
Not wanting to worry her mother, she lifted her eyes and gave her a sweet smile, then picked up her phone to start typing.
[Mom, I have to confess, I was the one who put that bracelet in the maid's room, but I have no idea how it ended up in my drawer.]
Of course, Jerry Moore believed Bertha. She was now the eldest daughter of the Norris Family, having whatever she wanted, so why would she covet Nancy's bracelet?
"Mom believes you."
Seeing her daughter turn and hug her, her heart instantly turned to mush.
"Bertha, are you still angry with your brother and sister? Actually, your brother, although he seems mean, is very protective."
"After all, he had lived with Nancy for eighteen years, maybe he's just too considerate of Nancy's feelings, so he overlooked you."
"As for Nancy, she was spoiled by us since childhood. Your sudden appearance must have given her a sense of crisis. She may be bossy and wayward, but her heart isn't bad."
"Bertha, you need to give them time, let them gradually accept you, okay?"
Bertha Haines was silent for a while, then obediently nodded.
—
Time flew by like a fleeting horse; in the blink of an eye, Bertha Haines had been with the Norris Family for over a month.
As for her, every day was filled with make-up classes.
She had a great memory and a keen understanding, so in just a month, she had nearly mastered all the knowledge of primary and junior high school.
Of course, the fundamental reason for her rapid progress was having a foundation.
Despite not attending school, her grandfather was her best teacher.
Beep beep.
A new message came in on her phone.
Picking up the phone to look at the message, she was instantly overjoyed, and a few minutes later, she had already dashed out of the Norris Residence and gotten into Marvin Howard's car.
In the car, Marvin Howard glanced at the mute girl in the back seat and couldn't help but tease her.
"You've turned fairer, and your hair's grown a little longer, but you're still ugly. Oh, and your adoptive parents are now in Tranquil City; I'll text you their number later."
Seeing the young girl glare at him, he grinned and continued.
"I heard you've been cramming at home for over a month? Today, I'm taking you out to relax. People need a balance of work and rest; turning into a bookworm is no good."
Half an hour later, Bertha Haines found herself at the same holiday villa Marvin Howard had taken her to previously.
The villa was crowded with men and women, all of whom were very attractive.
"Thank goodness nothing happened on the way here." Marvin Howard dared to give Bertha a ride simply because he didn't believe in superstitions, "Feel free to look around, you can help yourself to the fruits and snacks on the table, I'm gonna make a call first."
After Marvin Howard left, Bertha Haines wandered around the villa casually and soon found herself in the backyard where she heard some... strange sounds.
Curiosity got the better of her, and as she peeked over for a look, she was stunned.
In a corner of the corridor, a couple was...
Suddenly, a large hand shielded her view.
As she turned around and saw Amos Smith's icy expression, her face instantly flushed red like an apple.
"Come with me."
Amos Smith turned and went directly up to the observation deck, made a phone call, and upon turning back, found the young girl standing nervously behind him, her expression somewhat tense.
"Did Marvin Howard bring you here?"
Bertha Haines nodded.
Amos Smith studied the young girl before him: she had gained some weight, become fairer, and now looked like a girl.
"Have a seat." Realizing the girl seemed somewhat afraid of him, Amos softened his tone a little, "You're still young; this environment is not conducive to your growth."
Bertha Haines got anxious, hurriedly gesturing to him: [It wasn't my idea to come, Marvin Howard... he dragged me here.]