Chapter 170 She Turns Out to Be a Substitute
Scarlett watched Alice's mouth opening and closing, her mind feeling somewhat numb.
Many scenes flashed before Scarlett's eyes. Yes, there's no such thing as kindness without a reason in this world.
She still remembered that snowy night when Daniel personally carried her into The Wilson Mansion. He personally comforted her that night, took her to clean the dirt off her body, and helped treat her wounds.
He gently soothed her and even gave her a sweet orange candy.
She thought she was lucky enough to catch his eye, that she happened to appeal to him.
But she forgot that Daniel wasn't someone who overflowed with sympathy.
He was already aloof and cold back then, hard to approach.
He also had a cleanliness obsession. If there wasn't a reason, how could someone as dirty and blood-stained as her make him lower himself to personally care for her?
It turned out that reason would be so cruel to her.
Scarlett closed her eyes slightly, hiding the bitterness and pain in them.
She didn't want to give Alice any more satisfaction.
"Are you done?" Scarlett asked as she opened her eyes, her expression barely returning to calm.
Alice's lips curved up high. "Of course not. Something this funny could keep me laughing for a year. How could I be done? Scarlett, how does it feel being a substitute?"
Alice's face was full of mockery and malice. Scarlett also coldly tugged at the corner of her lips.
"If you're asking about being a substitute, do you really need to ask me, Alice? Aren't you the best example yourself?
After returning to the Brown family all these years, haven't you been trying hard to replace me the whole time?"
Alice's expression froze, then she looked like her sore spot had been hit, her features twisting all at once.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm the real heiress! The biological one. Why would I need to replace a fake heiress like you?"
"But you've always lived in my shadow. Otherwise, why would you keep clinging to me?"
Scarlett hit the nail on the head.
Alice's face turned pale, her hands gripping the tablecloth tightly, her expression full of jealous hatred.
It was true.
After returning to the Brown family all these years, Alice had always wanted to surpass Scarlett.
She was the real heiress. She should be better than Scarlett!
However, things didn't go as wished. All these years, Alice had always lived in Scarlett's shadow.
When Alice learned instruments, she couldn't match Scarlett's talent for mastering multiple instruments.
When she learned to dance, she was even more uncoordinated.
At school, no matter how hard Alice tried, her grades were just okay, while Scarlett kept skipping grades and getting recommendations, entering college at fifteen.
Alice had barely established herself in high society circles as the Brown family's daughter when Scarlett became the future mistress of the Wilson family.
"So what if you're always one step ahead of me in everything, making everyone say that I, the real heiress, can't compare to a fake like you?
You're about to be cast aside by Daniel and kicked out of the Wilson family anyway! Let's see if you can still put on that high and mighty act then. "
Alice stared at Scarlett, sneering.
Scarlett didn't want to argue with her anymore. She asked.
"What's that woman's relationship with the White family?"
Scarlett thought about how Daniel seemed to be hiding something when he mentioned Tobias's passing earlier.
Thinking of Magnolia saying Daniel had issues with the White family, her heart cracked like spider webs.
Alice laughed mockingly, propping her chin on her hands, ready to enjoy Scarlett's broken expression, and said.
"Daniel's the Star Group and the White family's Vanguard Innovations Group were both closely related to that woman. "
Scarlett's hand at her side suddenly clenched tight.
"Her name is Waverly White. She's Tobias's younger sister, only one year younger than Tobias."
"Isn't Tobias the White family's only son?"
Scarlett had always thought Tobias was an only child. All these years, no one had mentioned that Tobias had a sister.
Since she was Tobias's sister, where had Waverly been all these years?
"Of course Tobias isn't an only child. He has a younger sister, Waverly. Oh, and Waverly and Daniel have a destined connection—they were born on the same day, same month, same year, in the same hospital.
Back then, the White family and the Wilson family were equally powerful, and Ella and Blair were good friends, so they arranged an engagement between Daniel and Tobias."
Scarlett's nails gradually dug deep into her palm.
An engagement.
Born on the same day—it sounded incredibly romantic and fated.
"Has Daniel not celebrated his birthday all these years also because of Waverly?" Scarlett asked hoarsely.
Daniel didn't celebrate birthdays. Even his eighteenth coming-of-age ceremony was held a day early.
On Daniel's actual birthday, the Wilson family was always quiet.
That's why that year, when she saw Daniel having a candlelit dinner with Alice on his birthday, Scarlett thought they were together.
Scarlett still remembered Daniel's twentieth birthday. She had taken it upon herself to make him a birthday cake.
She happily put candles on the cake and snuck into Daniel's room the moment the clock struck midnight.
She wanted to give him a birthday surprise, but Daniel wasn't happy at all.
His face darkened, as if the cake were poisoned, and he told her to take it away immediately, saying.
"Don't do such meaningless things next time. I don't like it."
After that, Scarlett would just carefully prepare a birthday gift each year and, like everyone else, secretly deliver it the day before Daniel's birthday.
Before, Scarlett thought Daniel simply didn't like excitement or eating cake.
Now thinking about it, as the Wilson family heir, even if Daniel didn't like these things, he would still have the necessary appearances.
Unless there was a reason for everything.
"Of course it's because of Waverly. Not only were they engaged, they grew up together. From age one to twelve, this engaged couple celebrated their birthdays together every single year."
Alice admired Scarlett's face turning extremely pale, her smile full of satisfaction.
How heartbroken Scarlett must be right now.
Shealmost couldn't bear to watch.
"What happened after that? Where did Waverly go?"
Scarlett bit her lip and continued asking.
Obviously, because Waverly was absent, Daniel hadn't celebrated his birthday since he was twelve.
"Simple. Waverly was kidnapped and disappeared. She vanished, so how could Mr. Wilson have the heart to celebrate his birthday alone?
Ella missed her daughter so much, crying every day—that's when she cried herself blind. After that, the White family and the Wilson family forbade anyone from mentioning Waverly, to avoid constantly hurting Ella.
But all these years, Daniel and the White family never stopped searching for Waverly. I heard the person who kidnapped her appeared in a mercenary organization in Sylvanor, so our precious Mr. Wilson actually went and became a mercenary too.
Go back and count how many scars Daniel has on his body—that's how many times your husband risked his life for that woman.
Now that he's found her, my poor Scarlett, do you think there will still be a place for you in the Wilson family, by Daniel's side?"
Scarlett's breathing grew heavy. No wonder Daniel avoided talking about those scars and wouldn't tell her how he got those injuries.
Yes, Daniel only came back for her because she was pregnant.
Now, the person he'd been searching for and waiting for had returned. His attempts to keep her were probably just out of responsibility.
Just then, Scarlett's phone on the table rang.
Scarlett looked over. Daniel's name was flashing on the screen.