Spoiled By My Brothers: Return of The Lost Heiress-Chapter 152: Melissa Is My Sister!

Author’s POV

"Father... He..." Melissa opened her mouth, then let out a little sigh, which made her look helpless yet noble at the same time. "Sera, you are my sister," she said softly, "but you have to understand that I have been with Father longer than you. I know how he thinks. I know why he does things. That’s why... I can understand what he was trying to do by giving you so little pocket money."

Her voice sounded mature, like she was speaking with wisdom, but the look in her eyes was full of evil.

"Really? Father?" Seraphina’s lips twitched as her tone was filled with disbelief. She knew whatever Melissa said was flatout lie. Across the table, Liam’s brows pulled together, he too was in confusion. He had no idea what Melissa was trying to prove with this sudden explanation.

"When I was a kid," Melissa continued, her chin lifting slightly, "I was given even less allowance than you. At that time, Mother explained it to me. She said the money was new to me and..."

"And if I saw too much of it at once, I’d become spoiled." Her words dripped with calm maturity, her posture radiating the image of a perfect daughter who understood discipline. She ended with a faint smile, like she’d just showed how good she was!

Everyone at the table fell silent.

"And why," Seraphina finally said, her voice low and sharp, "do you and Mr. Lancaster think I’d be spoiled just by seeing money? Am I still child who didn’t know how to use money?" Her eyes narrowed, anger simmering beneath her calm composure. "And if that’s the case, then why even give me those five thousand bucks? Isn’t that contradicting yourself, Father?" She leaned forward slightly, her words came one after another, in a single breath.

Her chest rose and fell, but she didn’t stop there. "Moreover," she continued without stopping, "I never received a single penny of that allowance you’re just mentioning of providing!"

Melissa’s face stiffened for a second. Her calm look started to falter.

"What’s that supposed to mean!?" Liam almost shot out of his seat. His voice grew louder with anger. "I always gave you the same amount I just mentioned and never once missed it! And now you’re accusing me in front of my mother? What are you even trying to get at?"

That was it. Exactly what Melissa had been waiting for.

She didn’t want to put Seraphina in her place with her own hands. Even, she wanted someone else to do it for her, and who would be better than Liam? If he opened his mouth, Seraphina would be seen as the ungrateful person, and Melissa wouldn’t even have to lift a finger.

Old Lady Lan’s face hardened across the table. Her eyes were sharp despite her age, flicking between Seraphina and Liam. She didn’t speak, but her silence was louder than her words.

Her knuckles tapped against her cane, as no one knew what she was thinking in her mind.

Asher leaned back in his chair as his jaw tightened. His eyes were fixed on Liam. He didn’t move, but he was trying to contain his anger. Alistair, on the other hand, had his arms crossed, lips pressed in a thin line, watching everything in silence since... Seraphina didn’t want him to interfere.

So, he was waiting for any gesture from her side or... If she were really cornered, he would not back down and help her.

Melissa kept her face calm, biting the inside of her cheek to hide the smile that was threatening to come out. Though she was thrilled inside, seeing how Liam had lost his temper. Let Liam shout at Seraphina right in front of the old lady. The more he put her in the place, the more Sera would look like the spoiled kid, while Melissa could sit there looking calm and mannered.

But Seraphina’s silence wasn’t her weakness. Her lips twitched, and her eyes stayed steady even with Liam yelling. And Old Lady Lancaster was more inclined toward Seraphina than Melissa.

And that was the last thing Melissa wanted. She had acted like that so that she would notice her, but the Old Lady was still not looking at her.

"Yes! This is the truth! I’ve never lied once in my life... After all, I wasn’t raised by parents like you. My upbringing is far better than what you ever gave your so-called daughter," Seraphina said coldly with a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Since I said I never received a single penny of allowance, then I never did. Not even once and you can’t prove me wrong!"

