Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Don’t You Think You’re Pathetic?

Seeing Melody Summers’s hostile gaze, the smile on Robert Lancaster’s face faltered.

But he was, after all, an old fox who had navigated the business world for years. He managed to keep a strained smile on his face and said, "My dear daughter, today is New Year’s Eve. Your mother and I brought you some gifts. We wanted to celebrate the holiday with you."

Elaine Hughes also managed a smile and said, "My dear, I shouldn’t have tried to marry you off to a man you didn’t know. I know I was wrong, but... I was only doing it for your own good!"

"From now on, I’ll ask for your opinion before setting you up with anyone. This time... can’t you just forgive me?"

Melody Summers listened with a stony expression, saying nothing in return.

’In her past life, Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes had always been arrogant and demanding with her. They had never once put on such a fawning expression.’

She sized up Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes. Elaine wasn’t wearing a single piece of jewelry, and Robert’s usually impeccably pressed shirt was wrinkled. It was obvious the Lancaster family had fallen on hard times.

’So, for them to come here now and put on this whole ’loving parents’ act, they must be hoping to get something out of me...’

When Melody Summers remained silent, Robert Lancaster grabbed Silas Lancaster, who was standing behind him with his head down, trying to fade into the background. "Quick!" Robert said. "Apologize to your sister! Tell her you regret how you spoke to her and that you’ll respect her from now on!"

With his head bowed and brows furrowed, Silas Lancaster reluctantly mumbled, "Sorry."

His voice was quieter than a mosquito’s buzz.

Seeing this, Robert Lancaster smacked Silas on the back, making him stumble. "Louder!"

Silas Lancaster’s face turned bright red—whether from anger or shame, it was hard to tell. Eyes squeezed shut, he yelled as if venting his frustration, "I’m sorry, sister!"

Melody Summers let out a soft, cold laugh. She looked at Silas Lancaster with mockery and said disdainfully, "Don’t bother. I’m not your sister. Sylvia Lancaster is your sister. I don’t have a good-for-nothing brother like you."

At her words, Silas Lancaster glared at her in fury. If Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes hadn’t been standing right behind him, he would have lunged forward to slap Melody Summers across the face.

Robert Lancaster pretended not to hear Melody Summers’s taunt. Wringing his hands, he stepped forward. "My dear, just forgive your brother. Your mother and I have disciplined him. He understands now that you’re his real sister."

"Stop being angry with us. Once our family is together again, you’ll have an older and a younger brother to protect you. They’ll help you with any trouble you run into. You won’t have to be alone anymore."

Hearing this, Melody Summers shivered for no apparent reason. ’Those words... they’re so familiar!’

’In a daze, she could almost see Adam Lawson and Joel Lawson!’

’Adam Lawson and Robert Lancaster. Even though their wealth and status were worlds apart, their way of making empty promises was exactly the same!’

Robert Lancaster rambled on, "Our family is having a hard time right now, but your older brother just started a job at Rhodes. You know, the company that does indoor agriculture? His future is boundless! With him looking out for you, no one will dare to bully you."

Then Robert Lancaster showed Melody Summers the gifts he’d brought. He opened the bag to reveal a stash of potatoes, onions, and carrots, along with a few heads of cabbage and some round eggplants.

He presented them as if they were treasures. "Look, my dear! These are all employee benefits from Rhodes! Your mother and I brought them just for you!"

Melody Summers froze. ’Simon Lancaster got a job at Rhodes?!’

’...That’s not what happened in my past life...’

’In my past life, with help from Sutton Enterprises, Elaine Hughes had managed to keep a lot of her jewelry and antique paintings. She sold them off gradually, so the Lancaster family’s lifestyle was still decent.’ 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

’Simon always had an incredibly high opinion of himself. He would never have stooped to getting a job unless it was an absolute last resort.’

’For Simon to be out looking for work now... the Lancaster family must truly be at the end of their rope...’

Seeing Melody Summers’s silence, Elaine Hughes also stepped forward and opened the bag in her hands. Inside were two dressed chickens.

