Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 687

Kendra's words struck like a bolt from the blue!

Everyone who heard them was stunned...

Except for Earl, every face in the room registered shock—including Nathan's. Nathan glanced at Irene, whose expression had frozen in place, then at his adoptive mother's icy countenance, his mind momentarily blank.

When he finally regained his composure, he almost wanted to laugh.

Irene wasn't their mother's biological daughter after all? She was adopted from an orphanage?

Nathan turned to his adoptive father—his biological uncle. Earl's expression remained impassive, as though he'd known all along. Of course, he had. How else could his adoptive mother have suddenly produced a daughter without his uncle's consent?

So all these years... he'd been tiptoeing around Irene, trying to please this so-called sister of his? And she wasn't even a blood relative of the Harper family?

She wasn't even his equal?

Irene stood completely paralyzed.

She took an unconscious step backward, shaking her head as she murmured, "No! That's impossible—you're lying to me!" Then her gaze darted to her father, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Dad, tell me Mom's lying... I know I was wrong this time. I'll never do it again, I promise."

Nothing could be more terrifying than this.

Irene had never feared the consequences of her actions because she'd always had the Harper family name to shield her. As the only daughter of the house, she'd been untouchable. But if that golden halo were stripped away... she'd be left with nothing, plummeting from the clouds.

She was convinced her mother was lying.

She had to be. Desperate for confirmation, Irene needed her father to tell her these were just angry words, nothing more...

But Earl remained silent.

Earl was genuinely surprised. He had always assumed Irene was Kendra's daughter with that man, which was why he had reluctantly agreed to let Kendra adopt the girl despite the bitterness in his heart. And driven by unspoken emotions, he had indeed raised Irene as his own flesh and blood... But judging by Kendra's expression now—

Could it be that Irene wasn’t her daughter after all?

A faint flicker of joy stirred in Earl’s chest. Did this mean Kendra had long since moved on from that person?

Irene, unsettled by her father’s silence, rushed forward and clutched his arm, her eyes brimming with desperate hope. "Dad, Mom’s just saying this out of anger, right? I am your daughter, aren’t I? Your only daughter?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Earl met her frantic gaze with a complicated expression—though mostly indifference.

If Irene truly wasn’t Kendra’s child, and if she had already incurred Kendra’s displeasure, then Earl saw no reason to shield her either.

Coolly, he said, "You’re not our biological daughter. Back then, your mother was in poor health, so we adopted you from an orphanage." Since Kendra had already laid it bare, he had no intention of contradicting her. Besides, he too was irritated with Irene.

Irene’s face drained of color.

"No—that’s impossible! You’re lying!" she shrieked hysterically, her voice breaking into sobs. "I know I messed up this time, okay? I’ll apologize, just please..." Her cries were raw with terror and despair.

The three children had already arrived. Unlike Lucian, his two younger siblings were brimming with curiosity, their wide eyes darting around as they explored their parents' lavish home.

Sheryl was a relative of the housekeeper.

She had eagerly volunteered to care for the young masters upon their arrival. Over the following days, Carson and Kevin grew increasingly fond of her. Though their memories were hazy, they vaguely recalled her from previous encounters. With her constant doting, Carson in particular became inseparable from her, clinging to her like a shadow. Only Lucian remained aloof, an inexplicable wariness gnawing at him. There was something... off about Sheryl, though he couldn't pinpoint what. Their interactions left him unsettled.

While Kevin was moderately attached, Carson was practically glued to Sheryl's side. In his young mind, she embodied the very image of motherhood—a notion she subtly reinforced at every opportunity.

That day, as Sheryl was helping Carson get dressed, she smiled with gentle warmth. Carson said somewhat gloomily, "Whoever becomes Sister Sheryl's baby in the future will be really lucky."

Sheryl's eyes flickered slightly. "Every mother is like that, Young Master Carson."

Carson sniffled. "No, Mom isn't. She only likes my little sister and eldest brother."

Sheryl lowered her lashes. "Young Master, you're overthinking again. The Madam loves all of you equally. But don't be sad—I'll always be here with you."

Carson pouted, glancing at Sheryl before asking awkwardly, "When is Mom coming back?"

Sheryl frowned, then sighed. "The Madam might not return for a while. They say the young miss is frail, so both the Madam and the Master are staying there to care for her."

Carson's face flushed red with anger. "What about us, then? Are they just abandoning me and my brothers?"