"You are lying," Scarlette uttered when she heard the whole story from the man. "How could I avoid hurting you if you continue lying?"
"I— I am telling the truth!"
"You're not." If he was telling the truth then her mission about Sienna's parentage would tell her that it's already completed. But it didn't. Meaning, this man is still hiding something.
She spotted the sweat on his forehead. The man was pale, tense.
She wondered what else was he hiding.
"I already told you… you are my ex-girlfriend's daughter. I thought I was your father so I raised you like one."
"So… our similarities."
"I thought it was because she chose someone else who looked like me to impregnate her."
The story was that Mr. Rouse was in an abusive relationship with a woman who abused him emotionally. When they were still together, the woman would threaten him that she would kill herself if he leave, or if he marry the woman that his father wanted him to marry.
The relationship was chaotic and abusive that he fell into serious depression and started doing drugs when he was still in college. This also caused him to have PTSD and other mental illnesses. It was a good thing that his father discovered what was happening and actually helped him out by ruining the girl's family, prompting the girl to move to another country.
However, she came back five months later, pregnant.
At that time, Mr. Rouse was already engaged to another woman— Grant's mother.
Sienna's mother, wanted him to marry her because of the child but he refused to offered child support. He even asked her to sign her rights away so he could raise Sienna with his then-fiance. However, Sienna's mother refused and started to threaten him with an abortion.
Again, chaos ensued.
Because of stress, Sienna's mother died from childbirth and Grant's mother legally adopted Sienna. They also hid the fact that she was adopted by the media and made it look like she was a premature baby born by the couple.
Since Sienna was originally small when she was born, no one doubted their words.
Moreover, her resemblance to her father was just too obvious. Even Mr. Rouse's father didn't doubt that she was his grandchild.
"Did you really think I would believe you?"Sienna squinted. "Mr. Rouse, you raised me better than that."
"You— "
"Tell me the truth. You know… I promised Grant that I wouldn't hurt you. But… what if I hurt him instead?"
"You— "
"Did you know that Grant liked me?"
Just as she expected, the man's face contorted into a scowl.
"So you knew…"
"Don't you dare hurt your brother!"
"Hmmm…" Sienna nodded. "Brother… I treated him like one. But he doesn't really see me as his sister."
"How— "
"Sit down, Mr. Rouse. Sit down… and tell me the truth." It was an order. She badly wanted him to tell her the truth so she could leave this world as soon as possible!
"It was your mother…"
"You mean Grant's mother?" she corrected. "What did she do?"
"She— your mother's death— it wasn't an accident."
So, they killed her mother. Sienna sighed inwardly.
[Side Quest: Find Sienna's real parents. Completed. Reward: 300 coins]
"What about my father?"
"I honestly don't know who he was! I tried to check it, I tried to ask my people to find him. But I couldn't."
"Then… how did you know I wasn't your daughter?"
"When you were sick, you fell and lost a lot of blood. We need a blood transfusion and… we discovered the truth."
"So, you decided to just use me… "
"It wasn't my idea."
"Ah…" So it was that woman's idea. Sienna let out another sigh. She got up and walked towards the window. Eyeing the view from her father's office, she recalled some of this body's memory. Growing up, she did her best to make her mother and father happy. She did everything to exceed their expectations and have their approval.
And the two took advantage of that.
They knew she was smart, they knew she was capable. And so… they used her.
"I wasn't here today," Sienna said. "Please forget about me. I don't want to come back in this house."
"Sienna… are you— are you going to hurt your mother?"
"No." No matter what, Mr. And Mrs. Rouse raised her well. They didn't do anything to hurt her. They give her shelter, clothes, money, and the sensation of having a family.
"I don't wish to see you again," Sienna added. "What about Grant?"
"What about him?" she asked.
"If— "
"I won't tell him her mother actually murdered mine."
*BANG!*
"What did you say?"
'Here we go again.' Sienna rolled her eyes inwardly. This man is really troublesome. His timing is so annoying!
"Mother killed your mother?"
In an instant, Grant was already standing next to her. "How did you know I was here?" Sienna asked. "And your habit of barging into another person's house is really annoying!" Can she slap him? Just once?
"Grant— "
"Was it true? Did mother really…"
"Grant— "
The panic in Mr. Rouse's voice was evident.
"Alright… let's get out of here, Grant. This isn't the time for some dramatic confrontation." Sienna held Grant's arms. Using a little bit of force, she dragged him out of the room. "Let's talk at home," she added.
To her surprise, the man acted docile this time. Maybe it was because of the fact that she used the word, home? Or maybe he felt guilty somehow that his mother actually killed hers. Either way, she was glad that he actually listened to her, this time.
When they arrived home, she quickly explained everything to him and told him not to blame his father and mother.
Again, Grant didn't argue with her.
In fact, he stayed silent and didn't show her any violent tendencies. In the end, he just told her that he is going to his room to sleep.
"You should rest." Sienna sighed. This must have made the man shocked.. She could only hope that he wouldn't hate his parents after this revelation.
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