Elaine Hughes said with a smile, "Melody, I see you’re growing vegetables here, but I bet you can’t afford meat. These two chickens are also from your brother’s company benefits. We brought them for you to add a dish to your New Year’s Eve dinner. I just learned how to make chicken soup the other day. How about I cook it for you?"

Melody Summers didn’t even spare the items a glance. She already understood why the three of them had come.

She flashed a knowing smile and asked, "New Year’s Eve dinner? And after dinner, I suppose you’ll want to stay for a few days? And after a few days, I suppose you’ll be planning to move in for good?"

Their intentions laid bare, the smiles on Robert Lancaster and Elaine Hughes’s faces stiffened.

Elaine Hughes looked at Melody Summers sorrowfully. "Melody," she said, "the Lancaster Group is bankrupt, and the family isn’t wealthy anymore. Even the monthly utility bills are a real burden. This villa of yours is so big... just let your father, your brother, and me move in for a few days."

Elaine Hughes tried to step forward and take Melody Summers’s hand, but Melody sidestepped her.

Elaine Hughes’s eyes instantly reddened. With tears welling, she looked at Melody Summers and pleaded, "My dear, are you still blaming us for what happened before? But your father, your brother, and I have all apologized!"

"My dear, we are your family, after all! How can blood relatives hold a grudge? The family is in a truly difficult situation. Can you really bear to turn your back on your mother, father, and brother?"

Melody Summers looked puzzled. She tilted her head at Elaine Hughes and said in a curious tone, "Mrs. Lancaster, we’re practically strangers. Why wouldn’t I have the heart? Besides, did you really think I didn’t know that Mrs. Lawson’s son—the one you brought over before—is a fool? You had the heart to force me into marrying a fool, and now you have the gall to act like you’re the victim?"

When Elaine Hughes heard Melody Summers mention this, her face went white. ’She actually knew the Lawson’s youngest son was a fool?!’

Riddled with guilt, Elaine Hughes averted her eyes and stammered, "N-no, I didn’t know... My dear, I really didn’t... I just wanted to set you up with a good match! I truly had no idea the Lawson boy was a fool! You have to believe me!"

Melody Summers watched Elaine Hughes’s panicked, evasive expression with a sense of disappointment. ’She doesn’t even have the courage to admit her mistakes. To think this is the person I trusted unconditionally in my last life...’

Melody Summers’s expression darkened. She looked Elaine Hughes straight in the eye and spoke slowly. "For the sake of the Lancaster Group, you sold off Sylvia Lancaster, and you sold off me... Mrs. Lancaster, have you ever wondered if one day, you’ll be the one who gets sold?"

Standing to the side, Silas Lancaster could no longer contain himself. Flustered and exasperated, he demanded, "Melody Summers! Mom and Dad brought gifts to celebrate the New Year with you, and you have to make things this awkward for everyone? What daughter acts as bratty and unreasonable as you?"

Melody Summers rolled her eyes at him, her brow furrowed with impatience. "Right, right, I’m the bratty and unreasonable one. So why don’t you go find the daughter who isn’t? Why don’t you go look for your perfect daughter, Sylvia Lancaster? When something good happens, it’s all about her, but when you need a free place to stay and freeload, you come running to me? Have some decency!"

Hearing Melody Summers mention Sylvia Lancaster again, Silas adopted an "I-knew-it" expression.

He sneered at Melody Summers. "I knew it! You’re just jealous of Sylvia! I bet you didn’t know, did you? Sylvia and Ethan Sutton are already legally married. She’s pregnant with his child, and she’s been officially accepted by the Sutton family! And you? You’ll forever be nothing but an unpresentable country bumpkin that high society will never accept!"

"Don’t you feel pathetic, Melody Summers? They’re like a prince and princess from a fairy tale, living happily ever after, in love and starting a family. And you’re still just damaged goods that no one wants to marry!"

After he finished, Silas Lancaster stared intently at Melody Summers’s face, hoping to see a flicker of resentment or anger.

But what he saw instead was the hint of a smile!

Silas Lancaster was stunned. ’Am I seeing things? Shouldn’t she be furious, humiliated, and consumed by jealousy? Why does she look like she’s about to burst out laughing?’