How Death Became My Rebirth

apter 39

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“| heard you moved out of the Yates family. What's going on?” asked Lucas.

Cassandra was speechless, pondering, ‘He didn’t know? Is he kidding me right now?” Frightened, Benjamin turned pale with fear and was about to interrupt Lucas, dreading that Cassandra would blurt out words that might put them all in shame.

Then again, before Cassandra could even part her lips, someone else recognized her.

“Oh, | remember! Isn’t she the so-called adopted daughter of the Yates family? | think her name is Cassie or something. The Yates family called her their adopted child, so how did she suddenly end up becoming their biological kid?”

At the banquet the other day, that person who spoke had stepped out early instead of staying to watch the drama till the very end.

Therefore, Cassandra had no idea whether she was the biological daughter of the Yates family or not.

“Now that you mention it, | do have some recollection of t-a biological daughter that has soon turned into an adopted daughter instead. Standing before us is the very Ms. Cassandra Yates we're talking about.”

The crowd clicked their tongues and shook their heads. Word had it that the adopted daughter who came from the countryside was rude and crude.

Yet, the lady presented in front of their eyes had nothing save soft skin and good looks. Hardly anyone could resist being enticed by her.

Should she be truly wicked on the inside, Lucas would never have invested in her.

and Miranda both were horrified, their faces as white as a sheet. Never in est dreams did they anticipate anyone to point out something like that in

esence.

cas had yet to finish listening to them, but he was already going through the roof. “What? Didn’t they come to you with the DNA test? | read the report with my own eyes! How in the world did you turn out to be their adopted daughter? Your life with the Yates family must've been a living hell all these months!”

The more Lucas went on, the angrier he became. He, for one, knew that Cassandra had always been sensible and thoughtful since childhood.

When she had no place/to call home, she worked herself to the bone and became a world-famous fashion designer by the name “Elaine.” Not only that, but she was also a

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miracle doctor, not to mention a founder who could build a business empire alongside the Zelinski family. Sadly, she had never once experienced what kinship was, so the moment she learned that she had a family, she went all in to grab it.

Worse still, before the Yates family even reached out to her, she had already secretly helped better the life of the Yates family.

Otherwise, the Yates family would never have been eligible to participate in the charity gala that night.

Lucas’ speech was tantamount to a verdict, sanctioning the Yates family for their long overdue misdeed. It was really his first time seeing somebody calling their biological daughter an adopted one.

“I'm not related to the Yates family anymore. Do not refer to me as one of them or link me to any one of them.”

Cassandra’s statement made Benjamin feel uncomfortable as if he had a sour lemon in his mouth. “This brat! What a crude choice of words!” he jeered at her inwardly.

“Cassandra, do you still resent me? | merely couldn’t bear

0 part ways with Mom and Dad. I'd never vie for their love with you. Come home, will you? Quit saying those things just to make us feel bad.” Yulissa spoke up, making herself seem aggrieved and pitiful.

If anything, she only aroused men’s desire to protect her. The parade of people began to have second opinions of her.

She didn’t choose to be raised in the Yates.

“Actually, she hasn’t done anything wouldn’t have been so hard on her.

family for 18 years. | think Cassandra

“Tell me about it. At least, she’s trying to accept Cassandra back into the family. | don’t get why that girl must dish out such harsh words at her sister.”

“| suppose they could never be close to one another. They didn’t grow up together, after

all.

Then came Miranda’s reproach. “Why do you always have to pick on Lisa every time you see her, Cassandra? How do you expect me to keep you around if you're going to behave like this?”

Lucas was surprised by Miranda’s attitude. To think that that lady would drop disgusting remarks right in front of everyone.

o such

“First of all, Mrs. Yates, | didn’t say a word to her. How am | in the wrong when she broke into tears out of nowhere the minute she came along? Have | even opened my mouth while standing in this spot? Secondly, she still pulled that goody-two-shoes act. Clupter 39

of hers regardless of the occasion. Does she really think that everybody’s just going to buy her story?”

Once again, Cassandra saw the people from the Yates family in a whole different light. To label them disgusting would still be a compliment.

