Chapter 78 No Longer Hiding Myself
The screen flipped, and Melissa played a video.
The Rosewood family home. Michael stood blocking Sabrina's path to the stairs.
"Sabby, don't you have something to tell me?"
Sabrina looked confused. Then, as if belatedly remembering something, she stared at Michael in panic. "Michael, can you please not tell Andrew about today?"
Sabrina was worried that Andrew would be furious knowing she'd tried to be clever and ended up making the Rosewood Group's financial situation even worse.
Watching Michael's expression, I thought to myself—looks like Sabrina doesn't always see eye to eye with them after all. Like right now, Michael clearly wasn't talking about that.
Sure enough, Michael looked grave as he stared at Sabrina deeply. "That's not what I'm talking about."
"Then what is it?"
Sabrina was completely lost.
Michael couldn't hold back any longer. "Didn't you tell me Catherine had zero artistic talent? I remember you also said she stole your painting and deliberately came to me claiming it was hers, which is why I..."
At this point, Michael suddenly froze. His expression grew increasingly complex and indescribable.
I felt nothing but bitter irony. So that's how it was. No wonder Michael refused to believe me!
The truth was that Sabrina had secretly seen me drawing. Thinking I had decent talent, she deliberately beat me to the punch and told Michael I'd stolen her painting. And when I brought my artwork to Michael, he'd already made up his mind and believed Sabrina.
Especially seeing me refuse to admit wrongdoing only made him more furious. In his emotional state, how could Michael think rationally about whether I was telling the truth?
Even at such a young age, Sabrina knew how to manipulate information gaps. How could I have been a match for her?
I closed my eyes briefly before continuing to watch the video.
Sabrina's face paled as she stammered, not knowing how to explain.
Michael's tone grew urgent. "You lied, didn't you? Sabby, you said Catherine got into DI by luck, but I was there outside just now. I'm certain she didn't cheat. Catherine's design thinking was clear, her work full of clever ideas. She even used a double-sided painting technique to guard against you. Could someone with no talent achieve that through hard work alone?"
Michael pressed her relentlessly. Sabrina's nails nearly dug into her palms.
She feigned composure and grabbed Michael's arm. Her tone turned coy. "Michael, I only lied because I wanted more time with you."
As she spoke, Sabrina's tears fell like they cost nothing.
"I've been frail since childhood. I'm slow at learning things. I love painting. I know you're so talented. I wanted to learn from you. I was just too scared—scared Catherine would take you away from me. My lifespan is already uncertain. I just wanted to spend more time with you while I can still talk and write."
Sabrina sniffled and continued, "I know I shouldn't have lied. But... I'm not even your real sister, I..."
Her words completely shattered Michael's last line of psychological defense. All his doubts and dissatisfaction crumbled instantly when faced with Sabrina's earnest devotion and fragile vulnerability.
I'd worked so hard to make Michael suspicious, only for Sabrina to brush it off so easily?
I let out a cold snort. So angry I had to laugh.
Melissa was equally indignant watching it. She looked at me seriously. "Catherine, I heard the NEA entrance assessment is in two months. You absolutely have to participate. Not only do you need to join NEA, you need to produce work better than Michael's and slap him right in the face!"
I knew Melissa was speaking out of anger. But I silently filed this away in my heart.
In my previous life, I could only paint in the hospital room. Every time James saw me, he'd simply ignore it. He even told me I couldn't interfere with experiments. Once when I was almost finished with a piece, he was in a rush to test medicine on Sabrina and tore up my painting.
All those past events were vivid in my mind. Living again, I wouldn't just paint—I'd paint better than Michael, that so-called genius!
After venting about the Rosewood family, I told Melissa about Liam. I also shared Anna's story with her.
Melissa's expression turned sorrowful. "Anna's worked so hard to get where she is. Finally graduating from a prestigious school, only to run into the Johnson family's two demon brothers."
I deeply agreed with her sharp assessment. I chimed in, "She's so smart, she definitely wouldn't be content being a caged canary."
Melissa nodded. "I think so too. Maybe Anna has other tricks up her sleeve for these two. But Cate, you know what they say—don't harm others, but guard against them too. We need to make contact with this Anna first to determine if she's worth working with. What if she's just lovesick, can't think straight, and enjoys her current life? You can't just wade into other people's business when you haven't even saved yourself yet."
That last sentence, Melissa unconsciously lowered her voice to mutter.
Hearing it warmed my heart. Only Melissa would unconditionally stand by my side and think of me.
"Don't worry." I smiled. "Lisa, I'm not that stupid. Now there are two problems. First, how can I contact Anna without alerting Edward and Liam? Second, if I do make contact, what should I say?"
Hearing this, Melissa also fell into thought. The first problem was already tricky.
Edward was manageable—with Sabrina around, he'd always have to leave Anna to maintain his false surface romance. But Liam...
Thinking of the venomous snake energy he'd exuded that day, I couldn't help shuddering.
"Lisa." I called Melissa's name. Seeing her snap back to attention, I continued, "Liam's mind is dark. He might've arranged for someone to watch from the shadows. I haven't agreed to work with him yet. If he finds out I contacted Anna privately, do you think he'd add me to his revenge list too?"
Melissa's expression grew even more serious. "Don't panic first. The more critical the moment, the calmer you need to be."
I nodded while also thinking of countermeasures. After a long while, Melissa seemed to have made some kind of decision.
She took a deep breath, her tone full of determined resolution. "Cate, ask Nicholas—or Samuel works too—to get Anna's contact information first."
"Then what?"
"You have Liam's contact info, right? Send it to me later."
I nodded, waiting for her to continue.
"You guys find a time when Edward's not around. Leave Liam to me to handle. As for what to say..." Melissa mysteriously snapped her fingers.
"I'll keep my voice down. Listen carefully. First you do this... then you do that..."