The car's interior was spacious, carrying a faint fresh scent, yet she hung her head low, fearing to look at him, terrified he might throw her out of the car.
But fortunately, what she feared did not happen.
They traveled in silence.
Upon reaching the hospital, she hurried to open the door and get out, as if there were some terrifying creature inside the car.
This General Manager Smith, who might appear cold from the outside, was kind enough to leave a bodyguard with her, escorting her into the hospital.
The cut on her forehead wasn't large, but it required two stitches.
Perhaps Marvin Howard had informed the Norris Family, as her biological mother arrived at the hospital filled with worry. Upon seeing the wound on her forehead, she couldn't help but cry.
"Does it hurt much? You mustn't run around recklessly in the future, understood?"
"Mom knows Bertha is a good child, and it was indeed selfish of your father to not allow you to associate with the Haines Family. Mom will communicate this with him; you need to give mom some time, alright?"
Bertha Haines had an inexplicable sense of trust towards her biological mother, so she nodded at her.
"Bertha, I..."
Following her biological mother were Nancy Norris and Ivan Norris. When Nancy Norris approached her with a hypocritical expression, she immediately responded with a cold face, which made Ivan Norris frown slightly.
"Your surname is Norris, and Nancy's surname is Norris. I hope you can all get along with each other in the future."
Bertha sneered internally and then heard Nancy Norris assure.
"Bertha, don't worry. I will not fight you over the Norris Family's inheritance."
"I can't bear to leave the Norris Family, simply because I've lived here for eighteen years. I can't bear to leave my parents and brother."
This statement was indeed uncomfortable to hear, as if she really cared about the Norris Family's inheritance.
She truly disliked this pair of siblings. Although they were technically her brother and sister, to her, they weren't even comparable to Marvin Howard, an outsider. Naturally, she also didn't like others in the Norris Family, especially Mr. Norris Senior.
"Today, the Norris Family has truly lost face! First, the two sisters couldn't get along, and then... before the banquet ended, the main character left!"
Upon returning to the Norris Residence, what greeted her was a harsh scolding from her grandfather.
Her biological mother seemed very afraid of this old man, but she was quite protective.
"It's my fault. I mentioned, at the wrong place, that you were not allowed to associate with the Haines Family. No matter what, they raised her for more than ten years, and suddenly not allowing her to contact them... Anyone would find it hard to accept."
Bertha found that her biological mother seemed to have no authority in this house.
When she spoke to elders, she was subservient, unlike her foster mother. If her grandfather upset her foster mother, she could curse him to his face without hesitation.
"The Haines Family raised her? You got it wrong! According to the records, Bertha started going down the river to retrieve corpses with the old Haines man since she was ten. Over the past seven or eight years, all expenses for the Haines Family were earned by Bertha risking her life!"
The old man snorted coldly, showing disdain whenever he mentioned the Haines Family.
"Moreover, didn't you leave money for them when you took Bertha away? That fifty thousand was paid as upbringing expenses! They've already taken the money; how do they still have the face to see Bertha!"
Upon hearing this, Bertha anxiously gestured, forgetting entirely that they could not understand her.
[Family affection cannot be measured by money! If grandpa hadn't brought me home back then, I might already be dead! Consider that fifty thousand as a loan; I can write you a promissory note, I will pay it back in the future!]
A person's pride is like a tree's bark.
Slandering her foster parents is tantamount to slandering her, which was unacceptable to her.
No one in the Norris Family understood sign language, so they could only guess her meaning from her expressions.
"One should know contentment. You can associate with the Haines Family, but I will take back the fifty thousand given. Your foster father's illness and your younger brother... will have to fend for themselves. I'll give you three days to consider how to decide."
The old man looked at Bertha, presenting her with a choice.
"Furthermore, starting today, you will have a new name, Ivy Norris. Ivy, as in evergreen, and Norris, as in grain. I hope you can adapt to any environment like evergreen and be someone useful to the Norris Family, and even the country, like grain."
Bertha clenched her hands in anger. Was she really being too greedy?
She didn't like this new name either, but she had no right to refuse, just as she couldn't choose as she wished in the face of the choices the old man presented.
She wanted her foster father's condition to improve and hoped her kidnapped brother would safely return one day.
So, not meeting... means not meeting.
As long as she knows they are alright, that is enough.
—
Three days later, Bertha accompanied her biological mother to a psychological clinic, forced to recall unpleasant childhood experiences, putting her in a particularly agitated mood.
The doctor suggested regular therapy sessions, but she was somewhat resistant to the treatment.
The doctor must have said something to her biological mother because, after leaving the clinic, her mother's eyes were red, choking as she held her hand.
"Bertha, what I've owed you all these years, I will make it up to you double in the future."
Her biological mother's words made her feel like crying.
In this world, her grandfather was the person who treated her best, and although this woman who gave birth to her couldn't match her grandfather, she already occupied a slight place in her heart.
Upon returning to the Norris Residence, she noticed that the servant who had previously confronted her now seemed to avoid her like a mouse fearing a cat, giving her an uneasy premonition.
It seemed her dear sister was about to stir up trouble again.