For years, Noella has been the human shield for the true heiress of the Lambert family, Briony - treated poorly and cast out of the house as soon as she came of age. Rumor had it that Noella lost her fortune and fell from the wealthy Tranquility City to an unknown impoverished village. With an empty house, Noella was said to feed chickens in the morning, grind feed at night, and even be sold off for her brothers' wedding. Little did they know, her new brothers are anything but ordinary: eldest Beckett is a shrewd business mogul; second-born Ulrich a divinely gifted doctor; third sibling Stirling a dazzling movie star; and the youngest, Jasper, a formidable lawyer. And, Noella's sister Elara is a devoted companion and brilliant scholar, even a true-blue heiress. To top it off, their ailing grandfather holds enough power and prestige to dominate the news headlines. Their doting father, single-handedly propping up half the business world, exclaims, "My dear daughter is back! Give her ten thousand dollars in pocket money to spend freely every month!" What Noella can't understand, however, is why she now has a fiancé who initially looked down upon her but later sticks to her like glue. This fiancé also happens to be the person she was paid to kill, and now he follows her around every day, impossible to brush off. Noella once threatened, "Get lost, or I'll kill you." Her wealthy and powerful fiancé said to himself, "She told me to get lost, that must mean she loves me!" A guaranteed thrilling and captivating read!

Chapter 1On the second floor of the Lambert Mansion.Briony Lambert, decked out in a plain white princess dress, whipped out her pocket mirror to admire her own lovely face.She pinched her handkerchief, cocking a smug smile at Noella in front of her."Sis, there's something I wanna lay on you..."Just last month, when Belinda fell ill and needed a blood transfusion, both Noella and Briony were called over. And bam! Turns out Noella wasn’t the biological daughter of the Lamberts! A paternity test on the spot proved Briony was the real flesh and blood of the Lambert family!Holding the paternity test report, Briony's eyes were dancing with triumph. She grew up with Noella since they were knee-high.Why should she remain relegated to the role of the nanny's niece while Noella basked in the glory as the high and mighty Ms. Lambert?Now, it was all hers for the taking!Behind Briony, the Lambert folks were giving Noella heart-wrenching glances.Spotting Noella’s gaze, Vincent Lambert brushed away a nonexistence tear."Noella, nobody anticipated that Briony was our own flesh and blood. We had plans for you to grow up here alongside her, but out of the blue, your folks decide to take you back. We're gutted to see you go, but it's only right to send you back. I can't bear to separate you from your biological parents; it would be too cruel."Vincent was actually game for keeping Noella around, but Belinda argued that Briony had been overshadowed by Noella all her life, and living together would be unfair to her.Just the thought of her darling daughter living like a servant under her own roof was enough to make Belinda's heart bleed.It's all Noella's fault!As for Noella, their supposed daughter, the moment Vincent spread the word, calls from Emerald County flooded in, seeking a reunion. The thick accent on the other end of the line was as dense as molasses! Vincent could barely make heads or tails of what they were saying.Emerald County, as the news reported, had an average annual income of less than a grand per resident last year. A place so broke that charity couldn’t even lift it up!It turned out that Noella's real parents were from Emerald County, and judging by the sound of it, they were farmers."Noella, even though your parents are farmers, don't you worry. I heard chickens in the background when I was on the phone. So, at least if you're hungry, you can chow down on some chicken..."Briony snorted with laughter.What a backwater! They even raise chickens!"Dad, you don't get it. In places that poor, chickens are worth more than people. You can't just eat them whenever you want."Briony’s face was a picture of superiority.Noella saw right through their act and stood up, asking coolly, "I’ll leave in a bit. Where's my laptop?"She was the picture of grace and elegance that Briony could never mimic, no matter how hard she tried.The nerve! What a show-off!"Sis, we didn't touch your laptop. It's a clunker from five years ago. You must've lost it, right?"The nannies behind chimed in, dissing her."Yeah, only Ms. Noella would be so petty as to care about a laptop that old.""Ease up, Noella's about to head back to the boonies, where folks probably don't even know what a laptop is."Briony was smirking all over.Noella gave her a cool glance and whipped out her phone, pulling up a surveillance clip.The video unmistakably revealed Briony sneaking into Noella's room last night when everyone else was distracted and swiping her laptop.The footage showed Briony looking downright ferocious."That old hag, why does she only care about you! I'm the real daughter of the Lambert family!"Briony was speechless. Had Noella lost her marbles? She'd actually rigged her own room with cameras! And caught her cursing out Old Mrs. Lambert.Belinda yanked Briony behind her as if Noella was about to gobble her up."Noella, you're out of line. This is your home too. How could you set up cameras here? You know your dad's got loads of trade secrets. If those got out..."With that, Vincent's expression turned all kinds of awkward."Noella, hand over your phone. I want to check if you've planted cameras anywhere else."Noella was left speechless. She didn't give a hoot about the Lambert's business.Right in front of Vincent, Noella wiped her phone clean, restoring it to factory settings.Vincent, feeling a bit sheepish, chuckled, "I’m not doubting you. Just playing it safe, you know."Noella's reply was icy, "Give me my laptop, and I'll leave."Vincent quickly had Briony dig up Noella's laptop.Briony grumbled, "She can't even let go of such an old piece of junk. Emerald County probably doesn't even have the internet."That busted laptop couldn't even boot up now, only a soon-to-be poor girl like Noella would treasure it.Noella gave her one last glance. This laptop, a gift from Old Mrs. Lambert while she was still around, had been customized by Noella herself. It was precious, sure, but not indispensable.She could replace the laptop, and these so-called family members? She could do without them. It's just that this gadget held a different kind of sentiment.The entire Lambert family favored Briony, top to bottom, except for Old Mrs. Lambert who loved her from the start, giving her a warmth she'd always cherish.With Old Mrs. Lambert gone, the Lambert family meant squat to her.Noella turned and walked towards the front door without a backward glance or a shred of regret.Belinda, who'd been gearing up to drop some sentimental lines, was left feeling awkward as hell."Hey you, hold up! What's with the attitude? An elder is trying to have a word with you, and here you are, giving me the stink eye. You and Briony grew up together, for crying out loud. It's like one of you is from another planet!"From Vincent's lips, Belinda had also caught wind of how tough Noella's biological parents had it.The word on the street was they were dirt poor, residing in Emerald County, one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the country, without even a proper main road in their village.Her folks were farmers, with four bachelor brothers at home and a sister with a temper shorter than a summer day, not to mention grandparents who weren't in the best of health.In a family like that, if Noella went back, she'd be in for a rough ride. It wouldn't be surprising if, at her young age, she'd have to bust her chops to put food on the table, maybe even slave away to save up wedding gifts for her brothers to find brides!Briony, who had lived in Noella's shadow for years, transformed her insecurity into a thick layer of confidence as she rose to follow Noella. "Sis, let me walk you out."Vincent cast a disapproving glance at Belinda. "Cut her some slack. Noella's been decent to you over the years. Remember when you were sick? She took care of you."Belinda shot him a look that could kill."Take care of me? I've been waiting on her hand and foot, and look what she turned out to be. I'm just worried she'll start getting ideas about Briony's wedding. A Rosenberg wedding is for our own flesh and blood!"Milford Rosenberg and the Lambert family had a marriage arrangement