(06
“What?!” Mom gasped, her eyes widening in shock. She snatched the letter from Dad’s hands, her face paling as
she muttered, “How did Little Feather find out about Celline?”
“It must have been Celline! She must have gone to her! That girl never listens!”
Dad clenched his fists in frustration. Without wasting another second, he stormed toward the villa, Mom
following close behind. As they walked, he frantically called and sent me messages on WeChat. But I had already deleted every trace of contact with them.
They arrived at the villa, faces dark with urgency.
“Mom! Dad!” Celline beamed, running toward them. “You’re finally back! I missed you so much!”
She was just about to throw herself into Mom’s arms when, unexpectedly, she was pushed away.
She froze, confusion clouding her expression. “Mom? What’s wrong? Are you in a bad mood today?”
“Little Feather is gone,” Mom said, her voice tight with frustration.
“Huh? She left without even saying goodbye? How rude. No wonder you’re upset, Mom. She shouldn’t make you
and Dad worry like this.”
Celline pouted, then shrugged, trying to console Mom. “But honestly, if she wanted to leave, why not just let her? Keeping her around was just a burden anyway.”
“Nonsense!”
Before Mom could speak, Dad’s sharp reprimand cut through the air like a whip.
Startled, Celline flinched and instinctively tried to seek comfort in Mom’s arms. But once again, she was pushed
away.
“How many times have we told you to stay away from Little Naomi? Why didn’t you listen?!”
Mom’s voice was filled with uncharacteristic anger, leaving Celline speechless. “But… but… but…”
Celline lowered her head slightly, forcing out a few tears as she spoke in an aggrieved tone. “It was Ms. Naomi who came looking for her. The bodyguards outside the door can testify to that.”
She had always relied on this act to easily manipulate Mom and Dad’s emotions, assuming she could pull the
same trick again.
However, this time, Dad’s usual indulgence vanished. He let out a cold grunt. “Then why did Little Feather come looking for you? Wasn’t it because you went meddling where you shouldn’t have?”
“But it’s not like I forced her to leave” Celline muttarad etikhomly
D
10:29 AM.
A Fake Poverty that My Parent Build for Me
“But it’s not like I forced her to leave,” Celline muttered stubbornly.
After all, she had always been the center of attention, rarely reprimanded. Now, being scolded so suddenly left
her feeling wronged and furious.
“Hmph!”
Dad scoffed and turned to the bodyguards outside. “You two, tell me the truth. What exactly did she say to Little
Naomi?”
The two bodyguards exchanged nervous glances, hesitant to speak.
Dad’s patience snapped. “If you dare hide anything from me, I’ll make sure you regret it!”
Panic struck the bodyguards and they immediately scrambled to recount what had happened that day.
Upon hearing their words, Mom was so enraged that she trembled, her voice sharp with fury. “Celline! Who gave
you the right to speak about Naomi like that?!”
“She is my own flesh and blood! How dare you insult her!”
Without hesitation, Dad swung his hand and slapped Celline across the face.
The impact sent her sprawling to the floor. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and a glaring red handprint bloomed across her cheek.
“I’ve spoiled you too much!” Dad fumed, his chest rising and falling with anger. His eyes burned with such
intensity that, if looks could kill, Celline would have been reduced to nothing.
“Did I… did I say anything wrong?” Celline clutched her cheek, eyes wide with disbelief. “Mom, Dad, weren’t those
your own words? I was just repeating them!”
“Last time, when we were watching a movie, you both said that Little Naomi-”
Slap! Dad’s palm struck her again, this time even harder. His voice thundered, “Shut up! Just shut up!”
“We may have said those things, but that doesn’t mean you have the right to! You are not qualified to judge her!”
“If it weren’t for you, how could Little Feather have left?!”
“She’s my daughter!”
For the first time, tears welled up in Dad’s eyes.
“How will she survive out there alone?” Mom sobbed, unable to hold back her tears.
The sight of her parents breaking down left Celline stunned. She instinctively clung to Mom’s leg. “Mom! Didn’t you always say I was your favorite? Your beloved daughter?”
“Naomi is gone, but I can uphold the family name. Hardly anyone even knows about her existence.”
“We’re a perfect family of three–wouldn’t that be enough? Wouldn’t that be great?”
But the moment those words left her lips, Mom’s fury erupted. She lifted her foot and kicked Celline away.
“A family of three? With you?!”
“Those words were just meant to appease a child! You actually took them seriously?!”
“I’ve seen how hard Naomi has worked, how much she has suffered all these years!”
“You are nowhere near her level!”
Mom’s voice shook with rage, her words sharp as a knife.
“W–What? I’m inferior to Naomi?!” Celline’s expression twisted in shock, her mind reeling from the blow.
She had always thought of herself as superior, leagues ahead of me. But now, to be told she was lesser?
She couldn’t accept it.
C
“If I’m so inferior to Naomi, then why did you give me this luxurious life while keeping her suppressed, making her suffer at every turn?”
“I’m obviously better than her! Stronger than her! You just refuse to admit it!”
“I get it now. Even a doa develops feelings for its owner. You just haven’t adiusted to Naomi’s absence vet Give it
10:29 AM J
A Fake Poverty that My Parent Build for Me
“I get it now. Even a dog develops feelings for its owner. You just haven’t adjusted to Naomi’s absence yet. Give it
some time and everything will go back to normal.”
“Right, Mom? Dad?”
Her voice wavered, contradicting itself, revealing the cracks in her once unshakable confidence. She had completely lost control.
“Right, my ass!”
