Return of The Alpha Heiress Chapter 8: Clarissa – Dinner with My Family

I was stunned. Everyone was stunned.

Especially Oscar... His eyes were wide, his jaw hanging, and the only sound he managed was a strangled gasp.

Larry’s interruption had clearly dealt a nasty blow to his overinflated ego.

"This is for you..."

anwhile, the culprit strolled right past Oscar and handed a small shopping bag.

"What is this?" I asked, deliberately ignoring the guy who was still frozen like a statue.

"A Com Orb. You don’t have one, right?" he replied, calm as ever.

I nodded, but didn’t take it imdiately.

How could I accept such an expensive item? What if they discovered I wasn’t their true family?

Returning a gift like that later would be humiliating and painful.

But Larry didn’t seem to be a patient person. He gently but firmly pushed the bag into my hands.

"The dinner is tomorrow. Let’s go together," he said, giving no ti to digest the gravity of the gift.

"You’ll co, right?" he asked again, seeing my lack of response.

Before I could ask any further questions, he turned on his heel. "See you tomorrow."

He was truly nonchalant. But I was curious, what did he actually think of ?

The fact that he was fine acting as a courier and inviting suggested he accepted , but his reaction was bland.

He showed none of the joy or sadness Luna Eileen displayed.

"You’re really disgusting, Clarissa!" Oscar’s familiar, mocking voice tore from my muddled thoughts.

He tried to grab the small bag in my hands, but I quickly stepped back.

"What? Are you trying to steal my things now?" I yelled back.

"W-who would..." He stamred, then pointed an accusing finger at my face.

"Don’t dream too high. Soone like Larry Green won’t be serious with you. He’ll throw you away when he tires of you."

"Butt out!" I snorted, retreating to my chair.

I didn’t care what they thought of my connection to Larry. Tomorrow’s dinner was far more worrying.

I opened the bag and found the latest version of the Com Orb, clearly expensive.

Nadia, who had been silent through the whole exchange, finally let out a hard gasp.

"It’s nothing like you think. Don’t read too much into it," I warned her with a stern face.

Nadia, knowing my temper, didn’t press further.

...

All night long, I thought about the dinner.

If I showed up, did it an I was officially claiming my spot in their family?

Or were they just sizing up? Were they trying to see if soone who grew up without parents could possibly compare to them?

In the end, I only fell asleep at five o’clock.

At six, the Com Orb rang. The blurred small screen showed a number, number 1.

Soone had already connected the orb with theirs.

I didn’t know who it was, but I knew that the only way to connect the Com Orb was by touching the two Orbs together.

And the number on the screen indicated the order in which it was saved.

So this caller had to be one of the Green Family.

When I touched the center button, a gentle voice was heard. "Did I wake you up, dear?"

"No," I lied. I couldn’t bring myself to make her feel more apologetic.

She continued, cheerfully, "I couldn’t sleep, thinking that I’ll et you again, dear. Will you co with your brother and sister? Or do you want to be picked up by our driver?"

"No—no, I’m fine by myself. Just tell the address."

I had stumbled into a commitnt. I still hadn’t fully decided if I would go, yet I told her I would go alone.

"That’s fine, dear. Oh, and..."

’What now?’ I braced myself. ’Would she warn to wear a good dress so I wouldn’t embarrass them?’

"—you didn’t call ’Mom’ yet." She sounded genuinely sad.

I facepald ntally. I had no idea how to react. Fortunately, she didn’t rush and ended the call.

"Is this what having a mother ant? A call first thing in the morning?" I murmured to myself.

Surprisingly, it didn’t feel bad.

That night, I finally arrived at the luxurious restaurant alone. I glanced down at my borrowed blue dress.

Luckily, Nadia had brought this dress for an autumn party. While at that ti, I wore my academy uniform instead.

Walking inside, the mont the waiter heard the na Green, they escorted with the utmost respect to one of the VIP rooms.

The interior was grand, the definition of a high-class establishnt, and the VIP room was no less luxurious.

I was nearly gaping at the view when the three people inside greeted .

"Welco, dear~" Luna Eileen stood up with open arms.

I was instinctively confused. What was this for? Did she want a hug? Was this the way rich people greeted their guests?

Before I could figure out the answer, soone else already hugged tightly.

It was the only daughter of the Green family, Shannon Green, my twin sister.

Her soft, straight blonde hair tickled my bare arm, and her scent was almost like Luna Eileen’s, but softer.

"I finally et you, my dear twin sister." Her voice was also soft.

Perhaps all the won in this family had soft voices, but certainly not .

Maybe I took after the n of the house, like the uptight Larry, or the troublemaker Edwin.

"Happy to et you," I managed at last.

After that brief, overwhelming first encounter, I took a seat beside Larry.

He gave a silent, expressionless nod. Again, I still couldn’t decipher what he was thinking.

Luna Eileen and Shannon sat opposite us, both offering bright, welcoming smiles.

Looking at Shannon and side-by-side, we didn’t strongly resemble each other.

But I could see traces of Luna Eileen in , and even in Larry.

’Didn’t Shannon say she was my twin? Are we fraternal twins, then?’ Shannon likely resembled Alpha Green more.

"Sister Clarissa, we already ordered all the food because we didn’t know what you like. You can eat as you please," Shannon said, her smile bright and cute.

She was truly the epito of a beloved younger sister. No wonder Nadia said the Green siblings centered around her.

"Thank you, Shannon," I replied.

anwhile, Luna Eileen put away her Com Orb and looked at with a hint of guilt.

"Sorry, dear. Your father couldn’t make it here. The conference was longer than estimated.

Your big brother, Darren, is in the Black Pack territory filling in for your father at a eting.

And your youngest brother, Edwin, is serving a suspension and is in another region. I can’t reach him."

"I’m fine," I assured her.

It was actually better to et these three calm people first.

Who knew what the remaining three family mbers were like?

After that, I tried to focus on the food closest to .

But it wasn’t easy to eat while the attention of my new family was fixed on .

"I’ll head to the restroom first." I imdiately stood up.

"Take your ti," Luna Eileen said, seeming to understand that I needed a mont to clear my head.

But I had only taken one step into the bathroom when I was t with the unwelco sight of people I desperately wished weren’t there.

"Defective oga! What are you doing here?!"

...