in place, but it was meant for the Lambert's daughter, not Noella, the cuckoo in the nest!Besides, Briony and Milford Rosenberg shared a close bond since childhood. Unlike the rebellious Noella, Briony was the real deal – thoughtful and sensible, which brightened Belinda's day considerably.Noella didn't have much to take with her, just a small suitcase with the laptop Old Mrs. Lambert had given her.Briony sidled up, grinning from ear to ear."Sis, I'm really gonna miss you, but you know I've always been close to Milford. It's such a shame you can't come to the wedding."Briony had always been a little magpie, snatching everything from Noella, from food and clothes to the doting affection of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert.Noella never let it get to her.As for Milford, if Briony hadn’t mentioned it, Noella would have almost forgotten the guy even existed."You like picking up guys at the dump. I'm not into that."Briony blinked, her eyes welling up as she grabbed Noella's arm."Sis, I know you dig Milford, but you know damn well Milford and I are head over heels for each other. Please don't break us up! What the heck did you say to Milford yesterday? He’s been ghosting me all day."Noella frowned, giving her wrist, which Briony was squeezing, a cold glance."Slipped my mind. Some dude wanted to add me on WhatsApp yesterday, but I didn’t give it to him. So that was your boo, huh?""What did you say?"Noella looked at her with a pitying gaze. She can't fathom what's so great about that oddball.Milford's got a bunch of honeys, sweethearts, and darlings in his phone. March 'em all out, and they could put on a whole women's soccer match for Briony right there. All with similar mugs, same series as Briony's. Anyone would think he's into stamp collecting.This kind of player, only Briony would treasure like gold.Seeing that look in Noella's eyes, Briony's pride was deeply wounded.What gave her the right! She's the real Ms. Lambert now! Why the hell is this imposter still looking down on her with pity?A fierce jealousy flashed in Briony's eyes, and when she caught a glimpse of Belinda approaching, she nimbly tripped herself and went down."Ah! Sis, why did you push me!"Noella was speechless.Belinda rushed over to her precious daughter sprawled on the ground, scolding Noella as she helped Briony up."Noella! She's your sister, for crying out loud! Don’t you have a heart?"Noella looked at Briony bawling in Belinda's arms with indifference."I'm perfectly sane, thank you. You two might want to look after yourselves first."Belinda was baffled. "What do you mean? How on earth did I raise a kid like you?"A snicker escaped from a nearby servant.Noella dusted off her hands, her tone icy. "Don’t blame you. My words are a bit of a brain-teaser, something you clearly lack."Belinda was at a loss for words."You stand right there! If you dare claim you're part of our family out there, I'll break your legs!"A smug look flickered in Briony's eyes as she quickly played the sweet daughter, consoling an enraged Belinda."Mom, don't be mad. Noella has no idea how rough it’s gonna be when she gets home. I’ve heard that girls from rural areas often have to marry early to bring money for their brothers."At that, the nanny who had raised her chimed in. "Briony is right. With her temperament, Noella could only marry some lonely old widower who can't afford a wife. With her sharp tongue, she’ll surely get beaten up when she’s married! Briony has always been more caring than Noella. Since childhood, Briony has been more diligent than Noella."...These words were music to Briony's ears. She smirked, but noticed that Noella was still as serene as ever.How could she still be smiling? She must be faking it!Briony reached out, "Sis, let me help you with your suitcase. Oh my... How come you have so little stuff?"Accidentally, she flung open Noella's small suitcase, revealing only a neat laptop and some blank papers inside.Briony had expected Noella to take some valuables to sell later, but upon seeing the blank papers, she couldn't help but lose her composure."Sis, even though Emerald County is dirt poor, these blank papers won't do you any good! You can't just draw a pie and call it dinner,” she laughed.The nanny added, "Hasn't even hit the countryside yet and already looking so destitute?"Belinda, still fuming, snatched the laptop from Noella's hands."You think you’ve grown up eating what, air? Even if I send you out naked today, you must obey me!"Briony's eyes widened with anticipation.This was too thrilling!Vincent rushed in, took the laptop, and stuffed it back into Noella's arms.After all, Noella had grown up under their watch. Making a scene like this- how was he supposed to keep his rep around here? The mishap of acknowledging the wrong daughter was already the talk of the town; he couldn't risk further embarrassment."Noella, dear, you can take whatever you want. It's all yours anyway."The nanny wouldn't let up."Every time I see Noella, I get chills down my spine. She’s such a country bumpkin, isn't she? I hope she's not up to any weird tricks. I say don’t let her take anything. What if there are company secrets on that laptop? If she were to leaks them, what are we gonna do?"Noella bent down to pack her small suitcase.Lifting her clear eyes, she stared at Belinda and Briony.With a slight smile, she said, "Haven’t you noticed over the years how much you two resemble each other?"Since childhood, no matter what Noella did, Belinda favored Briony. She even told her not to worry about grades, stating that the Lambert family doesn't rely on academics. It was only later that Noella discovered the reason behind it- Briony was jealous of her good grades and had cried to Belinda about it.If Noella scored too high, she'd get scolded for not considering Briony's feelings.It seemed that a nanny's niece mattered more to Belinda than her own daughter.As for what that represents, Noella didn't believe for a second that Belinda had no clue.Noella curved her lips into a smile, looking at Vincent."I’ve prepared a gift for you, Mr. and Mrs. Lambert. Hope you’ll like it. It’ll be delivered after I leave."Mr. and Mrs. Lambert.Those words were cold, marking a clear boundary with the Lambert family, with no hint of association.Vincent's face tightened.Upon hearing her words, Belinda felt as though Noella was on the verge of leaving yet still threatening her.Fuming with anger, she stormed past Briony's half-hearted attempts to stop her, hell-bent on slapping Noella right across the face."Listen up, once you're out of here, don't even think about coming back. Even if you end up crying from feeding chickens, we won’t give you a second thought!"Belinda tried to snatch the suitcase out of Noella's hand, her slap hanging midair, but Noella nimbly dodged it.Before anyone behind could catch her, Belinda crashed headfirst into the wall, instantly forming a large bump on her head!Belinda let out a piercing scream, "You dare to push me?!"Briony got the fright of her life, rushing over to help Belinda up.Noella stood her ground, seeing Belinda and Briony as nothing more than pathetic clowns.That look made Belinda inexplicably feel a twinge of guilt.Her raised hand never came down, and Vincent, ever the peacemaker, tried to smooth things over. "What's the big scene for? Noella's ride is here. Let's all see her out together. Who knows, this might be the last time we see her."Briony was freaking out that if things got too heated, Noella might bail on leaving."Mom, I'll hit the mall with you later to chill you out. I heard that Master Azure's new fall collection is out, and if we're late, it'll be sold out. You know Master Azure's stuff is always priceless.Briony was secretly thrilled at the thought of Noella having zilch to do with these high-society luxuries, maybe even having to get up at dawn to feed the chickens. She couldn't help but smirk, her eyes landing on the car at the door. Suddenly, she gasped."Yikes, what's up with that car..."Everyone looked where she was pointing.Briony had never seen such a casual sedan before.The car was pitch black with zero bling, and the logo was something Briony had never laid eyes on – definitely not a luxury brand or anything.Moreover, the car was filthy as hell, caked in dust so thick it almost had a matte finish.The idea that this vehicle might've rolled straight out of some chicken coop in Emerald County, possibly with chicken poop still on the tires, disgusted the Lambert family, causing them to recoil and step back in revulsion.Talk about embarrassing!The driver hopped out, his gaze