With a vicious glare, Stella spat, "I raised you all these years, and now you want to run? Look at Esther—why doesn’t she try to run? Did a dog eat your conscience?"
"Look at Esther."
She had heard those words for over a decade.
The year she was brought into the Lancaster family, her adoptive father, Ronald, suffered a near-fatal accident while serving in the army. From then on, her adoptive mother saw her as a bad omen.
But when Esther arrived, it just so happened that Ronald retired from the military and landed a stable job as a store clerk, providing for the whole family.
Stella often praised Esther, saying, "Our Esther is such a blessing to this family. She saved a life and even brought good fortune to us! Unlike some people, but I won’t say more."
Whenever she heard those words, Iris pretended not to hear, enduring them silently.
But now, she didn’t need to endure anymore.
Soon, she would leave this house forever.
For now, though, she didn’t want them to suspect anything.
With a gentle smile, Iris maintained her usual obedient demeanor as she turned to Esther.