Chapter 4 The New Life

With a gentle smile on my face, I pry Lailah's fingers from my arm.

"Miss Rickshaw, given that your family would have spent no excesses to give you elite education, why do you jump into conclusions? Or have you forgotten so soon and need to be educated again?"

A grimace forms on Lailah's face, her eyebrows raising in shock.

"Grace, your stepsister may be impulsive, however she is not unfilial. You will have to forgive her for the words she spoke."

I snorted and turned to the speaker of the voices and grinned at her.

As expected of my stepmother, she was an orator and we know among the echelon of the society to twist things by the use of her words.

Caroline never referred to both of us as stepsisters outside trying to facilitate a harmonious relationship between Stephanie and I and making it less evident in people's minds that Stephanie was not my dad's offspring.

However, now she mentioned Stephanie's status as a stepsister insinuating that I did not treat Stephanie well.

"Stephanie must have been joking. We merely stepped out to the area because she said wanted fresh air. I wanted to admire the flowers at the edge of the cliff and slipped into the water." I fake a smile at Caroline.

You want to play? Two can play at this game!

"You fell from such a high height?" Mr. Calverston, one of XS directors, spoke of concern evident in his eyes.

"Indeed Mr. Calverston. I could have swam out, however my dress was a bane as it pulled me beneath the surface. I only asked my sister here to assist me out, but I should have thought better.

Stephanie here is just a child. How would she have been able to help me?

I'm just glad she is safe."

In less than a second, people began muttering but it was not hard to hear what they were saying.

"I'd always felt the eldest daughter of Koore was thoughtless. It appears that she's only a doting sister."

"Did I hear you say Eldest? The other one is not Mr. Koore's biological child. His second wife brought her in from her last marriage."

"What makes the second girl think and act that way? She has always been willful. My Nehriah will never walk as friends with her kind."

"Nehriah's mother, that is not the only issue here. Grace has always been a doting sister to Stephanie. It seemed like she had always been taking the blame for Stephanie's act."

"Poor girl. After all, her mother's gone. She has to survive somehow in that house."

Several statements were made, each voice becoming clearer than the other.

I stand straight, my back in a ramrod shape. Truth be told, not all of the blame I took in the past were related to Stephanie's act, a lot were as a result of my foolishness.

However, I intend to return every drop of pain on Lailah, Stephanie, Frank, Caroline and whoever else was involved.

Today was for Stephanie.

"Stephanie did not assist her sister out of the water. I want to assume she came back to the banquet to ask for help, right Mr. Koore?

" Another of the XS directors asked.

Another barrage of comments started.

The Madam of CJ enterprises spoke, "Only that the younger daughter did not mention anything about her sister struggling in the water when she returned."

"She even changed her clothes when she returned. What was she wishing for Grace?"

"To become the heiress of Koore."

"Not to mention XS."

"She can't have XS. After all, she is a complete outsider to that point. A pigeon cannot be an Eagle despite them being birds."

"What do you expect? Whose daughter is she?"

The Madam of CJ enterprises alongside a couple others had been annoyed at Caroline's jump into their circle and forcing herself to become friends with them.

Unfortunately for them, the Koore family was higher than their level, only par to CJ enterprises, hence they had gritted their teeth in the past and forced themselves to greet her.

CJ enterprises Madam, although she did not step on Caroline in the past, she did not ostracize her publicly either just choosing to avoid her.

However, now that CJ enterprises Madam had spoken, all other mistresses of businesses began to speak as well.

Who would not want to vent their anger on their enemy?

Lailah saw Stephanie's face losing color and snorted inside.

What an impulsive bitch.

"Oh my goodness!" Lailah exclaimed, turning to me.

"Are you alright, Grace?I should have come to check you." Tears formed in Lailah's eyes as she spoke.

In an instant, people's eyes turned to me and Lailah.

"The poor girl. At least she has Miss Rickshaw with her as a sense of support."

Of course there were others who disputed those words instantly.

"It is more like Miss Koore is the one offering Miss Rickshaw support. Can't you see the social gap?"

"As much as that might be true, what better thing can a lady ask for than for loyal friends?"

"Even one as elegant as Miss Rickshaw."

I act as though I did not hear the side comments passed around.

I, Lailah and Stephanie will always be enemies. Lailah went further to terminate my child!. Although the child was Frank's, it was mine as well!

I would never forgive her!

Today however, was for Stephanie and Caroline.

My eyes darkened thinking to tread gently with Lailah.

I saw Lailah look at her arms to note goosebumps appearing on them, raising her eyebrows in shock.

"Lailah." I called out.

Lailah looks up to my smiling face. Was she imagining the previous blank face? Yes, she must have.

Pushing down the guilt in her chest, she returns a shaky smile to me, her face mirroring my expression.

I smile stretched from one end of my lips to the other end, showcasing my white teeth hidden behind the pink colored lips.

My eyelashes fluttered as a tendril of hair floated towards my face.

"Don't blame yourself." I say to Lailah.

Patting Lailah's hand, I gave her another smile as I watched her struggle to retain her teary features to incite pity.

Lailah, your repayment is coming!