scanning until it landed on Noella.In an instant, he knew she was the one he was there for!Her face, a dead ringer for Mrs. Schnabel's, was unforgettable at a glance- captivating and clear, as if she had stepped out of a painting, impossible to look away from.The driver bowed. "Miss, welcome home! The lord and lady have a special status and couldn't come to get you, the one and only Miss in the family, themselves. We hope you aren’t upset about it. We've got a welcome home bash ready for you. Unfortunately, we got caught in a dust storm on the way here, so we didn't have time to wash the car."Noella couldn't figure out the car's brand either, but it looked kinda familiar.Wasn't Emerald County supposed to be some backwater? Why was there even a car?Her family seemed different from what she'd imagined."The one and only Miss? Thought I had an elder sister?""Yes, you're the only daughter of the young master and his lady. Old Lady Schnabel said no matter what, you're the only true Miss of the family! The other young masters and misses have no objections. From now on, at home, your word is law! I'm Wren, the lord's driver. This is his personal car. Everyone's stoked for you to come home!"Wren spoke with sincere earnestness, his face sporting the honest grin typical of the trustworthy type.Anxious not to upset Noella, he explained everything in detail.Noella frowned slightly; this family seemed different from Vincent's description.Wren opened the car door, respectfully saying, "I'll go grab your luggage. If there's too much, I'll get more people to help. Don't worry, we'll get it all moved today."Wren didn't know how much luggage Noella had, but figured a young lady would have plenty.Last time he helped a lady from the family move, even her stuffed animals had to come along – took a whole ten trucks.Noella got in the car, simply stating, "No need. Let's go."Wren was a bit stunned, then somewhat dazed.It was the first time he met the miss, and she spoke just like the young masters at home!Wren quickly nodded. "Alright, do you have any other orders? Your folks told me to thank your foster parents. If you got anything to say, I'll pass it along."Noella was about to decline when Wren suddenly got drenched head to toe with a bucket of water, chilling him to the bone.Speechless, Wren’s glasses were speckled with droplets, and the water had a weird smell to it."Is this how they welcome guests in Tranquility City?"Behind Wren, the Lambert family's nanny clapped her hands, setting down her bucket."Oops, just dumping some veggie water, didn't see you there. Thought I'd give your car a quick rinse, no biggie, right?"Wren was gobsmacked!Not only had she dirtied his clothes, but he also still had the Schnabel family's thank-you gift for the Lambert family on him!A contract worth billions, along with a hefty network, all down the drain.The Schnabel family racked their brains over what to gift and ended up deciding on resources to lend the Lambert family a hand. That's what the Schnabel couple stressed for him to deliver personally.Now it was all ruined!The nanny Alena, after dumping the water and seeing he wasn't mad, gave him a defiant glance and waddled back inside.Vincent hurried out to smooth things over."Sorry about that, our nanny's just obsessed with cleanliness. Can't have such a dirty car rolling up to our place..."Reading between the lines, Wren's ride was too filthy for their taste.Wren quickly pulled out the still-dripping documents, trying to hand them to Vincent."Mr. Lambert, this is our family's gift to you, for taking good care of the miss all these years..."Belinda snickered.The guy in front of her must be Noella's real dad.Wearing dusty, no-name clothes, probably just came from working the fields.A hick farmer, his face flushed from the highland air, calling Noella ‘miss’ - pure Mary Sue stuff.Belinda searched but found zilch on the car – it had to be some junker the bumpkin borrowed for show.She scoffed, "Alright, take her and scram. We've got to take Briony to get her custom fall fashion. We'll be late!"With that, she dragged Vincent back inside, slamming the door shut.Wren, looking at the soggy papers in his hand, thought, the gift never made it. Guess he'd ask what to do once back.These people...Wren couldn't shake the feeling they didn't seem to care much for the miss.Shaking his head, Wren hurried back to the car and drove Noella away from the Lambert Mansion."Miss, please buckle up. We're tight on time, so we gotta hustle."Noella nodded.The Schnabel family wasn't quite what she expected. Take this car, for instance, the interior was all high-end stuff. The seats were made of some fancy fabric that feels super soft and cool to the touch, yet it's tough as nails. You could barely make a dent with a knife; this kind of material was definitely not something you'd find in a farmer's house.In the next second, Wren hits a button in the car.The ordinary black sedan that was just parked there started to transform. Helicopter blades popped out of the sunroof, and the whole car turned into a chopper!"Vroom-vroom!"Suddenly, Noella was hit with that feeling of weightlessness, and Wren, like a pro, steered the helicopter up into the skies until it's just a speck!Noella's was left dumbfounded.Wren chuckled and said, "Scared ya, didn't I? The lord gets carsick, so they rigged up this little plane for him. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, so don't hold it against us!"Carsick, so they got a plane?"If I remember correctly, the amphibious tech for helicopters and cars was successfully tested just last month."Wren got all pumped up and said, "Yep, yep, it was just sorted out last month! I was in the air force before I hung up my boots, so now I'm the lord's chauffeur."Noella gazed out at the clouds, the sky's a pristine shade of blue, and the Lambert Mansion quickly vanished from her view.She was familiar with the tech, after all; just last month, her research data had been sent off, and they quickly got back with the correct experimental results based on it.She hadn’t expected to see a finished product so fast. And she sure as heck hadn’t expected to see it with her own family, of all people.Noella didn’t say much the whole trip; she just fiddled with her phone for a bit and then scribbled on a piece of paper.Wren sneaked a peek and realized she was just shuffling around blank sheets, and that pen she was holding seemed to have run out of ink. It didn’t leave a single mark on the paper.Wren frowned up a storm.The Lambert family couldn’t even provide their daughter with a working pen – that's just sad! It looked like when he got back, he needed to have a serious chat with the old lady and the lord about how the Lambert family was treating Miss Noella!Chapter 2On the second floor of the Lambert Mansion.Briony Lambert, decked out in a plain white princess dress, whipped out her pocket mirror to admire her own lovely face.She pinched her handkerchief, cocking a smug smile at Noella in front of her."Sis, there's something I wanna lay on you..."Just last month, when Belinda fell ill and needed a blood transfusion, both Noella and Briony were called over. And bam! Turns out Noella wasn’t the biological daughter of the Lamberts! A paternity test on the spot proved Briony was the real flesh and blood of the Lambert family!Holding the paternity test report, Briony's eyes were dancing with triumph. She grew up with Noella since they were knee-high.Why should she remain relegated to the role of the nanny's niece while Noella basked in the glory as the high and mighty Ms. Lambert?Now, it was all hers for the taking!Behind Briony, the Lambert folks were giving Noella heart-wrenching glances.Spotting Noella’s gaze, Vincent Lambert brushed away a nonexistence tear."Noella, nobody anticipated that Briony was our own flesh and blood. We had plans for you to grow up here alongside her, but out of the blue, your folks decide to take you back. We're gutted to see you go, but it's only right to send you back. I can't bear to separate you from your biological parents; it would be too cruel."Vincent was actually game for keeping Noella around, but Belinda argued that Briony had been overshadowed by Noella all her life, and living together would be unfair to her.Just the thought of her darling daughter living like a servant under her own roof was enough to make Belinda's heart bleed.It's all Noella's fault!As for Noella, their supposed daughter, the moment Vincent spread the word, calls from Emerald County flooded in, seeking a reunion. The thick accent on the other end of the line was as dense