"Sis, I know I was wrong, but the baby is innocent, I don't want the child to be born without a father, please, let me have Simon."
Claire cried with a face full of tears, looking so pitiful that it tugged at everyone's heartstrings.
Her tears broke Charles's heart.
Ariana let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Don't try to guilt-trip me! if you knew the baby was innocent, why did you get pregnant? you knew it was wrong, but you did it anyway. Sleeping with a man without protection, you did it on purpose!"
"Smack!" Charles slapped Ariana across the face!
Ariana was stunned.
Charles had put all his strength into that slap, making Ariana's head buzz.
Since she was little, Charles had always been cold towards her, Ariana thought it was because he preferred sons over daughters, so she worked hard to prove she was just as good as any son.
It wasn't until Claire came back that Ariana realized Charles didn't dislike daughters; he just didn't like her!
All her years of effort and trying to win his approval had been a joke,
Charles strode confidently into the room and sat upright on the couch, showing no sign of regret. "I'm just here to inform you that Simon and Claire are getting engaged next month."
Ariana clenched her fists tightly.
Recently, she had come to terms with everything and decided to let go, she even went to the Dynasty Club to meet a male model, not to get back at Simon, but to finally move on and put love aside.
Men, she thought, weren't worth taking seriously.
A woman could live well on her own.
She was planning to have a frank discussion with her family, but instead, she was informed that she was out of the picture!
There were things she could let go of, but not when they were taken from her as if it were a given, forcing her to accept it without complaint!
Not wanting Simon was one thing, but being forced to give him up was another!
"Mom, did you know about this?" Ariana turned to look at Fiona.
Fiona's eyes darted away and she wiped away a tear. "Ariana, Claire has been through a lot over the years, she's young and naive, but she's pregnant, please, just let her have this."
Hearing Fiona's words, Ariana felt her heart break.
The last door in her heart closed shut.
Even if Fiona had said sorry or admitted that Claire was in the wrong, it wouldn't have hurt this much.
It was Charles who brought her into the Summer family; she didn't cling to them, what could a baby in swaddling clothes possibly do?
When Claire returned, no matter how they treated her, how they tried to make it up to her, she accepted it, she even helped her parents compensate Claire, caring for her and loving her.
But why did they have to take everything from her to make it up to Claire?
She could give up all the material things, but this was about a person! her fiancé! years of her feelings!
Clearly, it was Claire who was at fault, yet they didn't blame her at all. Instead, they accused her of not being generous enough.
Ariana let out a cold laugh, blood ties was a mysterious thing, but also a ridiculous one.
"Fine, since it has come to this, I have nothing more to say."
Ariana turned around and suddenly knelt on the ground.
Fiona and Charles exchanged bewildered glances,
Ariana intended to sever all ties with Simon, a man who cheated wasn't worth keeping!
At that moment, she was fully awake. It was time to sever ties not only with Simon but also with her adoptive parents.
"Dad, Mom, I'm not your biological daughter, I'm deeply grateful for all you've done to raise me.
As your daughter, I believe I've been a good one, bringing you joy and pride.
Simon and I grew up together, childhood sweethearts, since you want me to step aside for Claire, fine, I will. Consider it my way of repaying you for raising me all these years.
From today on, I have nothing to do with the Summer family!"
She knelt and bowed three times on the floor, then stood up and turned to leave.
"Ariana!" Fiona called out urgently.
Ariana stopped in her tracks.
"Let her go!" Charles shouted angrily, "we've fed and clothed her, that's enough! Ever since Claire came back, she's turned this house upside down!
She's an unwanted child with no parents and we've given her a life of luxury, yet she shows no gratitude! Ariana, if you walk out that door, don't come back!"
"Sister, don't leave, I'm the one who should go! It's my fault! I shouldn't have returned to this family and disrupted your happy life together,"
Claire cried, trying to reach for Ariana, but Fiona held her back.
"Claire, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Ariana found it laughable and strode out of the room.
It was over, everything was over.
Claire cried in Fiona's arms, "Mom, what do we do now that sis has left?"
Charles was still fuming, "she's been pampered since she was little, living the life of a princess, once she's homeless and has tasted hardship, she'll come crawling back."
"She needs to learn her lesson and realize how good she's had it with us!"
Turning to Fiona, Charles added, "don't go soft this time! if she comes back, make sure she learns her lesson before letting her in!"
Fiona sighed, saying nothing more.
Ariana's decision to cut ties with them was impulsive, but she only had this family, where else could she go? surely, she'd return.
---
That evening, Ariana returned to her own apartment, a place she had bought herself, luckily, she wasn't just a spoiled heiress; she had worked hard in school and continued to do so in her career.
Charles might think Ariana was pampered, but in reality, she was independent and capable, owning more than just this property.
Ariana hadn't spent much time in this house, so she needed a lot of things, after all, she hadn't brought anything with her from the Summer family.
She slept in until she naturally woke up and decided to head to the mall to buy everything she needed.
Pushing a shopping cart, Ariana quickly filled it to the brim.
At the checkout, she habitually tried to pay using a mobile payment app.
"Sorry, ma'am, the payment failed."
It was then that Ariana realized the bank card linked to her app was from the Summer family.
They must have cut her off, so she couldn't use it anymore.
Just as she was about to use her own card to pay, she heard a beep—someone had paid for her.