Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The Last Meal

At the Tate's villa.

When the maid served the last dish, Tyrell Tate finally picked up a chicken wing and put it onto Paige's plate.

"This may be the last meal we'll ever have as father and daughter... I didn't expect your birth parents would take you back so soon..."

His tone was full of reluctance, and he could not help recalling the scene three months ago when he was seriously ill.

He was in desperate need of blood back then, and Paige was about to donate her blood to him. To everyone's surprise, the results showed that they were not related by blood.

It shocked everyone in the Tate family.

After recovering from his illness, Tyrell managed to find back Abbigail Tate, his biological daughter, after going through all kinds of difficulties.

Abbigail, Tyrell's biological daughter, was back. Naturally, she was doted on by the entire Tate family.

However, things were completely different for Paige.

She wasn't related to them.

Therefore, the Tate family put the news online, looking for Paige's relatives.

Yesterday, someone called them, claiming to be Paige's biological mother and wanting to take Paige back today.

"This is what you like to eat..." Tyrell collected his thoughts and put more food onto Paige's plate. "Eat more. After you go back to your hometown, maybe..."

In yesterday's phone call, Tyrell learned that Paige's biological parents were currently unemployed and came from Hidalgo County.

Hidalgo County was the most backward and poorest place in the country.

Today might be the last time Paige enjoyed such tasty food. What was worse, after she went back, she might even be starving.

The eyes of Paige, who was sitting at the dining table, were crystal-clear. It seemed that she had seen Tyrell through. Her eyes were still clear, and she calmly put down her fork. "I'm full."

She got up and left. Her back was resolute and unrestrained as if she wasn't reluctant to leave at all.

Lindsey Hutt was immediately irritated. "Damn girl! She didn't want the food, since she thought you had stained it with the fork you used! You've spoiled her these years, and she is so picky now. We have all kinds of delicacies here, and yet she wants nothing. Wait till she gets back to where she belongs. She'll suffer!"

"Mom, don't get upset. Paige was just annoyed since she didn't want to go back to the countryside," Abbigail said.

It had been a month since she was part of the Tate family again.

She overheard Lindsey and Tyrell talking yesterday and knew that Paige's family was very poor. Paige's parents were unemployed, and she had five single brothers and a seriously ill grandmother.

Obviously, Paige's family was under heavy pressure.

Abbigail could not help but feel a sense of superiority and stood up. "I'll send her off."

Sitting at the dining table, Tyrell glanced at Lindsey reproachfully. "Paige was once our daughter after all."

Lindsey sneered, "We have doted on this damn girl all these years while leaving Abbigail to suffer outside alone. Whenever I think of that, I always feel that someone is stabbing my heart with a knife..."

Paige walked to the living room, picked up the backpack on the sofa, and was about to leave the villa.

Abbigail caught up with her. "Paige, my engagement party with Davon will be on October 1st. Will you be there?"

Her eyes were full of expectation, while her tone was nothing but triumphant and ostentatious.

Everyone knew that Abbigail was betrothed to Davon.

Had Abbigail not been brought back by Tyrell, Paige would have been the one engaged to Davon Elinor.

"Davon is great. He is so good to me... If Mom and Dad hadn't found me, you would have been the one he was engaged to. Paige, you won't blame me for that, will you?"

"Thanks to you, the trash now has a place to go," Paige smiled.

Abbigail was stunned.

She thought, what does Paige mean?

"I was just about to toss him away. You showed up right in time. Perfect timing."

"You..." Abbigail wanted to throw a tantrum. In the next second, she saw a figure, and she immediately put on an act, looking aggrieved with red eyes, as if she were an innocent bunny.

Lindsey happened to come to the living room and saw the scene. She was furious. "Paige! How can you talk to Abbigail like that? What's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine. Actually, I'm more than fine," Paige smiled. "But I'm afraid you need to go to the hospital for a checkup to see if there's anything wrong with your head."

Paige thought, you have been living with Abbigail for a month now, yet you still fail to see her true color. Abbigail is just a phony who pretends to be pure and innocent. How stupid are you?

"You..." Lindsey was so angry that she was trembling.

"Paige, I want you to have my favorite necklace. Mom and Dad gave it to me. After all, we can be called sisters. After you leave today, who knows when we will see each other again?" Abbigail sounded so forgiving. She ran forward to grab Paige.

Her hand touched Paige's backpack.

Yet in the next second, something unexpected happened.

A ruby necklace fell out of Paige's backpack.

Everyone was stunned.

"What..." Abbigail could not help but cover her mouth.

Most of the people present were thinking the same thing. They thought, how come the ruby necklace Abbigail was going to give Paige fall out of Paige's backpack?

Maybe... Paige...

Paige curled up her lips slightly and thought, what now? You are accusing me of being a theft?

"Why do you have Abbigail's necklace?" Lindsey could not believe her eyes and shouted, "Tyrell, come over here! The damn girl had the nerve to steal Abbigail's necklace before she left! We have raised her for years, this ingrate!"

"What's going on?" Tyrell came over and was stunned.

Abbigail hurriedly tried to smooth things over and said considerately, "It's fine, Mom, Dad. I was going to give the necklace to Paige anyway. What difference does it make if she takes it herself?"

"That's not the same at all! The necklace is a gift from you, and if she takes it herself, that's stealing!" Lindsey was furious. "Good for you, Paige! Since when did you become a thief?"

"Mom, don't call Paige that." Abbigail picked up the ruby necklace from the floor and kindly handed it to Paige. "Paige, don't take Mom's words seriously. I know you took the necklace to make plans for your future, right? I heard that your family is not doing well. The necklace might come in handy one day. Go ahead and take it."

Several surrounding maids opened their mouths.

"Ms. Abbigail, you are way too generous. The necklace is worth 16 thousand dollars."

"Mr. Tate and Mrs. Tate hired a designer to design the necklace for you. It's so unique, and it's the only one in the world."

"It is engraved with your name!"

"Ms. Abbigail, you love the necklace. And now you want Ms. Paige to have it..."

"Ms. Paige stole your most beloved jewelry, but you did not blame her..."

"Ms. Paige was so mean to you, yet you are still kind to her. You are so nice!"

The people around Abbigail were praising her.

Hearing that, Abbigail looked at Paige, and the words she said were nothing but reasonable. Abbigail said, "Paige needs it more than I do."

The onlookers kept praising Abbigail and could not help but compare Paige with her.

The more they compared them, the more they felt that Paige was no match for Abbigail at all.

Paige may be prettier than Abbigail. Yet other than that, Abbigail beat Paige thoroughly.

Lindsey snatched the necklace from Abbigail's hand and said, feeling bad for Abbigail, "Silly girl. Even ten necklaces of yours will still not be enough for the money her family needs."

Lindsey looked at Paige in disgust and said, "We have done our best by raising you all these years. The necklace is a gift for Abbigail. Stop dreaming about it! It'll never be yours! Get the heck out of here before I call the police!"

"Mom!" Abbigail was anxious. "Paige's biological parents are unemployed. She has five single older brothers, and a seriously ill grandma to take care of... She can get some money for this necklace. She needs it more than I do..."

Those several nannies were touched by Abbigail's kindness. They figured that no one was more sensible and generous than Abbigail.

"Mom, you gave me the necklace already. It means I have the right to dispose of it." Abbigail took the necklace back from Lindsey and brought it in front of Paige eagerly. "Paige, take it. I won't blame you for stealing. It was meant for you anyway..."

Paige raised her eyes and sized Abbigail up with interest. Her eyes under her long black eyelashes were flickering.