Chapter 3

Summer's explanation was very jumbled.

When they first started high school, she and Pearl still went to school together.

Mrs. Miller had been working for the Sterlings for ten years then.

My mom, appreciating her dedication and feeling for her raising a daughter alone, arranged for Pearl to transfer to Sterling Heights through a foundation program.

Tuition, uniforms, and books – the Sterlings covered everything.

Summer was happy at first.

She felt that having someone she knew at school would at least keep her from being lonely.

Later, when classmates asked about their relationship.

Before Summer could speak, Pearl smiled and said, "We grew up together, almost like family."

That sentence wasn't technically wrong, but those who heard it filled in the blanks themselves.

The first time a classmate called her "Miss Sterling," she didn't deny it.

She just shyly said, "Oh, don't say that, Summer will be embarrassed."

From then on, the embarrassed one became Summer.

Summer wanted to explain.

Pearl, in front of others, would grab her hand, her eyes welling up.

"Summer, are you upset that I shouldn't be at Sterling Heights with you? I know you don't like everyone comparing us."

People nearby would immediately chime in.

"Summer, don't be so sensitive."

"Pearl didn't say anything bad."

"Someone's looking out for you, and you're giving them attitude?"

Summer argued a few times.

Each time, Pearl cried.

Over time, everyone came to believe that Summer was the jealous, difficult, resentful one.

After listening, I only asked one question. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Summer kept her head down.

"You were busy with the foundation project overseas then, and Mom and Dad were handling the group merger. I thought it was just a misunderstanding among classmates, and it would blow over."

"What happened after that?"

She clutched the hem of her jacket. "Later, Mrs. Miller spoke with me."

That day, Mrs. Miller specifically came to the apartment to bring her soup.

She sat on the sofa, sighing, "Summer, I know you feel wronged, but Pearl isn't having it easy either. She never had a father, and she's always been insecure. People only started respecting her when they mistakenly thought she was a Sterling."

Summer said, "But they're saying awful things about me."

Mrs. Miller held her hand.

"You've always been the most sensible, Summer. You have a mom, a dad, and a sister who love you. What does Pearl have? She's just trying to catch a little break, not steal anything from you."

Summer was silent.

Mrs. Miller continued, "Besides, your family always asks to keep things low-key. If you really make a fuss, wouldn't you be causing trouble for Mr. and Mrs. Sterling?"

Summer was most afraid of causing trouble for our family.

So she started to endure it.

Listening to her, my chest felt like it had a rock pressing down on it.

When Summer finished speaking, her voice was very soft. "Aubrey, am I useless?"

I reached out and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead.

"The useless one isn't you, it's me."

If I had asked earlier.

If I hadn't thought keeping a low profile was the best protection.

My sister wouldn't have been trapped in this web of rumors for so long.

That evening, I returned to the Sterling mansion.

Mrs. Miller wasn't in the main house.

Last year, she'd been moved to manage the guest house storage, but her access permissions hadn't been fully revoked.

I asked Mr. Adams, the butler, to pull up the records from the past three years.

His face grew increasingly grim. "Miss Aubrey, I was negligent."

I didn't scold him; he wasn't the only one who had been negligent.

The Sterling family was too accustomed to treating Mrs. Miller as an old family retainer.

"Old family retainer"—sometimes, that's just an open door for an ungrateful opportunist.

At 1 AM, Jordan sent me a new set of documents.

Pearl had updated her Ins that night.

The photo showed her sitting in the front row of the Sterling Heights auditorium.

Caption: "Kindness needs to be cherished. See you then."

Beneath it, someone commented: "Pearl, you'll definitely be on stage for the Foundation Open House, right?"

She replied: "I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."

I looked at the line of text and smiled.

She had no idea.

On the day of the Foundation Open House, I had a big surprise waiting for her.