as molasses! Vincent could barely make heads or tails of what they were saying.Emerald County, as the news reported, had an average annual income of less than a grand per resident last year. A place so broke that charity couldn’t even lift it up!It turned out that Noella's real parents were from Emerald County, and judging by the sound of it, they were farmers."Noella, even though your parents are farmers, don't you worry. I heard chickens in the background when I was on the phone. So, at least if you're hungry, you can chow down on some chicken..."Briony snorted with laughter.What a backwater! They even raise chickens!"Dad, you don't get it. In places that poor, chickens are worth more than people. You can't just eat them whenever you want."Briony’s face was a picture of superiority.Noella saw right through their act and stood up, asking coolly, "I’ll leave in a bit. Where's my laptop?"She was the picture of grace and elegance that Briony could never mimic, no matter how hard she tried.The nerve! What a show-off!"Sis, we didn't touch your laptop. It's a clunker from five years ago. You must've lost it, right?"The nannies behind chimed in, dissing her."Yeah, only Ms. Noella would be so petty as to care about a laptop that old.""Ease up, Noella's about to head back to the boonies, where folks probably don't even know what a laptop is."Briony was smirking all over.Noella gave her a cool glance and whipped out her phone, pulling up a surveillance clip.The video unmistakably revealed Briony sneaking into Noella's room last night when everyone else was distracted and swiping her laptop.The footage showed Briony looking downright ferocious."That old hag, why does she only care about you! I'm the real daughter of the Lambert family!"Briony was speechless. Had Noella lost her marbles? She'd actually rigged her own room with cameras! And caught her cursing out Old Mrs. Lambert.Belinda yanked Briony behind her as if Noella was about to gobble her up."Noella, you're out of line. This is your home too. How could you set up cameras here? You know your dad's got loads of trade secrets. If those got out..."With that, Vincent's expression turned all kinds of awkward."Noella, hand over your phone. I want to check if you've planted cameras anywhere else."Noella was left speechless. She didn't give a hoot about the Lambert's business.Right in front of Vincent, Noella wiped her phone clean, restoring it to factory settings.Vincent, feeling a bit sheepish, chuckled, "I’m not doubting you. Just playing it safe, you know."Noella's reply was icy, "Give me my laptop, and I'll leave."Vincent quickly had Briony dig up Noella's laptop.Briony grumbled, "She can't even let go of such an old piece of junk. Emerald County probably doesn't even have the internet."That busted laptop couldn't even boot up now, only a soon-to-be poor girl like Noella would treasure it.Noella gave her one last glance. This laptop, a gift from Old Mrs. Lambert while she was still around, had been customized by Noella herself. It was precious, sure, but not indispensable.She could replace the laptop, and these so-called family members? She could do without them. It's just that this gadget held a different kind of sentiment.The entire Lambert family favored Briony, top to bottom, except for Old Mrs. Lambert who loved her from the start, giving her a warmth she'd always cherish.With Old Mrs. Lambert gone, the Lambert family meant squat to her.Noella turned and walked towards the front door without a backward glance or a shred of regret.Belinda, who'd been gearing up to drop some sentimental lines, was left feeling awkward as hell."Hey you, hold up! What's with the attitude? An elder is trying to have a word with you, and here you are, giving me the stink eye. You and Briony grew up together, for crying out loud. It's like one of you is from another planet!"From Vincent's lips, Belinda had also caught wind of how tough Noella's biological parents had it.The word on the street was they were dirt poor, residing in Emerald County, one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the country, without even a proper main road in their village.Her folks were farmers, with four bachelor brothers at home and a sister with a temper shorter than a summer day, not to mention grandparents who weren't in the best of health.In a family like that, if Noella went back, she'd be in for a rough ride. It wouldn't be surprising if, at her young age, she'd have to bust her chops to put food on the table, maybe even slave away to save up wedding gifts for her brothers to find brides!Briony, who had lived in Noella's shadow for years, transformed her insecurity into a thick layer of confidence as she rose to follow Noella. "Sis, let me walk you out."Vincent cast a disapproving glance at Belinda. "Cut her some slack. Noella's been decent to you over the years. Remember when you were sick? She took care of you."Belinda shot him a look that could kill."Take care of me? I've been waiting on her hand and foot, and look what she turned out to be. I'm just worried she'll start getting ideas about Briony's wedding. A Rosenberg wedding is for our own flesh and blood!"Milford Rosenberg and the Lambert family had a marriage arrangement in place, but it was meant for the Lambert's daughter, not Noella, the cuckoo in the nest!Besides, Briony and Milford Rosenberg shared a close bond since childhood. Unlike the rebellious Noella, Briony was the real deal – thoughtful and sensible, which brightened Belinda's day considerably.Noella didn't have much to take with her, just a small suitcase with the laptop Old Mrs. Lambert had given her.Briony sidled up, grinning from ear to ear."Sis, I'm really gonna miss you, but you know I've always been close to Milford. It's such a shame you can't come to the wedding."Briony had always been a little magpie, snatching everything from Noella, from food and clothes to the doting affection of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert.Noella never let it get to her.As for Milford, if Briony hadn’t mentioned it, Noella would have almost forgotten the guy even existed."You like picking up guys at the dump. I'm not into that."Briony blinked, her eyes welling up as she grabbed Noella's arm."Sis, I know you dig Milford, but you know damn well Milford and I are head over heels for each other. Please don't break us up! What the heck did you say to Milford yesterday? He’s been ghosting me all day."Noella frowned, giving her wrist, which Briony was squeezing, a cold glance."Slipped my mind. Some dude wanted to add me on WhatsApp yesterday, but I didn’t give it to him. So that was your boo, huh?""What did you say?"Noella looked at her with a pitying gaze. She can't fathom what's so great about that oddball.Milford's got a bunch of honeys, sweethearts, and darlings in his phone. March 'em all out, and they could put on a whole women's soccer match for Briony right there. All with similar mugs, same series as Briony's. Anyone would think he's into stamp collecting.This kind of player, only Briony would treasure like gold.Seeing that look in Noella's eyes, Briony's pride was deeply wounded.What gave her the right! She's the real Ms. Lambert now! Why the hell is this imposter still looking down on her with pity?A fierce jealousy flashed in Briony's eyes, and when she caught a glimpse of Belinda approaching, she nimbly tripped herself and went down."Ah! Sis, why did you push me!"Noella was speechless.Belinda rushed over to her precious daughter sprawled on the ground, scolding Noella as she helped Briony up."Noella! She's your sister, for crying out loud! Don’t you have a heart?"Noella looked at Briony bawling in Belinda's arms with indifference."I'm perfectly sane, thank you. You two might want to look after yourselves first."Belinda was baffled. "What do you mean? How on earth did I raise a kid like you?"A snicker escaped from a nearby servant.Noella dusted off her hands, her tone icy. "Don’t blame you. My words are a bit of a brain-teaser, something you clearly lack."Belinda was at a loss for words."You stand right there! If you dare claim you're part of our family out there, I'll break your legs!"A smug look flickered in Briony's eyes as she quickly played the sweet daughter, consoling an enraged Belinda."Mom, don't be mad. Noella has no idea how rough it’s gonna be when she gets home. I’ve heard that girls from rural areas often have to marry early to bring money for their brothers."At that, the nanny who had raised her chimed in. "Briony is right. With her temperament, Noella could only marry some lonely old widower who can't afford a wife. With her sharp tongue, she’ll surely get beaten up when she’s married! Briony has always been more caring than Noella. Since childhood, Briony has been more diligent than Noella."