"Someone's occupying my house? Who?" Althea's gaze hardened as she looked straight at Ivy.
Ivy paused for a moment before replying, "It's a relative of Valentine's."
Valentine Riva, Luci Pearl's mother, was the woman Eliseo married after Althea's mother died. In truth, Eliseo and Valentine had been secretly involved long before Ruby Harte passed away.
Once Ruby was gone, Valentine wasted no time securing her position in the Greene family. She took control of their financial matters, claiming the company shares Ruby had spent her entire life earning. At one point, she had even stopped funding Althea's education.
Among everything Ruby once owned, this house was the only property still registered under Althea's name. She had never expected that during her years overseas, Valentine would arrange for her own relatives to move into it as well.
The house carried countless irreplaceable memories for Althea. Years earlier, when she lacked the money to study abroad, she had chosen to sacrifice her own opportunity rather than sell the house. And now Valentine believed she could simply take it away from her?
"Althea, what are you planning to do?" Ivy asked, watching her closely.
Althea folded her arms, silently considering her options. After a brief moment, she answered, her tone firm with resolve, "I'll go there tomorrow and take back what belongs to me."
She then added, "Ivy, please prepare all the property documents for me."
Ivy gave a reassuring nod. "No problem."
Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Silas, already sensing something strange about Solenn, walked toward her while holding Lilith's gaming phone.
Carefully, he attempted to start a conversation.
"Solenn, would you like to play a game?" he asked gently, but she only shook her head, her nervousness obvious.
Her reaction deepened Silas's suspicions about who she really was.
He tried again. "Solenn, is there something you want to eat? I can order takeout. Maybe your favorite salmon?"
Once more, she shook her head. As she looked at him, her slender fingers repeatedly tugged at the edge of her shirt, revealing her anxiety and discomfort.
Although they had just met, Silas felt an immediate and unexplainable sense of familiarity with her, almost as if they were connected like triplets. Could she truly be the sister he had lost years ago?
He decided he needed to watch her more closely.
When Solenn remained silent, Silas chose not to push her any further. Instead, he retrieved his laptop and settled into a chair at the corner of the room. The moment he signed into his messaging platform, a new notification flashed across the screen.
[Silas, it's Lilith. There's been a mix-up, and I've ended up at the Monreal residence, yes, the Monreal family behind Monreal Industries.]
[Also, the girl who resembles us and is currently with you might actually be our sister.]
[Silas, we still don't know everything, so we need to stay cautious. Solenn's health isn't very stable, so please look after her, alright?]
Lilith had sent multiple voice recordings through their private chat.
Silas lifted his eyes and glanced at the quiet girl sitting across from him, suspicion and curiosity swirling in his mind. Without hesitation, he opened a search engine and entered "Monreal Industries."
Meanwhile, at the Monreal estate, Lilith was using Solenn's tablet to stay in contact with Silas through their messaging app.
She had barely finished sending her messages when Luci Pearl's voice echoed from the hallway as she came upstairs searching for her.
"Solenn, it's Mommy. Where are you, sweetheart?"
Lilith quickly shut off the tablet and walked toward Luci Pearl. There was no way she could address this woman as "Mom," especially after Luci Pearl had secretly pinched her earlier. Based on what Lilith had just uncovered, Luci Pearl was actually her mother's stepsister and had apparently tormented her for years. To Lilith, that made Luci Pearl an enemy, someone who had wronged her mother.
The way Lilith looked at Luci Pearl was anything but warm.
Ordinarily, Luci Pearl would have taken Solenn's cold attitude as a reason to scold her. However, after being reprimanded earlier that day and mindful that she was currently inside the Monreal mansion, she forced herself to soften her demeanor.
"Solenn, why don't you tell me what you want for dinner? I'll cook it for you, alright?" Luci Pearl said, doing her best to make her tone sound gentle.
Some people, however, carried cruelty in their very nature. No matter how sweet Luci Pearl tried to appear, the malice beneath her expression was impossible to fully conceal.
"I want grilled salmon, truffle risotto, and crème brûlée. You'll cook all of those for me, won't you?" Lilith intentionally made her request difficult, listing several elaborate dishes at once.
A faint crease formed between Luci Pearl's brows.
When had this little troublemaker become so daring? It must have been because Griffin was around, giving her the confidence to act out, knowing Luci Pearl would have to restrain herself.
Having grown up as the indulged daughter of the Greene family, Luci Pearl had seldom needed to do any household chores. She could handle basic tasks like frying an egg or rinsing vegetables, but preparing multiple complicated dishes was far beyond her skill set.
Forcing down her irritation, Luci Pearl attempted to persuade Solenn instead.
"Solenn, it's already evening. Eating too much meat isn't good for children's digestion," Luci Pearl said gently. "Be a good girl and listen to me. Some oatmeal would be perfect. I'll prepare it for you right away, okay?"
At the mention of oatmeal, Lilith's lips curled into a stubborn pout. In that moment, she finally understood why Solenn appeared so weak and fragile. If someone had to eat oatmeal day after day, it was no wonder they lacked strength.
Luci Pearl was pretending to be considerate by asking what she wanted to eat, but Lilith could easily see through the act. It was nothing more than a performance meant to make Luci Pearl appear like a devoted mother in front of Griffin.
But Lilith was not Solenn, and she certainly wouldn't miss the chance to put Luci Pearl in her place.
Casting Luci Pearl a faintly dismissive glance, Lilith spoke calmly, "I don't want oatmeal. If you can't cook what I asked for, then forget it. Skipping one meal won't kill me."
With that, she turned and walked toward Griffin's study.
Before she even reached the doorway, she raised her voice deliberately. "Daddy! Daddy! I want salmon!"
Inside the study, Griffin was busy working when Lilith's shout reached him. The stern expression he usually wore instantly softened.
Solenn had always been delicate and sickly. Over the years, Griffin had spared no expense, hiring renowned doctors and highly trained nannies to care for her until she reached the age of five. Even so, she had always been difficult with food, rejecting many dishes and complaining about others, which only worsened her frail condition.
Hearing his daughter suddenly express a craving for meat filled him with pleasant surprise. To him, it felt like a small victory worth celebrating.
Without hesitation, Griffin set aside his work and stepped out of the study, immediately lifting Lilith into his arms.
Behind them, Luci Pearl's expression darkened noticeably. Was this troublesome child about to complain about her again?