Chapter 35
Mia smiled. “Or you can also pray for the other party to be safe and sound forever.”
Claire gave her a cold glance. “This joke is not funny.”
“Um… alright.”
At this time, the door was knocked.
“The food is ready.”
Mia looked at Claire. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”
For some reason, Claire nodded.
Living room.
The woman set the table and said softly, “You eat first. I’ll go check on the soup.”
Claire turned her head and stared at the busy figure of the woman in the kitchen, which gradually overlapped with the figure in her memory.
Perceiving her gaze, Mia asked. “Why do you keep looking at my mother?”
As if being awakened from a dream, Claire looked a little sad. “Your mother… looks like a person I know.”
“Who?”
“My mother.” Claire’s eyes turned misty and her voice became bitter. “When she was alive, she always wore an apron, busy all day long as if she was never tired.”
“Did she cook well?” Mia asked.
“Yes.”
Mia smiled and beckoned Claire to taste the food. “Then try my mother’s cooking.”
Late at night, Claire returned to the Smiths’ mansion.
She walked to the stairs, and Ada happened to come down from the second floor at the same time.
Phoebe, who was sitting in the living room reading a book, glanced at her watch and purposely said, “Oh, it’s already ten o’clock.”
Upon hearing this, Ada instantly scowled as she had expected.
She handed the envelope in her hand to Claire and said crossly, “This is an invitation from your principal. Next week he’ll hold a birthday banquet.”
Claire took it carelessly, bypassing her and going upstairs without saying a word.
Behind her, Ada said softly to Phoebe, “Your principal will hold a birthday banquet next week. Shall I prepare a new dress for you?”
Phoebe said sweetly, “Mom, I’m not going. I’d like to go to the field to sketch next week.”
“OK, it’s up to you.”
Ada looked up at Claire who was going upstairs and sighed.
One fooled around till late at night every day.
The other gave up playing and concentrated on studying.
It was obvious who her good daughter was.
The bedroom on the second floor.
Claire had just thrown the envelope into the trash can when her phone rang.
It was from Adam.
“What’s the matter?” Claire turned on the speakerphone and walked to the bathroom carrying her pajamas.
Adam asked on the phone. “Have you got the invitation letter from your principal?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to his birthday party?”
Claire said casually, “I’m too lazy to go.”
“Oh, please come!” Adam was like a kid when talking to her although he was already in his late fifties. “Let’s go together. You can be my companion. I’ll go abroad for academic research next week and won’t be able to see you for more than half a year…”
“Alright, I’ll go then.”
Claire got a headache from his nagging.
After the shower, she took the envelope out of the trash can.
Then she lay on the bed and turned off the lights.
The moonlight outside the window was cold and clear. Sleepless, Claire touched the mark on her chest.
At least she was still alive now, though her heart might stop beating at any time.
The next day, she came to school.
The classroom was in an uproar, and everyone was talking about Andrew Hall.
His body was found in a remote alley. The cause of his death couldn’t be found because the surveillance was maliciously damaged. There were no clues for the cause of his death.
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Claire propped her chin with a hand and looked towards the front row.
Mia sat in her seat, quietly working on math problems, turning a deaf ear to the surrounding discussion. She was wearing that baggy coat and had returned to her usual ordinary and dissocial appearance.
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But no one bullied her anymore!