...These words were music to Briony's ears. She smirked, but noticed that Noella was still as serene as ever.How could she still be smiling? She must be faking it!Briony reached out, "Sis, let me help you with your suitcase. Oh my... How come you have so little stuff?"Accidentally, she flung open Noella's small suitcase, revealing only a neat laptop and some blank papers inside.Briony had expected Noella to take some valuables to sell later, but upon seeing the blank papers, she couldn't help but lose her composure."Sis, even though Emerald County is dirt poor, these blank papers won't do you any good! You can't just draw a pie and call it dinner,” she laughed.The nanny added, "Hasn't even hit the countryside yet and already looking so destitute?"Belinda, still fuming, snatched the laptop from Noella's hands."You think you’ve grown up eating what, air? Even if I send you out naked today, you must obey me!"Briony's eyes widened with anticipation.This was too thrilling!Vincent rushed in, took the laptop, and stuffed it back into Noella's arms.After all, Noella had grown up under their watch. Making a scene like this- how was he supposed to keep his rep around here? The mishap of acknowledging the wrong daughter was already the talk of the town; he couldn't risk further embarrassment."Noella, dear, you can take whatever you want. It's all yours anyway."The nanny wouldn't let up."Every time I see Noella, I get chills down my spine. She’s such a country bumpkin, isn't she? I hope she's not up to any weird tricks. I say don’t let her take anything. What if there are company secrets on that laptop? If she were to leaks them, what are we gonna do?"Noella bent down to pack her small suitcase.Lifting her clear eyes, she stared at Belinda and Briony.With a slight smile, she said, "Haven’t you noticed over the years how much you two resemble each other?"Since childhood, no matter what Noella did, Belinda favored Briony. She even told her not to worry about grades, stating that the Lambert family doesn't rely on academics. It was only later that Noella discovered the reason behind it- Briony was jealous of her good grades and had cried to Belinda about it.If Noella scored too high, she'd get scolded for not considering Briony's feelings.It seemed that a nanny's niece mattered more to Belinda than her own daughter.As for what that represents, Noella didn't believe for a second that Belinda had no clue.Noella curved her lips into a smile, looking at Vincent."I’ve prepared a gift for you, Mr. and Mrs. Lambert. Hope you’ll like it. It’ll be delivered after I leave."Mr. and Mrs. Lambert.Those words were cold, marking a clear boundary with the Lambert family, with no hint of association.Vincent's face tightened.Upon hearing her words, Belinda felt as though Noella was on the verge of leaving yet still threatening her.Fuming with anger, she stormed past Briony's half-hearted attempts to stop her, hell-bent on slapping Noella right across the face."Listen up, once you're out of here, don't even think about coming back. Even if you end up crying from feeding chickens, we won’t give you a second thought!"Belinda tried to snatch the suitcase out of Noella's hand, her slap hanging midair, but Noella nimbly dodged it.Before anyone behind could catch her, Belinda crashed headfirst into the wall, instantly forming a large bump on her head!Belinda let out a piercing scream, "You dare to push me?!"Briony got the fright of her life, rushing over to help Belinda up.Noella stood her ground, seeing Belinda and Briony as nothing more than pathetic clowns.That look made Belinda inexplicably feel a twinge of guilt.Her raised hand never came down, and Vincent, ever the peacemaker, tried to smooth things over. "What's the big scene for? Noella's ride is here. Let's all see her out together. Who knows, this might be the last time we see her."Briony was freaking out that if things got too heated, Noella might bail on leaving."Mom, I'll hit the mall with you later to chill you out. I heard that Master Azure's new fall collection is out, and if we're late, it'll be sold out. You know Master Azure's stuff is always priceless.Briony was secretly thrilled at the thought of Noella having zilch to do with these high-society luxuries, maybe even having to get up at dawn to feed the chickens. She couldn't help but smirk, her eyes landing on the car at the door. Suddenly, she gasped."Yikes, what's up with that car..."Everyone looked where she was pointing.Briony had never seen such a casual sedan before.The car was pitch black with zero bling, and the logo was something Briony had never laid eyes on – definitely not a luxury brand or anything.Moreover, the car was filthy as hell, caked in dust so thick it almost had a matte finish.The idea that this vehicle might've rolled straight out of some chicken coop in Emerald County, possibly with chicken poop still on the tires, disgusted the Lambert family, causing them to recoil and step back in revulsion.Talk about embarrassing!The driver hopped out, his gaze scanning until it landed on Noella.In an instant, he knew she was the one he was there for!Her face, a dead ringer for Mrs. Schnabel's, was unforgettable at a glance- captivating and clear, as if she had stepped out of a painting, impossible to look away from.The driver bowed. "Miss, welcome home! The lord and lady have a special status and couldn't come to get you, the one and only Miss in the family, themselves. We hope you aren’t upset about it. We've got a welcome home bash ready for you. Unfortunately, we got caught in a dust storm on the way here, so we didn't have time to wash the car."Noella couldn't figure out the car's brand either, but it looked kinda familiar.Wasn't Emerald County supposed to be some backwater? Why was there even a car?Her family seemed different from what she'd imagined."The one and only Miss? Thought I had an elder sister?""Yes, you're the only daughter of the young master and his lady. Old Lady Schnabel said no matter what, you're the only true Miss of the family! The other young masters and misses have no objections. From now on, at home, your word is law! I'm Wren, the lord's driver. This is his personal car. Everyone's stoked for you to come home!"Wren spoke with sincere earnestness, his face sporting the honest grin typical of the trustworthy type.Anxious not to upset Noella, he explained everything in detail.Noella frowned slightly; this family seemed different from Vincent's description.Wren opened the car door, respectfully saying, "I'll go grab your luggage. If there's too much, I'll get more people to help. Don't worry, we'll get it all moved today."Wren didn't know how much luggage Noella had, but figured a young lady would have plenty.Last time he helped a lady from the family move, even her stuffed animals had to come along – took a whole ten trucks.Noella got in the car, simply stating, "No need. Let's go."Wren was a bit stunned, then somewhat dazed.It was the first time he met the miss, and she spoke just like the young masters at home!Wren quickly nodded. "Alright, do you have any other orders? Your folks told me to thank your foster parents. If you got anything to say, I'll pass it along."Noella was about to decline when Wren suddenly got drenched head to toe with a bucket of water, chilling him to the bone.Speechless, Wren’s glasses were speckled with droplets, and the water had a weird smell to it."Is this how they welcome guests in Tranquility City?"Behind Wren, the Lambert family's nanny clapped her hands, setting down her bucket."Oops, just dumping some veggie water, didn't see you there. Thought I'd give your car a quick rinse, no biggie, right?"Wren was gobsmacked!Not only had she dirtied his clothes, but he also still had the Schnabel family's thank-you gift for the Lambert family on him!A contract worth billions, along with a hefty network, all down the drain.The Schnabel family racked their brains over what to gift and ended up deciding on resources to lend the Lambert family a hand. That's what the Schnabel couple stressed for him to deliver personally.Now it was all ruined!The nanny Alena, after dumping the water and seeing he wasn't mad, gave him a defiant glance and waddled back inside.Vincent hurried out to smooth things over."Sorry about that, our nanny's just obsessed with cleanliness. Can't have such a dirty car rolling up to our place..."Reading between the lines, Wren's