Heiress Returns Family Shocks (Nina Swanson) novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

48%

“Fine,” Lanelle said, finally dropping the disdainful look. “Since is your brother’s car, I won’t complain. But next time, you can’t pick me up in such a beat-up car. I’m not used to it.”

Nina tilted her head. “Next time? How long are you staying here

“Let’s see,” Lanelle muttered, leaning back in her seat, clearly in a bad mood. “Anyway, going back would be boring.

Nina noticed her friend’s mood. She lowered her eyes and asked “Did you fight with your family again?”

“Fight?” Lanelle snorted. “It’s only me hitting them. If they want go toe-to-toe with me, they’ve got a few years of training to do first.”

Nina smirked. “Good. Even if you can’t beat them, I’ve got your back.”

“I knew you’d always be the best to me, Nina,” Lanelle said, hugging Nina’s arm and nuzzling her.

Nina smiled, her eyes soft with affection.

Lanelle’s real name was Elaine Sinclair. She was the daughter of the Sinclair family, one of Seabridge’s prominent dynasties.

Nina and Elaine had never crossed paths before. They only became friends because of a fight a few years back.

A hostess at a nightclub in Seabridge was being bullied, and Elaine stepped in to help her.

When Nina arrived, she didn’t see the bullies. All she saw was Elaine throwing a stack of cash at the hostess and scowling, telling her to go change her clothes.

Thinking Elaine was causing trouble, Nina beat her up. Elaine, who wasn’t her match, sat on the ground crying loudly, complaining that she’d been trying to help and had gotten hit instead.

Nina felt guilty, so she bought Elaine drinks to apologize. Strangely enough, two strangers with no prior connection became fast friends that day.

Elaine was an eccentric girl. Once she decided someone was a friend, she clung to them relentlessly. Eight months out of the year, she would fly to Riverdale to spend time with Nina and Scarlet.

Nina drove to Elaine’s place in Riverdale. The villa was well-kept with a housekeeper cleaning it regularly, so it looked tidy.

Still, Elaine didn’t like it. “Can’t I just stay at your place? This dump is way too quiet,” she complained.

Nina tapped her on the forehead. “My place isn’t convenient. I’ll come here when I’m free.”

Elaine brightened immediately. “So you’ll keep me company for a few days? I haven’t seen you in forever. I just want to stick close to you.”

“Wait for a few days,” Nina said. “I’ve got to go to the office tomorrow. Some stuff to handle.”

“Then I’ll come with you,” Elaine offered.

“Fine,” Nina agreed.

*****

Nina didn’t return to the Swanson residence until after dinner wh Elaine.

When she got home, everyone was still waiting for her and had eaten.

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12:26 Wed, Dec 24

Chapter 20

48%

The moment Vivian saw her, a surge of anger flared up. “Where re your manners? You just came back and ran off like that, making the whole family wait for dinner

“I know you can’t learn anything good from that hostess, but surely you understand basic courtesy. I remember teaching you when you were a child.”

Perhaps because she had been stewing over Nina these past few days, Vivian didn’t even notice the contradiction in her own words.

She had insisted to the Swansons that Nina and Lily had been switched at birth, yet now she claimed she had taught Nina proper manners.

The Swansons were smart, but they just exchanged a glance without exposing Vivian’s lie.

Sarah’s face darkened. She was about to scold Vivian when Nina poke up. “Scarlet is better than you. At least when I was out on the streets, forced to survive by scavenging through garbage for food, she gave me something to eat.

“She even sent me to school and protected me when those men had bad intentions. And you…”

Nina fixed Vivian with a cold stare and sneered, “You’re saying that I have no manners? Says the one who yells at elders in public, forces her six-year-old daughter to eat dead rats, and constantly calls her daughter a little bitch?”

This was probably the longest Nina had spoken since coming back, and every word dripped with contempt and mockery toward Vivian. Her disdain was woven through every sentence.

Vivian, being a professor, understood every word. Her anger boiled over immediately. She slammed the table and stood up. “Nina!”

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