Leila took another shower before packing a few clothes into her travel bag. She did not want to carry too many things to the Campbell family and act as if she was moving in permanently.
She also wanted the freedom to come back to her apartment as needed, so she had to keep most of her things there.
Without wasting time, she left the apartment.
When she got into the taxi, she remembered the scent in her house. She wondered if she should have investigated the matter further, but she did not have a clue where to begin. The scent was too light and dispersed, so she could not do anything for now.
The thought of an intruder in her home should have scared her more, but she decided to put this matter in the back of her mind. If she discovered who it was, they would have to talk to her claws.
The taxi drove her through the city to another residential neighbourhood. The area was green and serene with a fresh aroma of evergreen trees. Even though it could not be compared to Nirvana village, it was quite beautiful.
Leila did not dislike it.
The taxi pulled up in front of the address Charlotte gave her. The tall ornate gate opened, surprising both Leila and the driver. Leila expected one of those dramatic moments where poor people would be denied entry by obnoxious guards.
"The guards must be familiar with you to open the gate directly." The taxi driver said. "Have you lived here for long?"
Leila chuckled. "I do not live here. I am just visiting some distant relatives. They must have told the guards to let me in."
"Oh, is that so? You must be happy to have such good relatives." The driver commented casually.
Leila laughed again, but she did not respond.
She was sure that she was not lucky to be involved with Charlotte Lawson and Isaiah Campbell. Even if she did not know what happened twenty years ago, she was sure that they did not rescue her.
It was likely that they were accessories to her kidnapping or human trafficking and other crimes. Either way, it was a misfortune for her. Well, perhaps not entirely because she now had the best Grandma and Grandpa.
Not to mention everyone else in Nirvana Village…
The taxi stopped in the driveway of a huge house. Leila paid the driver and thanked him before exiting the vehicle with her bag. She walked to the door and rang the bell once before stepping aside.
Shortly after, the door was opened by a matronly housekeeper.
"Welcome, Ms Lawson." The woman said enthusiastically.
Leila was taken aback by the warm smile from the woman because she had been expecting a cold welcome by an uppity butler who would warn her to know her place. It was not like Leila was hoping to be looked down upon so she could slap faces.
It just felt very unnatural.
Perhaps, she needed to read fewer trash novels and watch fewer cliché dramas.
"Thank you. Please call me Leila." She returned the smile.
"Come in. Can I get your travel bag for you?"
Leila handed over the bag with another 'thank you' before following the housekeeper into the house. As soon as she got into the living room, Charlotte stood with a wide smile and walked to welcome her.
For a moment, it looked like the woman might hug her, so Leila took a subtle step back and offered her a handshake. Charlotte did not display any signs of discomfort at the rejection or even seem to notice.
"Hello, Auntie Charlotte. It is nice to meet you." Leila said.
Charlotte assessed the girl before her with sharp but subtle eyes. Her first thought was that she was an attractive lady. Even though she was on the short side, she had beautiful features that seemed almost AI-generated.
"You are as cute as a doll." Charlotte complimented.
Leila chuckled slightly. "Thank you?"
"Come and meet everyone," Charlotte said and stepped aside to show the rest of the family sitting. "This is my husband, Isaiah Campbell. You can call him Uncle Isaiah."
Leila looked at the man as she greeted him. He was a tall man in his middle age, but he was well-maintained. More importantly, Leila could sense his discomfort when he looked at her. Even without tuning in with her enhanced senses, Leila could see that he was nervous.
Leila's lips stretched into a smile. She could see who the weak link in this relationship was. Charlotte looked a little hard to crack, but Isaiah was more likely to give something away.
"These are our children, Amelia, Holly, and little Mason." Charlotte continued the introduction with almost natural enthusiasm.
Leila greeted the siblings politely.
Amelia took in the girl with assessing eyes, and she realised that it might not be as easy to carry out her plan as she thought. When she was plotting, she thought the girl would look like a typical village girl.
Instead, the young woman was beautiful. Her short dress was colourful but fashionable, and it was perfect for her body type. Her skin had a natural glow, and her hair was thick and luscious.
Looking at her, Amelia felt like the frumpy one.
She was beautiful in her own right, but she did not have the radiant level of attractiveness that Leila seemed to exude. And it looked like her grandparents were not stingy with their money when it came to Leila.
Even though Amelia did not recognise the clothing brand, she had a good eye for luxury items, she could see that the clothes were made from great materials. It was likely that the dress was custom-made.
Amelia felt the fervour to win her grandparents' affection rise even more. She wanted to enjoy the good life that Leila was enjoying, just without having to live in a backward village. Unfortunately, she did not know how to start gaining her trust.
"You made us wait for so long before having lunch. Do you not have a sense of time?" Holly asked.
Amelia laughed in her heart. It looked like she could depend on her stupid sister to help her.
"Holly! Do not be rude. Leila is our guest, and she is new to the city. You should be more understanding." Amelia rebuked her with the gentle voice of an older sister. "Leila, please do not mind my little sister. She is a little wilful."
Leila felt amused in her heart as she looked at the Campbell family. Each of them seemed to have secret thoughts brewing in their minds… Except for Holly. Another weak link Leila could exploit.
"No, Holly is right. I apologise for being late." She smiled sweetly.
"Alright, alright. Let's eat and get Leila settled." Charlotte, the ever-gracious hostess, declared with an elegant clap.