Chapter Ten

"Miss Scarlett, breakfast has been served. You should go and eat before it gets cold."

Scarlett heard the familiar voice outside her door, and just like every other morning, she responded with her trusted go-to answer:

"I'll be down soon."

Short. Simple. Elegant. A masterpiece of efficiency.

"Okay, ma'am."

The maid echoed her brevity, probably as eager to be done with this daily script as Scarlett was.

Scarlett stretched her arms and sighed. Every morning was the same—like a well-rehearsed play where nobody bothered to improvise anymore. Maybe she should spice things up one day.

"I'll be down in exactly 4.5 minutes. If the toast isn't golden brown by then, prepare for trial."

Or perhaps:

"Breakfast? That's so last season. Fetch me brunch."

The thought almost made her chuckle, but she knew better. Nobody in this house had a sense of humor before 9 a.m.

After finishing her morning routine, she made her way to the dining hall. As expected, it was mostly empty. The grand table—long enough to accommodate a medieval royal council—had only three occupied seats: hers and her parents'.

The other family members had already vanished, no doubt sucked into the corporate vortex. Scarlett hadn't seen much of them since arriving. The only exception had been the day Jade packed her bags and left. Apart from that, breakfast in this house followed a strict three-person attendance policy.

She wasn't complaining, though. A big family meant a busy family. And a busy family meant no one had the time to hover over her shoulder asking unnecessary questions.

"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad," she greeted, offering them her best polite-but-not-too-warm smile.

Gina, her mother, practically radiated satisfaction. Scarlett could tell just by looking at her that this whole lost-and-found daughter situation was turning out better than expected.

"Good morning, Scarlett. How was your night?" Gina asked, her tone dripping with maternal fondness.

"It was fine, thank you for asking. My older brother and sister have already gone to work?" Scarlett asked, injecting just enough curiosity to sound interested but not too interested.

"Yes, there's a lot to do at the company," Gina sighed, as if she were the one buried in paperwork. "Give them some time to finish up the important things, and then you'll all get to know each other better."

Ah, yes. "Getting to know each other."

Scarlett had her doubts. This family was the type that scheduled "bonding time" into their calendars three months in advance.

"Eat before the food gets cold," Gina reminded her. "It's been waiting for you longer than I have."

"Okay, Mom."

She picked up her fork, but her parents were still watching her with that same warm, doting gaze. It was like they were waiting for her to do something.

She ignored them. Some things were best left unacknowledged.

Gina, however, wasn't done talking.

"How is the law firm your elder brother found for you? I told him to make sure you had the best working environment possible," she asked, practically buzzing with excitement.

Scarlett paused. If Jade were here to witness this scene, she'd probably drop her coffee cup in shock. The last time Gina had shown this much enthusiasm for anything related to her other daughter was… well, never.

"It's good," Scarlett admitted, her usual restraint cracking just a little. When it came to her career, she couldn't help but show genuine excitement. "The working environment is amiable, and everyone takes their job seriously. I heard it's one of the biggest and most famous law firms in the country. How did my brother even get me a job there?"

She knew she was smart. Brilliant, even. But getting into L.J. Crawlings & Co.—the law firm every ambitious graduate dreamed of—was another level entirely. The firm didn't just hire people. They selected them, like rare gems.

There were two ways to get in:

1. Be a legal prodigy with an Ivy League degree, a perfect GPA, and a recommendation letter signed in gold ink.

2. Have a last name that made CEOs pick up their phones in the middle of the night.

She had a strong suspicion that option two played a bigger role in her employment than she cared to admit.

Not that she was complaining. Connections were part of the game, after all. But she couldn't help but wonder how Jade was doing.

"She must be regretting leaving all of this behind."

The thought wasn't meant to be malicious. It was just… logical. Life had a way of flipping tables when you least expected it.

"Scarlett! Why are you so lost in thought?" Gina's voice sliced through her mental rambling like a well-sharpened legal argument.

Scarlett blinked. "Nothing, Mom. I was just wondering how Jade is doing. The gap between her real family and the one that raised her is really huge. I hope she's able to cope with the changes."

She wasn't just making conversation. She was also gauging their reactions.

Her father, Lewis, immediately dropped his smile.

"Stop thinking about unrelated things and focus on yourself first," he said, his tone firm. "Your workplace is highly competitive. A slight distraction can get you in trouble. Don't waste the opportunity your brother secured for you."

Ah, yes. Lewis, the man of zero-nonsense. If he had a love language, it was pragmatic advice delivered like a courtroom verdict.

Scarlett lowered her gaze slightly. Message received.

Across the table, Gina and Lewis exchanged a look—a brief, silent conversation that only parents could have.

Scarlett quickly corrected herself. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I promise not to waste my brother's efforts."

"Don't be too harsh on the poor girl," Gina scolded, waving her fork at her husband. "It's a good thing she's opening her heart to us instead of keeping everything bottled up."

Lewis said nothing. Experience had probably taught him that arguing with his wife was a losing battle.

"Scarlett," Gina continued, turning back to her, "don't mind your father. You have your freedom of expression. And if anyone tries to take that away from you, you can sue them."

Scarlett nearly choked on her juice.

Gina wasn't done.

"In this house, you can be yourself. You don't have to pretend to be someone else to fit in. We're actually grateful to have someone who doesn't walk around looking like they suffer from permanent facial paralysis."

Scarlett stared.

"You're our sunshine," Gina finished, her voice soft.

Scarlett wasn't sure what stunned her more—the unexpected warmth in her mother's words or the fact that she had just been compared to the sun.

She hesitated, then smiled. A real smile this time.

"Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad. I'm really happy."

She wasn't the type to get overly sentimental, but at this moment, she felt something shift.

She hadn't expected this family to accept her so easily. But if they were willing to try… maybe she could try, too.

Even if it meant waking up to the same short, simple breakfast conversations every morning.

For now, that was enough.

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