In the courtyard, after everyone had freshened up, they returned to their rooms to rest.
Jodic lay on her bed, her mind consumed by thoughts of the day. She wondered if anyone outside was
ying to expose their complicated relationship. This thought filled her with anxiety and fear.
As she dwelled on it, she felt increasingly aggrieved. Therefore, she picked up her phone to message Aaron. When he saw the message, he got up and opened the door to find Jodie standing beneath the persimmon tree in the courtyard. “Jo, what’s going on?” he asked as he walked to her.
Seeing Aaron approach, Jodie took the initiative to throw herself into his arms. “Aaron, I’m scared.”
Aaron was taken aback, puzzled. “Scared of what?”
With teary eyes, Jodie tightly embraced his waist, looking at him. “I’m afraid our relationship will be exposed. I’m afraid I’ll be a burden to you, and people will–criticize you. After all, you’re Simone’s biological brother, and I’m nothing.”
Saying this, she burst into tears. “I’m so scared that Mom and Dad, and all of you, will no longer want
me.”
Ever since Simone was found and returned, this fear had been haunting her.
Having grown accustomed to being the pampered daughter of the Gray Family, she had no desire to return to her old life.
Thus, she often subtly sowed seeds of discord against Simone when she was alone with the Grays. She created a narrative that implied Simone’s return meant not only taking away her identity but also harboring ill will toward her.
Simone wanted to take everything from her and push her out of the family.
Over this past year, she had been quietly making her moves, and it had been quite successful. Sure enough, the entire family still doted on her while growing increasingly dissatisfied with Simone.
So what if Simone is their biological daughter? She still can’t measure up to the adopted one.
Whenever she coveted something of Simone’s, all it took was a subtle, indirect suggestion,
Those from the Gray Family would willingly snatch it from Simone and hand it over to her.
She had been in control and manipulating everything all along. But since the previous incident, everything had spiraled out of control.
Simone suddenly lashed out at the family, even severing ties and leaving.
Initially, Jodie was delighted, thinking she had finally gotten rid of Simone, the legitimate heiress.
Now, however, things were not going as she had anticipated.
After Simone left, although the members of the Gray Family complained and scolded Simone, they
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often displayed a strong desire for her to come back.
Aaron, for example, used to be the one Simone fawned over.
But ever since he appeared on the variety show, he found himself constantly drawn to Simone, seeking her affection.
This made Jodie uncomfortable and gave rise to a sense of crisis. She had a feeling that things shouldn’t be this way.
Moreover, today, Simone nearly exposed their relationship on the internet by mentioning the three taboos. This had thrown Jodie into a panic.
After much contemplation, she suddenly felt that driving Simone away might not be the best option.
Instead, she should let Simone continue to provoke the displeasure of the Gray Family’s members until they themselves pushed her out. Thus, she needed to persuade the family to win Simone back and then find ways to sow discord gradually.
Eventually, they would reach a point where they couldn’t stand Simone and would expel her. This was the only way to truly eliminate future trouble.
Aaron had one arm around Jodie’s shoulder. With the other, he gently stroked her head. “Silly girl, that won’t happen. You’re the little princess of our family, our cherished treasure. How could we ever not want you? As for the issue of your identity, you don’t need to worry anymore. It hasn’t been exposed yet, and Titus will definitely find a solution. Even if it does come out, I’m not afraid of criticism. We’ll protect you.”
Seeing Jodie’s anxiety and fear, he regretted his impulsive actions earlier. He also felt a bit resentful toward Simone for insisting on the three taboos.
Isn’t that deliberately telling everyone about their blood ties?
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to acknowledge Simone as his sister, but it just wasn’t the right time for a public announcement. They should wait until Jodie was no longer afraid of losing them.
He wanted to wait until Jodie felt secure and had firmly established herself in the entertainment industry. Then, it would be more appropriate to reveal the relationship with Simone.
Why is Simone so impatient and unhappy waiting this little bit of time?
“Will you not want me anymore?” Jodie looked at him pitifully, as if seeking reassurance once again.
Aaron, looking at her in this state, felt a pang of heartache.
He bent down and instinctively kissed her forehead, assuring her. “Of course, we’ll never not want you. You’ll always be our precious one. Don’t worry.”
With that, Jodie’s tears turned into a smile. She playfully said, “Then, once this variety show is over, you guys better coax Simone. After all, she’s the true daughter of the Gray Family. I don’t want her to leave the Gray Family because of me. I’ve been feeling really uneasy lately. If she doesn’t come back, I’ll feel like it’s my fault, and I’ll want to leave too.”
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Hearing this, Aaron looked at her with a soft gaze and said, “My Jo is so kind and sensible. Her leaving is due to her own stubbornness, and it has nothing to do with you. Don’t overthink it. Of course, no matter what, she’s still a daughter of the Gray Family. We’ll make sure she comes back. Don’t worry. After she learns her lesson and comes back, she won’t deliberately vie with you anymore.
They all hoped to see Simone and Jodie coexist peacefully in the family. Perhaps after this incident, once Simone had caused enough trouble and returned home, it could be realized.
Hearing this, Jodie felt relieved.
Upon hearing his reassurance, Jodie felt her tension eased. She leaned in, planting a kiss on his cheek. “I always knew you understood me, Aaron. You’re the best!”
Ever since her arrival at the Gray Family, Jodie had been working to ensure her brothers‘ affection and closeness. From a young age, she purposefully engaged in intimate gestures with them, even coaxing them to plant kisses on her forehead and cheek as a form of self–comfort and reward. She also reciprocated with her own affectionate gestures, signifying her approval and endearment.
As expected, as they grew older, Jodie and her five brothers continued to nurture their closeness, strengthening their bond even further. In Jodie’s heart, these five brothers were not just family; they were hers, and she didn’t want anyone else to intrude upon this special connection.
Unbeknownst to them, the courtyard gate was open, and the cameras were rolling.
From the moment they embraced, their actions were being recorded for the live broadcast.
Due to the distance, they deliberately spoke in hushed tones.
Therefore, the audience could see their intimate actions but couldn’t hear their conversation.
However, even this was shocking enough for the viewers.
The abruptly ended live stream reopened, and the production team announced that they were going for an impromptu surprise, offering the viewers a glimpse into the guests‘ daily lives in the evening.
Who would have imagined that it would start with such a thrilling scene?
The cameraman couldn’t stay at the doorway the entire time, as it would be too obvious what they were doing.
After all, they had already captured something sensational. So, he raised his camera and walked into the courtyard, followed by other members of the production team.
As they entered the courtyard, they also startled Aaron and Jodie. Simultaneously, they let go of each other.
Aaron furrowed his brows, looking at them. “What are you doing?”
Then he noticed that the camera was on.
His expression changed slightly. “You’re live streaming?”
When Jodie heard this, her complexion also changed. She was especially concerned that their previous
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conversation might have been caught on camera. Both of them silently cursed the production team for being so sneaky.
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