ride was too filthy for their taste.Wren quickly pulled out the still-dripping documents, trying to hand them to Vincent."Mr. Lambert, this is our family's gift to you, for taking good care of the miss all these years..."Belinda snickered.The guy in front of her must be Noella's real dad.Wearing dusty, no-name clothes, probably just came from working the fields.A hick farmer, his face flushed from the highland air, calling Noella ‘miss’ - pure Mary Sue stuff.Belinda searched but found zilch on the car – it had to be some junker the bumpkin borrowed for show.She scoffed, "Alright, take her and scram. We've got to take Briony to get her custom fall fashion. We'll be late!"With that, she dragged Vincent back inside, slamming the door shut.Wren, looking at the soggy papers in his hand, thought, the gift never made it. Guess he'd ask what to do once back.These people...Wren couldn't shake the feeling they didn't seem to care much for the miss.Shaking his head, Wren hurried back to the car and drove Noella away from the Lambert Mansion."Miss, please buckle up. We're tight on time, so we gotta hustle."Noella nodded.The Schnabel family wasn't quite what she expected. Take this car, for instance, the interior was all high-end stuff. The seats were made of some fancy fabric that feels super soft and cool to the touch, yet it's tough as nails. You could barely make a dent with a knife; this kind of material was definitely not something you'd find in a farmer's house.In the next second, Wren hits a button in the car.The ordinary black sedan that was just parked there started to transform. Helicopter blades popped out of the sunroof, and the whole car turned into a chopper!"Vroom-vroom!"Suddenly, Noella was hit with that feeling of weightlessness, and Wren, like a pro, steered the helicopter up into the skies until it's just a speck!Noella's was left dumbfounded.Wren chuckled and said, "Scared ya, didn't I? The lord gets carsick, so they rigged up this little plane for him. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, so don't hold it against us!"Carsick, so they got a plane?"If I remember correctly, the amphibious tech for helicopters and cars was successfully tested just last month."Wren got all pumped up and said, "Yep, yep, it was just sorted out last month! I was in the air force before I hung up my boots, so now I'm the lord's chauffeur."Noella gazed out at the clouds, the sky's a pristine shade of blue, and the Lambert Mansion quickly vanished from her view.She was familiar with the tech, after all; just last month, her research data had been sent off, and they quickly got back with the correct experimental results based on it.She hadn’t expected to see a finished product so fast. And she sure as heck hadn’t expected to see it with her own family, of all people.Noella didn’t say much the whole trip; she just fiddled with her phone for a bit and then scribbled on a piece of paper.Wren sneaked a peek and realized she was just shuffling around blank sheets, and that pen she was holding seemed to have run out of ink. It didn’t leave a single mark on the paper.Wren frowned up a storm.The Lambert family couldn’t even provide their daughter with a working pen – that's just sad! It looked like when he got back, he needed to have a serious chat with the old lady and the lord about how the Lambert family was treating Miss Noella!Chapter 3On the second floor of the Lambert Mansion.Briony Lambert, decked out in a plain white princess dress, whipped out her pocket mirror to admire her own lovely face.She pinched her handkerchief, cocking a smug smile at Noella in front of her."Sis, there's something I wanna lay on you..."Just last month, when Belinda fell ill and needed a blood transfusion, both Noella and Briony were called over. And bam! Turns out Noella wasn’t the biological daughter of the Lamberts! A paternity test on the spot proved Briony was the real flesh and blood of the Lambert family!Holding the paternity test report, Briony's eyes were dancing with triumph. She grew up with Noella since they were knee-high.Why should she remain relegated to the role of the nanny's niece while Noella basked in the glory as the high and mighty Ms. Lambert?Now, it was all hers for the taking!Behind Briony, the Lambert folks were giving Noella heart-wrenching glances.Spotting Noella’s gaze, Vincent Lambert brushed away a nonexistence tear."Noella, nobody anticipated that Briony was our own flesh and blood. We had plans for you to grow up here alongside her, but out of the blue, your folks decide to take you back. We're gutted to see you go, but it's only right to send you back. I can't bear to separate you from your biological parents; it would be too cruel."Vincent was actually game for keeping Noella around, but Belinda argued that Briony had been overshadowed by Noella all her life, and living together would be unfair to her.Just the thought of her darling daughter living like a servant under her own roof was enough to make Belinda's heart bleed.It's all Noella's fault!As for Noella, their supposed daughter, the moment Vincent spread the word, calls from Emerald County flooded in, seeking a reunion. The thick accent on the other end of the line was as dense as molasses! Vincent could barely make heads or tails of what they were saying.Emerald County, as the news reported, had an average annual income of less than a grand per resident last year. A place so broke that charity couldn’t even lift it up!It turned out that Noella's real parents were from Emerald County, and judging by the sound of it, they were farmers."Noella, even though your parents are farmers, don't you worry. I heard chickens in the background when I was on the phone. So, at least if you're hungry, you can chow down on some chicken..."Briony snorted with laughter.What a backwater! They even raise chickens!"Dad, you don't get it. In places that poor, chickens are worth more than people. You can't just eat them whenever you want."Briony’s face was a picture of superiority.Noella saw right through their act and stood up, asking coolly, "I’ll leave in a bit. Where's my laptop?"She was the picture of grace and elegance that Briony could never mimic, no matter how hard she tried.The nerve! What a show-off!"Sis, we didn't touch your laptop. It's a clunker from five years ago. You must've lost it, right?"The nannies behind chimed in, dissing her."Yeah, only Ms. Noella would be so petty as to care about a laptop that old.""Ease up, Noella's about to head back to the boonies, where folks probably don't even know what a laptop is."Briony was smirking all over.Noella gave her a cool glance and whipped out her phone, pulling up a surveillance clip.The video unmistakably revealed Briony sneaking into Noella's room last night when everyone else was distracted and swiping her laptop.The footage showed Briony looking downright ferocious."That old hag, why does she only care about you! I'm the real daughter of the Lambert family!"Briony was speechless. Had Noella lost her marbles? She'd actually rigged her own room with cameras! And caught her cursing out Old Mrs. Lambert.Belinda yanked Briony behind her as if Noella was about to gobble her up."Noella, you're out of line. This is your home too. How could you set up cameras here? You know your dad's got loads of trade secrets. If those got out..."With that, Vincent's expression turned all kinds of awkward."Noella, hand over your phone. I want to check if you've planted cameras anywhere else."Noella was left speechless. She didn't give a hoot about the Lambert's business.Right in front of Vincent, Noella wiped her phone clean, restoring it to factory settings.Vincent, feeling a bit sheepish, chuckled, "I’m not doubting you. Just playing it safe, you know."Noella's reply was icy, "Give me my laptop, and I'll leave."Vincent quickly had Briony dig up Noella's laptop.Briony grumbled, "She can't even let go of such an old piece of junk. Emerald County probably doesn't even have the internet."That busted laptop couldn't even boot up now, only a soon-to-be poor girl like Noella would treasure it.Noella gave her one last glance. This laptop, a gift from Old Mrs. Lambert while she was still around, had been customized by Noella herself. It was precious, sure, but not indispensable.She could replace the laptop, and these so-called family members? She could do without them. It's just that this gadget held a different kind of sentiment.The entire Lambert family favored Briony, top to bottom, except for Old Mrs. Lambert who loved her from the start, giving her a warmth she'd always cherish.With