"You—!" Mrs. Lancaster’s face twisted in rage, her hands trembling at her sides. "I didn’t know you were this selfish! It would have been better if you had died the moment you were born and—"

The words slipped out before she could stop herself. And the instant she heard them, she froze. Her eyes widened, lips pressing shut as if she wanted to shove them back inside. But it was too late; every person in the room had heard her.

The old lady’s cane thudded against the floor as her sharp gaze locked on Mrs. Lancaster. Asher’s jaw tightened, Alistair’s expression darkened, and the whole room seemed to still.

People who knew Seraphina was her own daughter were shockingly stunned by Mrs. Lancaster’s words.

Seraphina didn’t flinch; rather, her grin only deepened coldly and mockingly, as if Mrs. Lancaster had just stated something very obvious.

"Mother!" Seraphina’s voice cracked as her brothers looked at her, the moment they realized it. "Mom!" she said again, her voice softer this time, trembling as her eyes shimmered with tears.

For a moment, she looked like a child calling out for love that she had never been able to get. But then, her lips curled into a sharp and bitter smile.

"This is the last time," she whispered, her voice steady despite the tears sliding down her cheeks. "The last time you will ever hear me call you that. For the rest of your life... your own daughter... your blood... will never call you Mother again."

Her words came out of her mouth firmly and full of declaration.

"You always hated me, didn’t you? You just said you wished that I wouldn’t survive and I had died before I could open my eyes. And yet here I stand, right in front of you, being an eyesore." She let out a broken laugh, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand.

"You never wanted me, and still... I kept calling you Mother. I kept trying to grab your attention despite everything. I hoped that one day... Just for a moment, you’d seen me and call me your daughter, but... This is the limit, and this is where I have decided to stop."

Mrs. Lancaster’s breath hitched. Her lips parted, but nothing came out.

Seraphina’s smile grew sharper as her eyes were wet with tears. "From today, I free you from our relationship. I won’t burden you anymore. All you have to do is pretend I never existed and live your life as you please. Since the child you despise is gone. Treasure the daughter you chose instead."

The silence that followed was heavy. The old lady’s eyes shone with shock, her hand shaking on the cane. Alistair’s jaw tightened, but his eyes softened with guilt. Asher stood frozen, his chest rising and falling like he was holding himself back from reaching her.

Seraphina pushed her chair back; the screech echoed. She stood tall, holding back her tears, and soon... the tears in her eyes were dry.

"You never deserved to be called Mother. And after tonight... You never will again." Seraphina’s voice didn’t break this time; instead, it was calm, steady, but sharp enough to put weight in her words. "Every child deserves parents... but not every parent deserves the right to raise a child."

The room went still. Melissa’s smirk faltered, and Mrs. Lancaster’s face color drained as she turned as white as paper. For once, Seraphina wasn’t the fragile person they once knew after all.

"Sera..." Alistair’s voice cracked as he finally spoke, his eyes fixed only on her. "I... I can’t let you walk away like this. Please, don’t shut me out along with them." He took a step forward, his hands trembling at his sides. "I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to be part of a family that treats you this way. If I have to choose, I’ll leave them... I’ll leave everything and leave with you!:

His voice grew stronger and almost sounded desperate, but honest. "I did it once before... and I’ll do it again without regret."

"What do you think you’re doing!" Asher’s voice finally broke through as he stood, his chair scraping against the floor. His tall frame cast a shadow as he turned to his mother, his eyes blazing.

"You’re such a good mother, and yet people are trying to tear you down, acting like they are the only good people. I can’t just sit here and listen to it." His words were direct with no ifs and buts in them. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Then his gaze shifted first to Seraphina, then to Melissa. His face hardened, but he kept the usual expression on his face.

"Melissa is my sister. I have a duty to her, to stand by her. So what if we’re not blood? That’s what family is: family. I won’t throw her aside for some stranger who suddenly showed up claiming a place here. Isn’t that right?"