When morning came, Adrienne slipped out of her mother's room and cleaned herself back in her room. Today was her birthday, and she thought it fitting to be reborn on this day. It felt surreal to her that she was alive again, yet the opportunity to exact revenge was enough to keep her awake the entire night.
She knew that her father was having breakfast now with her stepmother and step-siblings, and they weren't expecting her to come down and join them that morning. Adrienne dressed in a plain cotton dress and a pair of shoes that suited her well. Despite wearing such simple clothes, it wasn't enough to dull her noble aura as she walked down the stairs.
Her father, Camilla, Cayden, and Elise, stopped their conversation and looked at her in surprise. None of them had anticipated that Adrienne would show up and join them for breakfast. They couldn't help but seize her appearance.
Adrienne stood quietly, looking calm but full of confidence. She looked radiant and elegant in her simple clothes. Even her father couldn't help but think she looked as pure as the white snow.
"Good morning, Father, Aunt Camilla, Big Brother, Elise." She greeted, but a hint of coldness reflected in her eyes.
Lewis Jiang frowned but said nothing, while Camilla was stunned.
Was this the same cowardly and foolish stepdaughter of hers? Camilla instantly noticed something was off with Adrienne but couldn't pinpoint it.
"Addie, you overslept today, didn't you? You must have partied hard with Myrtle last night. Are you hungry? Shall I get the servants to bring some food for you?"
At 45, Camilla was still beautiful and had a youthful complexion. There were almost no traces nor lines of age on her face. It was no wonder that this woman had managed to bewitch her father. She knew how to care for herself and take advantage of her beauty.
Seeing her hide behind her fakeness, Adrienne knew that this woman was the same Camilla she knew. She remembered how she used to be deceived by Camilla's warm character as the older woman tried her best to win her acknowledgement. She would've fallen for it if Camilla hadn't started talking to her about removing her mother's life support. She knew then that Camilla was trying to get rid of her mother once and for all because her mother's existence was the bane of Camilla's existence.
In her previous life, Adrienne discovered too late that Lewis Jiang married the young miss of the Zhao family to advance his career. Rosemary Zhao was known as a belle in the upper social circle and had known people of great influence.
Adrienne sighed and sat opposite her father at the other end of the table. Everyone was stunned by her actions, but no one dared to point out her impertinence though her father was visibly annoyed by it. She had developed a rebellious streak and had been testing her father's patience since then.
"A light meal will do, Aunt Camilla. I probably had too much alcohol last night." She replied, watching a servant rush to her side to serve her meal.
Her father eyed her suspiciously, watching her every move like a hawk. Adrienne chose to ignore him, far from what she usually does when their paths crossed. She ate in silence but not in a hurry, as if she couldn't be bothered by their company.
Lewis stared at her face, her features reminding him of his first wife. Initially, he chose to marry Rosemary over Camilla because she had a better family background and was more beautiful than the latter. She also had an excellent reputation within the circle, which was a great help to him during their marriage.
Looking at his eldest daughter today, he thought that Adrienne truly resembled her mother. Rosemary was a kind and elegant woman. Lewis felt a sense of inferiority whenever he was with her, as she was smarter than him. He wouldn't have become the CEO of Jiang Corporation if it wasn't for her.
"You are of legal age now. You should know better that to get wasted. What would people say if they saw that the eldest miss of the Jiang family was acting wild in public? You should be careful not to taint our family name!" His tone chided her for her recent actions.
"Dad, Addie is just celebrating her birthday with her friends. It's normal for people our age to party like there's no tomorrow." Elise said with a gentle smile, casting a wicked look toward Adrienne.
"Elise is right, dear." Camilla chimed in, knowing their intervention would only fuel Lewis's disappointment. "It was me who gave her permission to celebrate with her friends. I couldn't host a banquet for her birthday this year and the previous year, so I thought allowing her some leeway would improve our relationship."
"Such nonsense!" Lewis sneered. "Wasn't she the one who objected the banquet for her birthday? She'll only become more unruly if you allow her to act like this!"
Adrienne brought down her spoon with a clang, immediately silencing everyone.
Her father suddenly felt flustered. He didn't know why, but his instinct told him to flee and never face his unwanted daughter. How could it possibly be? How can Adrienne instill fear in him with a mere look?
"Does Father truly think that I'm the one tainting our family name?" Her eyes were so cold, putting her father in a trance. "Do you really hold our family name's reputation in high regard?"
Adrienne sighed in disappointment and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She glanced at them with a pair of indifferent eyes.
"Father, you should see what the news says about you and our family—marrying your mistress and bringing her home just one year after my mother's accident? Clearly, It isn't me who needs to reflect on their actions."
Lewis was left speechless.
"I haven't said a word to those reporters pestering me day and night, and you haven't given me a private chauffeur or a bodyguard to keep me safe. I'm the eldest young miss of the Jiang family, yet the stepdaughter receives better treatment than me. Since you remarried, my monthly allowance has also stopped, forcing me to use the money I've been saving for years. I wonder what the public would say when they hear of this."