Old Mrs. Lambert gone, the Lambert family meant squat to her.Noella turned and walked towards the front door without a backward glance or a shred of regret.Belinda, who'd been gearing up to drop some sentimental lines, was left feeling awkward as hell."Hey you, hold up! What's with the attitude? An elder is trying to have a word with you, and here you are, giving me the stink eye. You and Briony grew up together, for crying out loud. It's like one of you is from another planet!"From Vincent's lips, Belinda had also caught wind of how tough Noella's biological parents had it.The word on the street was they were dirt poor, residing in Emerald County, one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the country, without even a proper main road in their village.Her folks were farmers, with four bachelor brothers at home and a sister with a temper shorter than a summer day, not to mention grandparents who weren't in the best of health.In a family like that, if Noella went back, she'd be in for a rough ride. It wouldn't be surprising if, at her young age, she'd have to bust her chops to put food on the table, maybe even slave away to save up wedding gifts for her brothers to find brides!Briony, who had lived in Noella's shadow for years, transformed her insecurity into a thick layer of confidence as she rose to follow Noella. "Sis, let me walk you out."Vincent cast a disapproving glance at Belinda. "Cut her some slack. Noella's been decent to you over the years. Remember when you were sick? She took care of you."Belinda shot him a look that could kill."Take care of me? I've been waiting on her hand and foot, and look what she turned out to be. I'm just worried she'll start getting ideas about Briony's wedding. A Rosenberg wedding is for our own flesh and blood!"Milford Rosenberg and the Lambert family had a marriage arrangement in place, but it was meant for the Lambert's daughter, not Noella, the cuckoo in the nest!Besides, Briony and Milford Rosenberg shared a close bond since childhood. Unlike the rebellious Noella, Briony was the real deal – thoughtful and sensible, which brightened Belinda's day considerably.Noella didn't have much to take with her, just a small suitcase with the laptop Old Mrs. Lambert had given her.Briony sidled up, grinning from ear to ear."Sis, I'm really gonna miss you, but you know I've always been close to Milford. It's such a shame you can't come to the wedding."Briony had always been a little magpie, snatching everything from Noella, from food and clothes to the doting affection of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert.Noella never let it get to her.As for Milford, if Briony hadn’t mentioned it, Noella would have almost forgotten the guy even existed."You like picking up guys at the dump. I'm not into that."Briony blinked, her eyes welling up as she grabbed Noella's arm."Sis, I know you dig Milford, but you know damn well Milford and I are head over heels for each other. Please don't break us up! What the heck did you say to Milford yesterday? He’s been ghosting me all day."Noella frowned, giving her wrist, which Briony was squeezing, a cold glance."Slipped my mind. Some dude wanted to add me on WhatsApp yesterday, but I didn’t give it to him. So that was your boo, huh?""What did you say?"Noella looked at her with a pitying gaze. She can't fathom what's so great about that oddball.Milford's got a bunch of honeys, sweethearts, and darlings in his phone. March 'em all out, and they could put on a whole women's soccer match for Briony right there. All with similar mugs, same series as Briony's. Anyone would think he's into stamp collecting.This kind of player, only Briony would treasure like gold.Seeing that look in Noella's eyes, Briony's pride was deeply wounded.What gave her the right! She's the real Ms. Lambert now! Why the hell is this imposter still looking down on her with pity?A fierce jealousy flashed in Briony's eyes, and when she caught a glimpse of Belinda approaching, she nimbly tripped herself and went down."Ah! Sis, why did you push me!"Noella was speechless.Belinda rushed over to her precious daughter sprawled on the ground, scolding Noella as she helped Briony up."Noella! She's your sister, for crying out loud! Don’t you have a heart?"Noella looked at Briony bawling in Belinda's arms with indifference."I'm perfectly sane, thank you. You two might want to look after yourselves first."Belinda was baffled. "What do you mean? How on earth did I raise a kid like you?"A snicker escaped from a nearby servant.Noella dusted off her hands, her tone icy. "Don’t blame you. My words are a bit of a brain-teaser, something you clearly lack."Belinda was at a loss for words."You stand right there! If you dare claim you're part of our family out there, I'll break your legs!"A smug look flickered in Briony's eyes as she quickly played the sweet daughter, consoling an enraged Belinda."Mom, don't be mad. Noella has no idea how rough it’s gonna be when she gets home. I’ve heard that girls from rural areas often have to marry early to bring money for their brothers."At that, the nanny who had raised her chimed in. "Briony is right. With her temperament, Noella could only marry some lonely old widower who can't afford a wife. With her sharp tongue, she’ll surely get beaten up when she’s married! Briony has always been more caring than Noella. Since childhood, Briony has been more diligent than Noella."...These words were music to Briony's ears. She smirked, but noticed that Noella was still as serene as ever.How could she still be smiling? She must be faking it!Briony reached out, "Sis, let me help you with your suitcase. Oh my... How come you have so little stuff?"Accidentally, she flung open Noella's small suitcase, revealing only a neat laptop and some blank papers inside.Briony had expected Noella to take some valuables to sell later, but upon seeing the blank papers, she couldn't help but lose her composure."Sis, even though Emerald County is dirt poor, these blank papers won't do you any good! You can't just draw a pie and call it dinner,” she laughed.The nanny added, "Hasn't even hit the countryside yet and already looking so destitute?"Belinda, still fuming, snatched the laptop from Noella's hands."You think you’ve grown up eating what, air? Even if I send you out naked today, you must obey me!"Briony's eyes widened with anticipation.This was too thrilling!Vincent rushed in, took the laptop, and stuffed it back into Noella's arms.After all, Noella had grown up under their watch. Making a scene like this- how was he supposed to keep his rep around here? The mishap of acknowledging the wrong daughter was already the talk of the town; he couldn't risk further embarrassment."Noella, dear, you can take whatever you want. It's all yours anyway."The nanny wouldn't let up."Every time I see Noella, I get chills down my spine. She’s such a country bumpkin, isn't she? I hope she's not up to any weird tricks. I say don’t let her take anything. What if there are company secrets on that laptop? If she were to leaks them, what are we gonna do?"Noella bent down to pack her small suitcase.Lifting her clear eyes, she stared at Belinda and Briony.With a slight smile, she said, "Haven’t you noticed over the years how much you two resemble each other?"Since childhood, no matter what Noella did, Belinda favored Briony. She even told her not to worry about grades, stating that the Lambert family doesn't rely on academics. It was only later that Noella discovered the reason behind it- Briony was jealous of her good grades and had cried to Belinda about it.If Noella scored too high, she'd get scolded for not considering Briony's feelings.It seemed that a nanny's niece mattered more to Belinda than her own daughter.As for what that represents, Noella didn't believe for a second that Belinda had no clue.Noella curved her lips into a smile, looking at Vincent."I’ve prepared a gift for you, Mr. and Mrs. Lambert. Hope you’ll like it. It’ll be delivered after I leave."Mr. and Mrs. Lambert.Those words were cold, marking a clear boundary with the Lambert family, with no hint of association.Vincent's face tightened.Upon hearing her words, Belinda felt as though Noella was on the verge of leaving yet still threatening her.Fuming with anger, she stormed past Briony's half-hearted attempts to stop her, hell-bent on slapping Noella right across the face."Listen up, once you're out of here, don't even think about coming back. Even if you end up crying from feeding chickens, we won’t give you a second thought!"Belinda tried to snatch the suitcase out of Noella's