Saira watched her mother storm off in anger, knowing deep down that she believed her, but it was hard to accept all at once.
Dalia burst into the master bedroom just as Aaron was coming out of the bathroom. He didn't even lift his eyes when he saw his wife rush in.
Seeing the scratches on Aaron's body, Dalia's fury flared up even more.
He had pushed her daughter into a pit of fire, yet he was out there indulging in pleasures.
She hated him—hated him so much!
"Aaron, why did you do it? Are you trying to destroy her? She has her whole life ahead of her!" Dalia demanded furiously.
Aaron's cold eyes fixed on her. "The Lin family raised her for years. Now that the family is in trouble, it's her time to repay them. What's wrong with that?"
"She may not be your biological daughter, but she's called you 'Dad' for so many years. How could you do that to her?" Dalia gritted her teeth and asked.
Aaron sneered, "I've been raising another man's bastard for so many years. Don't I deserve some interest in return? If it were someone else, do you think she'd have had such a good life? She could have ended up begging on the streets."
Dalia froze, her anger evaporating instantly, leaving her pale.
"You… you knew all along. When did you find out?" Dalia's voice trembled.
She had kept this secret well hidden. How did he find out?
"You thought you hid it well? Dalia, don't take everyone for a fool." Aaron had known for a long time, but at that time, he had kept it to himself.
He still needed the Qin family and needed Dalia.
As for later on, it was simply because she behaved—turning a blind eye to his affairs—that he let her keep her place as Mrs. Lin.
"Do you know about Zuri too?"
"What do you think?" Aaron sneered.
Since the child she carried wasn't his, the so-called biological daughter naturally wasn't his either.
Why would Dalia go so far as to claim an unrelated person as her daughter and even turn her own daughter into a bastard? She must have some ulterior motive.
He didn't know what she was plotting, but seeing that Zuri was beautiful and could secure ties with the Ye and Feng families, he naturally treated her as his own daughter.
Why not take advantage of a free marriage tool?
Dalia collapsed to the ground, pointing a trembling finger at Aaron. "Aren't you afraid that Zuri's real family will find out and crush you?"
Aaron, wanting to get more information, replied casually, "If you're not afraid, why should I be?"
Dalia burst into laughter. "So, you don't know after all. I thought you were aware of that little bitch Zuri's true origins. Turns out you don't know."
Aaron didn't see anything wrong with what he had said. How did she deduce that he wasn't aware?
Just as the tension between them peaked, a maid's voice came from the doorway.
"Second Miss, why are you standing by the door?"
Aaron and Dalia exchanged a glance and quickly rushed out, only to see Zuri standing at the door, smiling at them. "Good morning, my dear father and mother."
Aaron and Dalia both shuddered, a chill rising from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.
Did she hear that?!
That was the thought in both their minds.
Recalling the events of the previous night, Aaron took the initiative, "Zuri, last night…"
"My dear father, did you have a good time last night? You don't need to thank me too much."
Thank him?!
Aaron's face turned green.
Zuri turned and went back to her room, soon emerging with an old cloth bag—the same one she had brought to the Lin family—with only a glass bottle inside and nothing else.
Seeing her actions, Aaron and Dalia realized she knew. She had heard everything.
"Zuri," Dalia called out, trying to keep her from leaving, though she couldn't explain why she felt so afraid.
Arianwen and the others, witnessing this scene, sensed something was wrong.
What kind of party had they attended last night that left all three of them so changed when they returned?
The maids exchanged puzzled glances.
"Second Miss, what are you doing?" Arianwen asked.
Zuri smiled at her. "Arianwen, take care!"
The servants looked at each other, unsure of what was happening.
Aaron remained silent.
Zuri turned to Dalia. "Mrs. Lin, if one day you want to tell me something, I'll always be here to listen."
Then she looked at Aaron. "Mr. Lin, thank you for the hospitality over the past few months. As a token of appreciation, I'll send you a gift in a few days. I hope you'll like it."
"Though I'm not your daughter, you've taught me many valuable lessons. You've shown me things I've never seen before, helped me grow, and made me understand many things. I'm truly grateful for your 'dedicated' education."
"Being your daughter for such a short time has left me with memories I'll never forget."
Zuri's words seemed normal enough, but to Aaron and Dalia, there was something off about them, though they couldn't pinpoint what.
Arianwen and the others were stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief as they looked at Zuri.
At the top of the stairs, Saira covered her mouth, too shocked to speak.
Zuri wasn't a member of the Lin family.
Her brother was her father's illegitimate child.
And she herself was her mother's illegitimate child.
In just one day, she had been hit with such explosive news that she couldn't digest it all at once.
Christian, who had just returned from a run outside, happened to overhear everything, and his jaw nearly dropped.
Zuri, that annoying person, wasn't his biological sister!
He knew it! How could his sister, Christian's sister, possibly be like that?
Christian gleefully rushed in. Finally, he could kick her out. The Lin family could finally return to the way it was before.
Seeing her packed belongings, Christian said smugly, "Since you're not part of the Lin family, you can't take anything of ours. I'll have to check your bag."
Zuri didn't argue. She opened her bag and took out a nearly full glass bottle, then shook the bag in front of everyone.
"What's this?" Christian asked, holding up an intricately designed fox mask. "This obviously isn't yours."
Zuri sneered, "It's not yours either. Who in the Lin family would give me something this valuable?"
She snatched the mask back.
Saira saw the mask and felt it looked familiar, but couldn't recall where she had seen it.
Christian, embarrassed, picked up the glass bottle. "What's in here?"
Zuri, in a rare good mood, replied, "Rat tails."
Christian, startled, dropped the bottle.
Zuri's quick reflexes caught it, and she shot him a cold glare.
Christian shrank back.
"Finished checking? If so, I'm leaving now."
Christian waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away something filthy. "You can get out of the Lin family now."
Zuri's cold, sharp gaze swept over each member of the Lin family before she turned and walked out.
With every step she took, her heart grew heavier. With every step, her hatred and desire for revenge intensified.
Aaron was indeed a cunning old fox, silently seeing through everything, calculating everyone into his plans.
As she stepped out of the Lin family's mansion, she suddenly turned back to look at the luxurious villa behind her.
Dalia, Aaron—you owe me. It's time to pay up!