Adrienne went to the Xia Estate with Valerie after their classes ended. Valerie was obviously nervous about sothing, as she expected to hear what Adrienne and Katherine found out about her adoptive sister, Airi. She hadn’t expected Adrienne to seek Katherine’s help to uncover her sister’s secrets.
Ever since Adrienne warned her about Airi, Valerie couldn’t help but pay more attention to her sister. A part of her wanted to refuse to believe that Airi was doing sothing behind their backs. Still, as she noticed Airi’s inconsistent attitude towards the Xia family and the mbers of their household, Valerie started to doubt her sister’s sincerity.
It was clear to Valerie that Airi didn’t like Adrienne at all. Airi used to be wary of Katherine, but with Adrienne coming on the scene, Airi’s animosity towards both of them grew stronger. Valerie couldn’t understand why her sister was acting this way. After all, Adrienne, especially Katherine, had always been nothing but kind and welcoming to Airi.
As they approached the grand entrance of the Xia Estate, Valerie took a deep breath and prepared herself for the conversation that awaited her. She couldn’t shake off the unease that had settled in her stomach since Adrienne dropped the bombshell about Airi’s hidden agenda.
Inside the opulent mansion, they were greeted by the Xia family’s loyal butler, Mr. Chen. His warm smile did little to alleviate Valerie’s anxiousness. It felt like the calm before the storm. As they were led to the study where Katherine and Adrienne awaited them, Valerie’s mind raced with questions. What could they have possibly discovered about Airi?
As they entered the study, Katherine’s eyes t Valerie’s, full of concern and determination. On the other hand, Adrienne wore a serious expression, her gaze locked on Valerie. Clearly, this was a conversation that needed to happen, no matter how difficult it might be.
Valerie took a seat, her hands trembling slightly. She glanced at Adrienne, silently urging her to begin. Adrienne took a deep breath before speaking, her voice gentle yet firm.
"Valerie, we’ve been digging into Airi’s past, and we’ve uncovered so unsettling information. It appears that she has been hiding her true intentions from you and the Xia family," Adrienne revealed.
Valerie’s heart sank. She struggled to comprehend what she was hearing. How could her own sister deceive her? Her mind was flooded with mories of their shared childhood and the bond they had ford. But now, everything seed tainted.
Adrienne continued, her voice filled with empathy. "We believe Airi might be involved in sothing dangerous, Valerie. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we wanted to inform you. We care about your safety and the safety of the Xia family."
Valerie’s emotions were in turmoil. Anger, confusion, and sadness swirled within her. She looked at Katherine, hoping to find so clarity in her eyes. Katherine reached out and took Valerie’s hand reassuringly.
"The Shen family ran a background check on her, Val. We’re certain she’s keeping in touch with the person who kidnapped your Mom years ago. Adrienne and I believed that this was a long sche devised by Airi’s mother to secure her future. We’re here for you, Val. We’ll support you through this, no matter what you decide to do," Katherine said, her voice steady and comforting.
Valerie took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing thoughts. She looked at Adrienne, her eyes glistening with tears.
"How could she do this to us? To ? I trusted her with everything, and now I don’t even know who she really is."
If Airi valued the Xia family in her heart, she shouldn’t have any connections to those who hard her mother. Valerie didn’t think Katherine and Adrienne would lie to her, especially if it were about the safety of her Xia family.
Katherine reached out and gently placed a hand on Valerie’s trembling shoulder.
"I understand how difficult this is for you, Val. But we need to be cautious. We can’t ignore the possibility that Airi might be involved in sothing sinister that could put you and your family in danger."
Valerie took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
"What do we do now? How do we find out the truth without putting ourselves at risk?"
"Is Airi legally adopted now by the Xia family?" Adrienne asked.
Valerie nodded. "Yes, my mother ensured that Airi was in our family register before she passed away. It was her last wish after all."
"Then it would do no good to you and your brother, Val." Adrienne comnted.
Valerie furrowed her brows in confusion. "What do you an, Addie?"
"If you and your brother suffered from any accident that could lead to death, who do you think would benefit the most from it?" Adrienne gave Valerie a pointed look. She knew Valerie could easily understand what she ant.
"How could that be?!" Valerie stared at her friend in horror.
"Greed can blind a person and make one forget one’s kinship. It would be easy for Airi, as she didn’t have the blood of the Xia family running through her veins."
"We’ve already started gathering evidence and looking into Airi’s recent activities, Val," Katherine said, "But we need your help too. You know her better than anyone. Are there any signs or behaviors that seem off about her recently?"
Valerie furrowed her brows, thinking back to the past few months.
"Now that you ntion it, Airi has been acting strange lately. She’s been more secretive, making mysterious phone calls and spending long hours away from ho. I never questioned it before because I trusted her implicitly."
Adrienne nodded, already expecting Valerie’s answer.
"We’ll dig deeper into her phone records and try to find out who she’s been talking to." Katherine replied, "In the anti, I suggest you be cautious around her. Don’t confront her directly until we have more concrete evidence."
Valerie took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart.
"You’re right, Kat. We can’t possibly ignore this. I won’t let my emotions cloud my judgnt."
Amidst the confusion and hurt, Valerie knew she had to stay strong. She had a responsibility not only to herself but also to her family. However, she also found herself torn between her love for her sister and the need to safeguard her family. It was a painful realization for her that sotis, the hardest choices were the ones that needed to be made.
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