Miranda stared at that so-called daughter of hers and how the latter was reluctant to show her even a tad of reverence, Giving Cassandra two tight slaps was all that sprang her mind at that

“I'm your mother! Is that how you talk to me?”

to

“| won't repeat myself, Mrs. Yates, so listen up!” Cassandra’s tone reeked of absolute iciness. “I have nothing to do with the Yates family anymore. Firstly, | was never a member of the Yates family: secondly, | already paid back more than the money you all spent on me; and thirdly, for the so-called blood ties that you people had set your heart onto, | fulfilled that when her 18th birthday celebration. Why? Did y

Yulissa had have a change of heart, Mrs. Yates? Wouldn't Yulissa be finally content to see me out that door? With me gone, she'll then be the eldest daughter of the Yates family. It'll be killing more than two birds with one stone, so why are you two still putting on an act to show how inseparable a mother-and-daughter duo you are?”

In Cassandra’s book, what they were pulling was laughably.

“Why, you... You're such an ingrate!”

On the heels of that, Benjamin said to Lucas, “I beg for your forgiveness, Mr. Hathaway. We haven't been raising her well right from her early childhood, so she isn’t too close to us. She may be blunt with her words, but please don’t take it to heart. She’s our daughter. We didn’t sever any ties!”

He was well aware that Cassandra was acquainted with Lucas. Considering how protective and caring Lucas was toward Cassandra, Benjamin reckoned that the two of them must have a close tic. If he could leverage Cassandra just to get on the mayor’s good side, he would definitely go for it.

Besides, the Yates family had way more than sufficient fortune to invest and profit fro

from another individual.

“By blunt, are you implying that she’s uncivilized? Just so you know, she learned her manners from me, so are you blaming me for it? | think | got it now. You took that DNA test and picked Cassic up from Rootland Village but refused to admit her as your family for more than two months in the end. | wonder what your motive must have been. Don't tell me you did it all for your adopted daughter. You even accepted the living expenses Cassie gave you. How shameless could you guys get? Cassie’s such a kind kiddo! Look at what you've done to this poor girl!”

Although Cassandra did not give a hoot about the money, Lucas felt sorry for her.

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Cassandra would always keep things to herself. Had he not come looking for her, he figured that she would not have shown up. Cassandra, on the other hand, began to admire Lucas’ flair for putting on a good show.

“When | returned to the Yates family, everyone there told me that the Yates family had only one daughter and that they had only one sister, Yulissa. | thought we were family, but | didn’t know better..”

Listening to how Cassandra sounded like she was acting cute yet at the same time complaining, Lucas was more than shocked. That would make sense, for Cassandra had not been close to Lucas since the day she turned ten.

After the girl picked up all the skills she needed, her temperament had also changed to one of solitary.

It would never occur to him that he could still see her come to him for a listening ear after so long.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Immediately, Lucas held his head up high, seemingly wanting to avenge Cassandra.

However, Cassandra was simply following suit to play the role of a goody-two-shoes. herself and checkmate the real goody-two- shoes, Yulissa.

“You're the daughter of the Hathaway family. You've nothing to do with people of their ilk. Since they favor their adopted daughter so much, they can keep her. Who cares, anyway? We have always wanted a daughter to call our own. Mrs. Hathaway had been waiting for ages to register you in our household, but you never said yes only because you already had one family. What now? Let's see what other excuses you can come up with.”

On the surface, Lucas seemed to be teaching Cassandra a lesson, but in fact, he was mocking the Yates family.

‘Since the Yates family sees less of Cassandra, I'll treasure the girl. Ha! They'll regret it all in due time, was his thought.

“What did you say? | finally get to have a daughter?”

That voice came from Sylvia Hathaway, the mayor’s wife, as she walked in from the other side. She was supposed to show up with Lucas, but something unexpected happened, so she went to the restroom and tidied up herself before making an appearance.

Little did she anticipate that the second she got out, she heard Lucas’ words about

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adopting Cassandra. Of course, she would be struck with jubilation.

She could not have asked for more.

Sylvia’s reaction surprised everyone. No one could comprehend the level of elation she was feeling even when the daughter she was about to claim was not her own flesh and

blood.

“Mrs. Hathaway, Cassandra's just a good-for-nothing. She can barely measure up to Lisa. If you'd like-”

Miranda was sure witty enough. She could tell that Lucas meant they wanted a daughter. From her perspective, an ingrate like Cassandra would never be worthy of that position; on the contrary, Yulissa was very much befitting, for not only was she talented, but she was also obedient.

Yulissa, in turn, looked shy. She was not expecting to gain something more from that

event.

“Do you think my place is some kind of garbage dump? | don’t collect scraps and losers!” hollered Sylvia.

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