Chapter 5
Mia froze.
“Just let Claire have her way.” With one sentence, he’d sealed her fate.
“She’s used to being spoiled and needs people to baby her. Even when she screws up, nobody dares call her out.”
He paused.
“Mia, be the bigger person here.”
Mia bit her lip so hard she tasted blood.
How much more did she need to give?
Her life? Would that finally be enough for him?
“Sebastian…” she whispered, “does Claire get roasted chestnuts too?”
Sebastian froze for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head.
“All those artificial ingredients? Claire doesn’t eat that stuff.”
The scalding chestnuts burned blisters on her fingertips, but Mia didn’t even notice.
He peeled one and was about to feed it to her when-
“Miss Brooks, I came to apologize.”
Claire stood in the doorway, tears streaming down her face.
“I wasn’t prepared enough. I let Pierce Corp down.”
She opened a velvet box containing diamond earrings that sparkled like stars-worth millions.
“This is to make it up to you.”
Her eyes were red as she moved closer.
“Let me put them on you.”
Mia started to refuse, but Sebastian said firmly, “Don’t hurt Claire’s feelings.”
The next second, pain shot through her earlobe.
The sharp post tore through flesh, leaving a thin trail of blood.
Claire gasped.
“Miss Brooks, I had no idea you didn’t have pierced ears!”
Mia covered her ear and shook her head calmly. “It’s fine.”
2 They’re Crawling Back!
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Chapter S
Sebastian frowned, about to check her wound, but she turned away and said quietly,
“Claire’s cut is bleeding again.”
His attention immediately shifted to the blood seeping through Claire’s bandage, his eyes full of concern.
He picked her up and carried her out to get the wound redressed.
Mia stared at the blood blisters covering her hands and popped them one by one with her fingertips.
The day she got discharged, Sebastian personally picked her up from the hospital.
The car had barely stopped at the villa when Claire called, her voice playfully demanding:
“Seb, don’t forget about the reunion tonight. Bring Miss Brooks along-it’ll be fun.”
Without even asking Mia’s opinion, Sebastian immediately turned the car around.
“Claire’s still got that magic touch-one phone call and Sebastian comes running.”
“Right? The power couple from college finally getting their happily ever after?”
“Wait…” someone noticed Mia among all the chatter. “Who’s this?”
Claire linked arms with Mia, smiling as she introduced her:
“This is Mia, the one I mentioned before. Seb’s…”
She suddenly stopped, looking uncomfortable, since Sebastian had never actually acknowledged Mia’s status publicly.
Mia’s lashes fluttered as she said quietly, “I’m his distant cousin.”
“Cousin?” The friends looked Mia up and down.
“What, some poor relative from the sticks looking for a handout?”
Sebastian frowned, and Claire quickly jumped in:
“Don’t be mean! Miss Brooks works at the fish market. She’s way more hardworking than any of us!”
Someone made a disgusted face and waved their hand near their nose.
Mia pretended not to notice and quietly sat in the corner.
Sebastian was about to sit next to her when his phone suddenly rang.
He whispered something to Claire about watching over Mia, then stepped out.
The moment the door closed, Claire’s smile disappeared.
She glanced at Mia, then started talking designer fashion with her friends, treating her like she was invisible.
Listening to them casually discuss million-dollar luxury brands, Mia gripped her dress tighter.
Her outfit had cost maybe fifty bucks from a street vendor.
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Two Twins, One Terrible
y Epic Revenge? They’re Crawling Back
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Chapter S
“Miss Brooks?” Claire suddenly pointed at the print on her chest.
“Is that MiuMiu you’re wearing?”
Mia looked down, confused.
“Claire, you got it wrong. She’s wearing MinMin,” her friends laughed mercilessly.
“A fish girl wearing knockoffs, trying to be something she’s not.”
They tore apart every detail of Mia’s outfit.
Their cruelty washed over her like a tide, stealing her breath inch by inch.
“Okay, that’s enough. Miss Brooks works hard for a living. It’s normal she doesn’t know fashion.” Claire smile her, but her eyes were full of contempt.
Mia looked down at her calloused palms, clenching them until they hurt.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Claire’s hands-pale as jade, soft as silk.
A pampered princess who’d never worked a day in her life, making Mia look like some pathetic clown.
ust then, Sebastian returned and sat down.
Everyone immediately started clamoring to play truth or dare.
