The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 384

Chapter 384 Longing for a Dead Man

Chapter 384 Longing for a Dead Man

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Elsie’s smile froze for a split second–like she hadn’t expected Riley to just tear right through that fake concern.

She quickly lowered her eyes to hide the jealousy underneath. When she looked back up, she had that wide–eyed, innocent look again. She defended herself in a low voice. “Riley, you’ve got it wrong. That’s not what I meant… You don’t have to spend all that money on me.”

Raymond stood off to the side, watching Elsie put on her little act. Annoyance flickered across his face.

He was already fed up with how fake Melissa and Elsie always were.

“Alright. Gifts are given. You two go do something else.” Raymond reached out and casually put his arm around Riley’s shoulders, steering her toward the stairs. “Riley, come with me to the study. There are a few details about that new project the company just got–I want to go over them with you and hear what you think.”

Riley modded and followed along. The two of them walked side by side, their backs looking perfectly in sync.

Elsie stood there, watching them leave, her fingers twisting the silver bracelet hard.

She turned her head. In an instant, her eyes went red and watery. She looked at Melissa with a pitiful face. “Mom, Raymond thinks the only one in this family who can help with the company is Riley, doesn’t he? That I’m useless?”

Melissa couldn’t stand seeing her precious girl upset. Her heart ached. She immediately pulled Elsie into her arms. “Don’t talk nonsense. You’re overthinking this. Raymond was talking business. You’ve never been interested in that stuff anyway–you’d just be bored.”

“But Mom…” Elsie leaned her head on Melissa’s shoulder, her voice turning nasal and weak. “I really want to join the company, too. I want to help Dad and Raymond carry some of the weight. Seeing Riley come back and take charge like that–I’m so jealous. I want to prove I’m not just some freeloader sitting at home.”

Melissa’s face stiffened. She looked troubled.

Truth was, this wasn’t the first time Elsie had asked to join the company.

But Zavier and Raymond were weirdly on the same page about it–almost cold, even.

Zavier had made it clear privately that Elsie could have a quiet desk job if she wanted–something easy. But any position involving core business? Absolutely not.

Melissa knew why. The two just couldn’t get past the fact that Elsie wasn’t blood–related. They were afraid that if she got too deep into things, she might start getting ideas.

Melissa had fought with Zavier over this more than once. But Zavier–who gave in to her on pretty much everything–would not budge on this one thing.

“Elsie,” Melissa sighed, trying to reason with her, “the company is all chaos and exhaustion. You’d have to socialize all the time. It’s hard work. Your clothing brand is doing so well, isn’t it? You get to dress up pretty every day and do something you love. Isn’t that better?”

Elsie let out a soft sigh. Her eyes went empty, staring at some invisible point in the air. “It’s doing okay. But I still want to stand with my family. Work together to make Harper Group even better. But… I also know my place.”

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5:20 pm P P

Chapter 384 Longing for a Dead Man

She gave a bitter little laugh. A tear dropped onto the back of Melissa’s hand. It was hot.

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Then she said, “Riley is your rear daughter. So the second she came back, she got into the core team. And me? I’m just an outsider after all. If… If my real father were still alive, he would have made this happen for me. He loved me the most.”

Melissa’s body went rigid. That face–that gentle scholarly face–flashed through her mind.

So brilliant. So talented. Gone too young.

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