hand, her slap hanging midair, but Noella nimbly dodged it.Before anyone behind could catch her, Belinda crashed headfirst into the wall, instantly forming a large bump on her head!Belinda let out a piercing scream, "You dare to push me?!"Briony got the fright of her life, rushing over to help Belinda up.Noella stood her ground, seeing Belinda and Briony as nothing more than pathetic clowns.That look made Belinda inexplicably feel a twinge of guilt.Her raised hand never came down, and Vincent, ever the peacemaker, tried to smooth things over. "What's the big scene for? Noella's ride is here. Let's all see her out together. Who knows, this might be the last time we see her."Briony was freaking out that if things got too heated, Noella might bail on leaving."Mom, I'll hit the mall with you later to chill you out. I heard that Master Azure's new fall collection is out, and if we're late, it'll be sold out. You know Master Azure's stuff is always priceless.Briony was secretly thrilled at the thought of Noella having zilch to do with these high-society luxuries, maybe even having to get up at dawn to feed the chickens. She couldn't help but smirk, her eyes landing on the car at the door. Suddenly, she gasped."Yikes, what's up with that car..."Everyone looked where she was pointing.Briony had never seen such a casual sedan before.The car was pitch black with zero bling, and the logo was something Briony had never laid eyes on – definitely not a luxury brand or anything.Moreover, the car was filthy as hell, caked in dust so thick it almost had a matte finish.The idea that this vehicle might've rolled straight out of some chicken coop in Emerald County, possibly with chicken poop still on the tires, disgusted the Lambert family, causing them to recoil and step back in revulsion.Talk about embarrassing!The driver hopped out, his gaze scanning until it landed on Noella.In an instant, he knew she was the one he was there for!Her face, a dead ringer for Mrs. Schnabel's, was unforgettable at a glance- captivating and clear, as if she had stepped out of a painting, impossible to look away from.The driver bowed. "Miss, welcome home! The lord and lady have a special status and couldn't come to get you, the one and only Miss in the family, themselves. We hope you aren’t upset about it. We've got a welcome home bash ready for you. Unfortunately, we got caught in a dust storm on the way here, so we didn't have time to wash the car."Noella couldn't figure out the car's brand either, but it looked kinda familiar.Wasn't Emerald County supposed to be some backwater? Why was there even a car?Her family seemed different from what she'd imagined."The one and only Miss? Thought I had an elder sister?""Yes, you're the only daughter of the young master and his lady. Old Lady Schnabel said no matter what, you're the only true Miss of the family! The other young masters and misses have no objections. From now on, at home, your word is law! I'm Wren, the lord's driver. This is his personal car. Everyone's stoked for you to come home!"Wren spoke with sincere earnestness, his face sporting the honest grin typical of the trustworthy type.Anxious not to upset Noella, he explained everything in detail.Noella frowned slightly; this family seemed different from Vincent's description.Wren opened the car door, respectfully saying, "I'll go grab your luggage. If there's too much, I'll get more people to help. Don't worry, we'll get it all moved today."Wren didn't know how much luggage Noella had, but figured a young lady would have plenty.Last time he helped a lady from the family move, even her stuffed animals had to come along – took a whole ten trucks.Noella got in the car, simply stating, "No need. Let's go."Wren was a bit stunned, then somewhat dazed.It was the first time he met the miss, and she spoke just like the young masters at home!Wren quickly nodded. "Alright, do you have any other orders? Your folks told me to thank your foster parents. If you got anything to say, I'll pass it along."Noella was about to decline when Wren suddenly got drenched head to toe with a bucket of water, chilling him to the bone.Speechless, Wren’s glasses were speckled with droplets, and the water had a weird smell to it."Is this how they welcome guests in Tranquility City?"Behind Wren, the Lambert family's nanny clapped her hands, setting down her bucket."Oops, just dumping some veggie water, didn't see you there. Thought I'd give your car a quick rinse, no biggie, right?"Wren was gobsmacked!Not only had she dirtied his clothes, but he also still had the Schnabel family's thank-you gift for the Lambert family on him!A contract worth billions, along with a hefty network, all down the drain.The Schnabel family racked their brains over what to gift and ended up deciding on resources to lend the Lambert family a hand. That's what the Schnabel couple stressed for him to deliver personally.Now it was all ruined!The nanny Alena, after dumping the water and seeing he wasn't mad, gave him a defiant glance and waddled back inside.Vincent hurried out to smooth things over."Sorry about that, our nanny's just obsessed with cleanliness. Can't have such a dirty car rolling up to our place..."Reading between the lines, Wren's ride was too filthy for their taste.Wren quickly pulled out the still-dripping documents, trying to hand them to Vincent."Mr. Lambert, this is our family's gift to you, for taking good care of the miss all these years..."Belinda snickered.The guy in front of her must be Noella's real dad.Wearing dusty, no-name clothes, probably just came from working the fields.A hick farmer, his face flushed from the highland air, calling Noella ‘miss’ - pure Mary Sue stuff.Belinda searched but found zilch on the car – it had to be some junker the bumpkin borrowed for show.She scoffed, "Alright, take her and scram. We've got to take Briony to get her custom fall fashion. We'll be late!"With that, she dragged Vincent back inside, slamming the door shut.Wren, looking at the soggy papers in his hand, thought, the gift never made it. Guess he'd ask what to do once back.These people...Wren couldn't shake the feeling they didn't seem to care much for the miss.Shaking his head, Wren hurried back to the car and drove Noella away from the Lambert Mansion."Miss, please buckle up. We're tight on time, so we gotta hustle."Noella nodded.The Schnabel family wasn't quite what she expected. Take this car, for instance, the interior was all high-end stuff. The seats were made of some fancy fabric that feels super soft and cool to the touch, yet it's tough as nails. You could barely make a dent with a knife; this kind of material was definitely not something you'd find in a farmer's house.In the next second, Wren hits a button in the car.The ordinary black sedan that was just parked there started to transform. Helicopter blades popped out of the sunroof, and the whole car turned into a chopper!"Vroom-vroom!"Suddenly, Noella was hit with that feeling of weightlessness, and Wren, like a pro, steered the helicopter up into the skies until it's just a speck!Noella's was left dumbfounded.Wren chuckled and said, "Scared ya, didn't I? The lord gets carsick, so they rigged up this little plane for him. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, so don't hold it against us!"Carsick, so they got a plane?"If I remember correctly, the amphibious tech for helicopters and cars was successfully tested just last month."Wren got all pumped up and said, "Yep, yep, it was just sorted out last month! I was in the air force before I hung up my boots, so now I'm the lord's chauffeur."Noella gazed out at the clouds, the sky's a pristine shade of blue, and the Lambert Mansion quickly vanished from her view.She was familiar with the tech, after all; just last month, her research data had been sent off, and they quickly got back with the correct experimental results based on it.She hadn’t expected to see a finished product so fast. And she sure as heck hadn’t expected to see it with her own family, of all people.Noella didn’t say much the whole trip; she just fiddled with her phone for a bit and then scribbled on a piece of paper.Wren sneaked a peek and realized she was just shuffling around blank sheets, and that pen she was holding seemed to have run out of ink. It didn’t leave a single mark on the paper.Wren frowned up a storm.The Lambert family couldn’t even provide their daughter with a working pen – that's just sad! It looked like when he got back, he needed to have a serious chat with the old lady and the lord about how the Lambert family was treating Miss Noella!